An analytical framework to evaluate efficiency gains from crop-livestock interactions: a typology of mixed crop-livestock systems coupled with a quantification of integration

This study presents a comprehensive analytical framework to assess efficiency gains in mixed crop-livestock systems (MC-LS) at the farm scale. First, it introduces a refined typology of MC-LS through organizational, spatial, and temporal dimensions of crop-livestock interactions. Next, two quantitative indicators—the degree of diversification and the degree of vertical integration—are defined to characterize production strategies. To quantify farm-level integration and its efficiency gains, the framework applies frontier production analysis and four additional metrics: complementarity, strategic efficiency, global efficiency, and technical efficiency. This generic framework aims to deepen understanding of MC-LS complexity and to identify sustainable production strategies over the long term.