72. Whole-farm System Comparisons of Intensification Practices in a Beef Farm in the Amazon.

Abstract The intensification of Brazil’s agricultural systems can involve different strategies to increase beef production while reducing deforestation in the Amazon biome and mitigating climate change. The objective of this research was to evaluate whole-production system, economics, and environmental impacts of transitioning from grazing system to an intensive system using two agricultural intensification practices. A widely used whole-farm simulation model for cattle, pasture, and crops was adapted to represent a cooperating beef farm in the Amazon (350 ha). Three systems were simulated: (1) perennial forage grass (FG), (2) maize silage (MS), and (3) soybean–livestock integration (SL). Results showed that beef production in FG was lower (255 kg ha⁻¹) than in the more intensive systems, MS (829 kg ha⁻¹) and SL (2,909 kg ha⁻¹). Total costs increased with intensification; however, total revenue followed a similar trend, being higher in systems with greater beef production. Consequently, net return per hectare was highest in MS (US$ 11,460), compared to FG (US$ 1,224) and SL (US$ 3,193 ha⁻¹). The largest carbon and blue water footprints were observed in MS (8.92 kg CO₂ eq kg⁻¹ BW and 4,132 kg kg⁻¹ BW, respectively), where animals were exclusively fed in trough-based systems. The whole-farm simulation model proved to be a flexible tool for evaluating management strategies, enabling the assessment of practices that can improve the efficiency and sustainability of beef production systems.