This chapter describes existing knowledge on methods for improving the use of natural renewable resources in integrated farming systems. The methods that are described extend beyond the use of feed resources. The justification for including them in this manual is that sustainable agriculture requires the close integration of tree and food crops, animals and energy in order to make optimum use of the available biomass.
Thus the success of the “high-offer” system of feeding crop residues depends on alternative use being made of the rejected parts of the feed. The best way of doing this in many situations will be to use these rejected feed components as fuel.
Similarly, where animal manure is an essential feature of the farming system, the capacity to convert feed into manure may have a higher priority than the production of meat or milk.
In order to optimize the use of available resources, researchers should be aware of these complementary activities in which livestock play an important role but are not necessarily the principal actors. In many components of these systems, information is lacking which implies that these are fertile areas for research.