Technical and Economical analysis of sheep farms of autochthonous breeds in the Balearic Islands (Spain)
Abstract
The Balearic Islands, Spain, have an important livestock tradition based on the use of autochthonous breeds and grazing. However, the intensification of primary production, the competition for the territory that tourism has generated and its low of profitability, means that these systems are at risk of disappearing, with negative environmental and social consequences. In order to conserve these systems, it is necessary to deepen the knowledge of their management in order to improve their technical and economic management and establish strategies to increase their profitability, while conserving their environmental and social benefits. Ten sheep farms of two native Mallorcan breeds (Mallorquina and Roja Mallorquina) were selected, which were monitored monthly during 2015, with the aim of evaluating management through the development of technical and economic indicators. Subsequently, an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of this management has been carried out, to detect key aspects that help improve the profitability of the activity. It was observed that these farms are not very specialized and have different production models (professional, recreational, tourist, agricultural). All the farms are oriented to the production of lambs, except one that is mixed, producing three different types of lambs according to their weight (suckling, medium and large “recental”). The farms' feed self–sufficiency is high, however, they have little reproductive organization and production costs are not covered by the price of the lamb. Likewise, only 30% of the farms generate business profit. As improvement strategies, it was considered important to improve the production of pastures, both natural and cultivated; improvement of reproductive planning and breed genetics; producing lambs with a good carcass conformation or creating a quality mark that informs the consumer of the environmental benefits of these systems and of the nutritional–functional quality of these pasture–raised lambs.
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