Advantages of mixed farming

Increase in productivity
Mixed farming is one which crop production is combined with the rearing of livestock. The livestock enterprises are complementary to crop production; so as to provide a balance and productive system of farming. Mixed farming maintains productivity with lesser input demand.
Excretes from the livestock are used in place of fertilizer; since fertilizer is an artificial product, manure from animals are considered more enriching because it boosts productivity of farm produce without altering its natural nutrients.
Also when excretes from livestock are used to cultivate crops, it saves the farmer’s money from cost of fertilizer, thereby sustaining the farmer’s income with is the general outcome of productivity.
Reduction in the need for artificial fertilizer
While manures from animals are natural, fertilizers are always artificial. Artificial produce cannot be compared to a natural one. More so, the cost of fertilizer which is quite expensive can be done without.
In fact, cultivation with animal manure is much more encouraged as opposed to the use of artificial fertilizers which is more discouraged.
Less likelihood of total crop failure
Where there is a practice of mixed farming, there is less likelihood of total crop failure.
This is as a result of the incidences concerned with mixed farming, ranging from availability of manure from livestock, availability of lands for more cultivation, cost effectiveness, and from the fact that mixed farming is a multi-purpose system where cultivation of crops and rearing of animals serves as a complement unto each other, in the sense that where there are lapses or natural eco occurrence affecting the productivity of either, the other will make up for the loss.
For instance, where the crops yield lesser than was invested to the extent that it constitutes a loss, incomes from the livestock rearing can complement for the loss. It is in unfortunate cases that livestock and farm cultivation will suffer losses at the same period of time. Therefore, mixed farming system is more sustainable in agricultural practice.
Suppression of pest
Mixed farming system helps reduce the infection of pest and disease on the crops. When crops and animals are harbored on the same land, animals will serve as a check to the interferences of insects, birds, rodents and other animals on the land. This is possible because livestock are not static creates like crops.
Also in a mixed farming, there is more likelihood of mixed cropping or intercropping; and due to diversity of crops, pests are left struggling with locating the crop type suitable for them.
Soil fertility
In a mixed farming system, the inner soil quality increase as there is little or no use of chemicals such as fertilizer (because of availability of manure from the livestock), and pesticides, since mixed farming by its very nature has a tendency to suppress pests. In a mixed farming system therefore, there is guaranteed balance of soil nutrients.
Suppression of weed
Because some livestock feed on weed, farmers have available weed to feed their livestock on from the farm. For this, farmers would have no option than to weed their farm which is entirely good for the productivity of the crops, and the weeds which are in return, not totally a waste because they serve as food to their livestock. – bscholarly.com