Comparison between dairy sheep farming systems under rainfed Mediterranean conditions

Three 5 ha dairy sheep systems with different input levels were compared during three years. The percentage of total system area conventionally cultivated each year was equal to 80%, 20% and 30% in systems no. 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Each system was rotationally grazed by 30 dairy ewes. Both total dry matter grazed and hay production were higher in system no.2 throughout all the trial, being the corresponding three-year averages equal to 2.53 and 1.26 t/ha (system no. 1), 3.06 and 2.34 t/ha (system no.2) and 2.73 and 1.82 t/ha (system no.3). Milk yield was significantly higher (P<0.05) in no.2 group, the total annual yield for each system being equal to 1. 10, 1.33 and 1. 17 t/ha. Hay consumption tended to be lower in the system no.2 in comparison with system no. 1 and 3 averaging to 0.30 (no.2), 0.34 (no. 1) and 0.36 t DM/ha (no.3). On the basis of the current prices, the system no.2 showed also an average gross margin higher by 32% and 27% as compared to systems no. 1 and 3, respectively.