Abstract

LOPEZ-VIGOA, Onel et al. Silvopastoral systems as alternative for sustainable animal production in the current context of tropical livestock production. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2017, vol.40, n.2, pp. 83-95. ISSN 2078-8452.

The low efficiency and profitability of animal production systems in tropical countries, along with the subsequent deterioration of the environment, has compelled the search for systems that maximize the productive and economic efficiency and the natural balance with the environment. For such reason, the objective of this paper is to review the main results of Latin America and the Caribbean with the use of silvopastoral system (SPSs) for milk and beef production and for the control of parasitism in cattle. SPSs offer high edible biomass availability, higher than 30 t DM ha^-1year^-1, of which the pasture represents 75-90 % and the tree foliage, 10-25 %. The diet shows a CP content of 11-16 % and an IVDMD of 510-630 g kg^-1 DM, and allows a milk production of 10-12 kg cow^-1day^-1 and between 3 000 and 16 000 kg ha^-1year^-1. For beef production, SPSs guarantee a weight gain between 0,42 and 1,10 kg animal^-1day^-1; while the production per hectare is between 500 and 1 340 kg year^-1. In addition, SPSs propitiate the increase of the soil biota which accelerates dung decomposition, reducing gastrointestinal parasitism in the animals and the increase of the fauna associated that regulates the populations of ticks and vector insects. The need to transform degraded pasture systems as well as the crops of cultivated grasses in SPSs is emphasized; thus they improve the nutritional quality and balance of the diet for the animals, the efficiency in milk and beef production per hectare is optimized, and a contribution is made to the control of parasite diseases in the herds.

Keywords : agroecology; cattle; environment; parasites.

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