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Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar

Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar

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level of adoption can be regarded as the most intensive of the three levels<br />

considered in this study, both in terms of productivity/ha and in terms of<br />

capital and labor use. The simulation model included the legume Arachis<br />

pin<strong>to</strong>i associated <strong>with</strong> grasses of Brachiaria spp.<br />

In Costa Rica this level of adoption required the additional<br />

establishment of 3.6 ha of Cratylia and 4.9 ha of sugarcane, in relation <strong>to</strong><br />

levels 1 and 2, as well as the establishment of A. pin<strong>to</strong>i associated <strong>with</strong><br />

Brachiaria in all pasture area (39.5 ha). The investment was<br />

US$15,960/farm, equivalent <strong>to</strong> US$333/cow, which allowed a significant<br />

increase in s<strong>to</strong>cking rate (1.56 AU/ha) as well as the herd size (from 23 <strong>to</strong><br />

48 cows). This increase in herd size generated other benefits, such as<br />

increased milk productivity/ha during the survey: from 666 kg at Level 1 <strong>to</strong><br />

1,095 kg milk/ha at Level 2 and 1,390 kg milk/ha at Level 3.<br />

Atlhough the annual net income/cow and per hectare varies little<br />

regarding Level 2 (increased from US$98/ha <strong>to</strong> US$119/ha but decreased<br />

from US$124/cow <strong>to</strong> US$119/cow), the net income/farm increased<br />

markedly because of the effect of s<strong>to</strong>cking rate and expansion of herd size,<br />

practically duplicating the annual net income of producers from<br />

US$2,852/farm <strong>with</strong> Level 2 <strong>to</strong> US$5,712 <strong>with</strong> Level 3.<br />

As in Costa Rica, this level of adoption in Honduras required an<br />

additional increase in the area planted <strong>to</strong> Cratylia (3.2 ha) and sugarcane<br />

(4.1 ha), as well as the establishment of A. pin<strong>to</strong>i associated <strong>with</strong> Brachiaria<br />

(36.7 ha) in the <strong>to</strong>tal area under pastures. The investment <strong>to</strong> achieve this<br />

level of adoption <strong>to</strong>taled US$2,580/farm and was significantly lower than<br />

that required in Costa Rica because the farms surveyed in Honduras already<br />

had more than 60% of the pasture area established <strong>with</strong> improved grasses,<br />

including important areas of cut-and-carry forages (3.2 ha or more per<br />

farm). This level of adoption allowed farmers in Honduras <strong>to</strong> increase herd<br />

size by 9.5%, from 42 <strong>to</strong> 46 cows, thus increasing net income<br />

(US$12,190/farm) as compared <strong>with</strong> the other levels of adoption (Table 6).<br />

The case of Nicaragua was similar <strong>to</strong> that of Costa Rica and Honduras<br />

because this level requires an additional increase in the area planted <strong>to</strong><br />

Cratylia (for example, from 2.5 ha <strong>to</strong> 5.2 ha) and <strong>to</strong> sugarcane (for example,<br />

from 4.4 ha <strong>to</strong> 9.2 ha), as well as the establishment of A. pin<strong>to</strong>i associated<br />

<strong>with</strong> Brachiaria spp. in the <strong>to</strong>tality of the area under pastures (65.6 ha). The<br />

investment <strong>to</strong> achieve this level of adoption in Nicaragua was the highest of<br />

the three countries studied (US$22,070/farm) because the farms surveyed<br />

in Nicaragua were completely covered <strong>with</strong> naturalized pastures. This<br />

investment in Nicaragua allowed producers <strong>to</strong> double the current s<strong>to</strong>cking<br />

rate from 0.99 AU/ha <strong>to</strong> 1.95 AU/ha and increase herd size from 44 <strong>to</strong> 86<br />

cows, thus increasing net income <strong>to</strong> US$7,482/farm per year, which is<br />

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