Resumen

SILVA, Hernani Alves da et al. Economic viability of dairy heifer production on pasture in crop-livestock integration system. Pesq. agropec. bras. [online]. 2012, vol.47, n.6, pp. 745-753. ISSN 0100-204X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2012000600003.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the profitability of the integrated crop-livestock (ICL) system in comparison to the cultivation of winter cereals and cover crops for soybean and maize cropped under no-tillage in the summer. The following were compared: simulated data from a conventional agricultural system with production of maize and soybean grains in the summer and cultivation of wheat and ground cover plants in the winter; and data from a published work in which combinations of pastures (diversified or pure) and animal categories (light or heavy) were evaluated in a system with the production of maize and soybean in the summer and grazing during the winter. Economic analysis was carried out based on previous experimental results and simulated for a 100-ha property. ICL with rearing of dairy heifers in winter annual grazing, as a replacement to winter cereal crops and ground cover crops for no-tillage, is the most profitable alternative for producers.

Palabras llave : conservationist agriculture; economic analysis; annual winter pastures; heifer rearing; integrated production system.