Of structure and functioning of cattle farms and analyses of food systems and management in algerian high plain region

Department of Agronomy and livestock production sciences, Setif I university, Algeria. * Corresponding author, Email : mouffokcharefeddine@yahoo.fr Telephone : 00213561267224 ABSTRACT : A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among a purposive sample of 165 cattle farmers in the Semi arid region of Algerian Eastern High plains, all of whom owned three or more head of cattle. Results showed diversity in the cattle production orientation or breeders surveyed prefer majority (more than 80% of cases) mixed systems (dairy beef). Farms specialized in dairy production and beef cattle record relatively low, 15% and 5% respectively. Analysis of land ownership shows that agro-pastoralists are generally owner of land and only specialized farms are resorting to leasing land whose 50% of them exploit only leased land. Non-linear canonical analysis shows a several association between cattle farming system, herd size, commercialization policies and fodder availability and management. In fact, specialized and oriented dairy farms hold small herds’ cows dominance led on grass and monoculture or without forage. Mixed farms exploit more effective of cattle always associated with small ruminants. The fodder system is based on diversity of several species of fodder leads to dry and irrigated system with generally proper grassland. Indeed, beef system characterizes large herds without fodder crop and without meadow. However, place of livestock mainly cattle in conduct and marketing strategies varies depending on livestock-crop integration level and the diversity of incomes comes from various speculations.