What is a "dual production system" in farming and with farm animals?

Question

Any specific examples you could provide would be great! Thanks.

If you have them, link to sources would be great, too.

Answer 1

"dual production system" is a really ambiguous term. I didn't have much luck finding a definition for it. Having done some of my growing up on a "dairy" farm, I can envision a number of dual systems.

Our principal product was milk, but we grew cereal grains and alfalfa for cattle feed and bedding, selling the surplus grain, hay, and straw. Cows were winter pastured on the stubble fields to reduce feed costs. Calves, especially bull calves were sold for cash (A small herd can have only one bull. The weaker or more timid bull is always driven of by the more aggressive bull.) Female calves from the better producing cows were sometimes raised as replacements or herd addition. Culls, cows with poorer production records, were sold for cash, generally as meat animals. My mother raised chickens as an adjunct income and meat source.

Other farmers fed beef cattle as well as selling their cereal grains and hay, again with chickens, swine, and sometimes other animals. Most, however were unable to compete with large cattle feeders, who rarely tilled the land, or did so only as a sideline and outlet for feedlot waste.

Still other farmers engage in continuous crop rotation, as some crops actually replace nutrients taken out of the soil by other crops. This can also be classified as a dual system.