Archetypes of cow-calf systems on Campos grasslands from an ecological intensification perspective, their productivity and trophic performance

Cow-calf systems on native grasslands dominate family farms in South America. Little is known about the diversity of the practices implemented by farmers and their relation to the productive outcomes achieved. This study aimed to classify Uruguayan cow-calf farm systems based on distinct combinations of strategic, tactical, and decision-supporting techniques and their productive results. We used two datasets combined with archetype and discriminant analyses. The first, more general dataset contained results from a representative survey of Uruguayan livestock farms. The second, highly detailed dataset included information on 28 family farms that had participated in a co-innovation project. The first dataset was used to elucidate archetypes. Next, each of the 28 farms were assigned to the archetypes using discriminant analysis. Finally, the archetypes were compared in terms of structural and functional variables. Four archetypes (A1 to A4) of cow-calf systems emerged. A1 and A4 exhibited strongly contrasting levels of technique implementation, while A2 and A3 were intermediate. The archetype with the highest level of technique application (A1) achieved the best performance in beef production, weaning percentage, and weight of calves at weaning as well as in trophic and conversion efficiency. Surprisingly, no differences in above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) were detected, which questions the sensitivity of the widely used remote-sensing based indicator. The difference in productive performance between the archetypes represents a gap that can be closed by increasing the application of ecological intensification techniques. Our results indicate that knowledge and application of ecologically intensive management rather than farm resource endowment is the primary factor enabling productivity and trophic efficiency increases in cow-calf systems on the Pampas and Campos. The results call for investment in training and support of farmers, using a systems perspective. • Diversity of Campos cow-calf systems is captured by four archetypes. • Better performance for the archetype with greatest implementation of techniques. • Archetypes did not differ in a commonly used forage production indicator. • Ecologically intensive management improved trophic efficiency. • Interventions need to be tailored to farm's archetype.