Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-f46jp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-06T08:10:16.233Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Diversification of animal species in the hills and uplands

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. J. F. Russel
A. J. F. Russel
Affiliation:
Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Hartwood Research Station, Shotts, Lanarkshire
Get access

Abstract

The options for diversification in the hills and uplands of the United Kingdom are constrained by environmental and nutritional factors to the production of meat, animal fibre or both meat and fibre from deer, sheep, goats and camelids. To be successful, novel animal systems must also produce a commodity for which there is a strong demand and be wholly acceptable as regards both animal welfare and environmental impact. Immediate economic viability is not a prerequisite as levels of support to traditional and alternative enterprises can be changed at any time. Red deer farming and fibre production from fine-wool sheep, Angora and cashmere goats, and guanacos are all considered to be technically possible on hill or upland resources. Fine wool and cashmere have the greatest potential for diversification as they are dual-product enterprises with a balance between meat and fibre which accords with predicted market demands. The realization of the potential of these enterprises will require financial support equivalent to that given to the traditional forms of production if they are to be competitive and constitute realistic opportunities for diversification.

Type
Research Article
Information
BSAP Occasional Publication , Volume 18: Livestock Production and Land Use in Hills and Uplands , January 1994 , pp. 67 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Production 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bennett, R. 1989. The economic potential for fine wool sheep production in the United Kingdom. Report, Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Reading.Google Scholar
Blaxter, K. L., Kay, R. N. B., Sharman, G. A. M., Cunningham, J. M. M. and Hamilton, W. J. 1974. Farming tlie red deer, first report. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Blaxter, K. L., Kay, R. N. B., Sharman, G. A. M., Cunningham, J. M. M., Eadie, J. and Hamilton, W. J. 1988. Farming tlie red deer, final report. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Boaz, T. G., Ryder, M. L. and Tempest, W. M. 1977. A role for the Merino in British sheep production. Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England 138: 98–115.Google Scholar
Clark, D. A., Lambert, M. G., Rolston, M. P. and Dymock, N. 1982. Diet selection by goats and sheep on hill country. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 42: 155–157.Google Scholar
Grant, S. A., Bolton, G. R. and Russel, A. J. F. 1984. The utilization of sown and indigenous plant species by sheep and goats grazing hill pastures. Grass and Forage Science 39: 361–370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milne, J. A. 1993. Economics of fibre production. In Alternative animals for fibre production (ed. Russel, A. J. F.) pp. 95–102. EC, Brussels.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Department of Agriculture for Scotland; Welsh Office Agriculture Department. 1990. Corfes of recommendations for the welfare of livestock: sheep. MAFF Publications, London.Google Scholar
Russel, A. J. F. 1993. Development of management systems. In Alternative animals for fibre production (ed. Russel, A. J. F.) pp. 83–89. EC, Brussels.Google Scholar
Russel, A. J. F., Maxwell, T. J., Bolton, G. R., Currie, D. C. and White, I. R. 1983. A note on the possible use of goats in hill sheep grazing systems. Animal Production 36: 313–316.Google Scholar
Sanderson, R. H., Carnaby, G. A. and Wilkinson, B. R. 1990. The harvesting, characteristics and processing of red deer fibre. Proceedings of the eighth international wool textile research conference, vol. 2, pp. 339–351. WRONZ, Christchurch, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Saul, G. R., Russel, A. J. F. and Sibbald, A. R. 1992. Potential systems for increasing income from wool in hill and upland sheep flocks in the UK. Agricultural Systems 39: 273–287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saul, G. R., Russel, A. J. F. and Sibbald, A. R. 1993. Potential of different sheep breeds to improve wool production on UK hill and upland sheep farms. Small Ruminant Research 11: 1–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar