Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar
Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar
Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar
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The Need for Forage Technologies in the<br />
Al<strong>to</strong> Mayo Region of the Peruvian Amazon<br />
Sam Fujisaka 1 , Deysi Lara 2 , Keneth Reategui 1 , Julio Montenegro 3 , Robinson<br />
Ventura 3 , Miguel Diaz 4 , Rober<strong>to</strong> Diaz 4 , and Douglas White 1<br />
CIAT (1), FUNDAAM (2), CTAR (3), and MAG-Peru (4)<br />
Researchers from the Fundación del Al<strong>to</strong> Mayo (FUNDAAM), the<br />
Ministry of Agriculture (MAG) of Peru, the Consejo Transi<strong>to</strong>rio Agropecuario<br />
Regional (CTAR), and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)<br />
conducted a diagnostic field survey <strong>to</strong> evaluate feeding systems for dualpurpose<br />
cattle in the Al<strong>to</strong> Mayo Region, Department of San Martin, in the<br />
Peruvian Amazon.<br />
The study was carried out in four communities (Nuevo Cajamarca,<br />
Sori<strong>to</strong>r, Habana, and Rioja), where farmers owned, on average, some 25-30<br />
head of cattle, <strong>with</strong> 4 <strong>to</strong> 10 cows being milked at any given time throughout<br />
the year. Farm size ranged between 25 and 33 ha, of which 16-18 ha were<br />
sown <strong>to</strong> pastures. The most common species was Brachiaria decumbens,<br />
followed by B. brizantha. The milk produced in the region is mainly<br />
marketed through a processing plant that sells milk <strong>to</strong> the government for a<br />
social project providing milk <strong>to</strong> schoolchildren.<br />
The invasion of weeds and wet-season trampling, which caused soil<br />
compaction, were the most frequent pasture management problems.<br />
Lives<strong>to</strong>ck was affected by parasites and diseases. In addition <strong>to</strong> lives<strong>to</strong>ck<br />
production, the farmers also depend on subsistence crops such as irrigated<br />
rice and coffee.<br />
The survey indicated that the lack of improved forages was a constraint<br />
<strong>to</strong> enhanced herd productivity in the region. In the four communities<br />
surveyed, several farmers had established cut-and-carry forages, mainly<br />
elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and king grass (Pennisetum sp.).<br />
These farmers had also installed improved milking and feeding stalls and<br />
infrastructure for animal feeding. Because of the low prices paid for raw<br />
milk, many producers allocated the milk produced <strong>to</strong> late-weaned calves<br />
rather than <strong>to</strong> market.<br />
Materials and Methods<br />
The study area was located in the piedmont region of the Peruvian<br />
Amazon region, at 1,000 masl. Average annual precipitation was 1,380 mm,<br />
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