Productivity

The productivity of livestock refers to a level of efficiency in production of milk, meat, eggs or other goods.

Productivity varies greatly and is influenced by the animal health, nutrition, and management of different production systems employing differing technologies and practices, whilst controlled by different policies and institutions. There are wide regional variations: in low-and-middle-income countries there is potential to improve productivity, but access to resources is often limited (source). There are also trade-offs between increasing productivity and managing environmental, economic and social impacts (source). Good evidence is needed to inform sustainable increases in production with available resources, supporting initiatives that reduce hunger and poverty, while minimising negative environmental impacts.

Header photo: Youth milking on a dairy farm in Machakos, Kenya. Brad Collis (ILRI) (source)

For more insights, explore resources on Livestock Productivity