Abstract

ANDRADE, Hernán J; ESQUIVEL, Humberto  and  IBRAHIM, Muhammad. Availability of fodder resources in silvopastoral systems with native tree species in the dry tropic of Costa Rica. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2008, vol.26, n.3, pp.289-292. ISSN 0798-7269.

Silvopastoral systems are considered win-win technologies: provide environmental services, increase cattle farm productivity, and are means to retain trees in agricultural landscapes. Two studies were conducted in active cattle farms in Cañas (Guanacaste, Costa Rica), located in tropical dry forest areas. The first study measured the availability of two contrasting grass species covered with native tree species, whereas the second study estimated fruit production of four most abundant tree species dispersed in pastures in the study zone. Brachiaria brizantha grass production was almost three times greater than that produced by Hyparrhenia rufa (14.7 vs. 5.3 t DM ha^-1 yr^-1) which may explain why farmers are changing native grass species by more productive grass species. Annual grass production of both grass species was not influenced significantly by tree species neither by the position respect to crown tree (10.7 vs. 9.0 t DM ha^-1 yr^-1 for under and intermediate crown areas, respectively). Enterolobium cyclocarpum trees produced between 3 and 10 times more fruits than the other tree species. Fruit quality was higher in leguminous tree species (E. cyclocarpum and Pithecellobium saman) compared to the non leguminous tree species. However, the combination of tree species could provide cattle with additional fodder sources of higher nutritive quality that grasses reducing the use of commercial feed. This study conclude that the introduction of native trees (including fruit trees) in grasslands may increase grass productivity and offer high quality fodder fruits in limiting seasons for feeding cattle.

Keywords : dispersed trees; nutritional quality; tree crown; fruit production.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )