Abstract

PERI, Pablo L. Sheep response to pastures grown under different crown cover of Nothofagus antarctica silvopastoril systems in Southern Patagonia, Argentina. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2008, vol.26, n.3, pp.363-366. ISSN 0798-7269.

Sheep production is the main annual income in silvopastoril systems in southern Patagonia forest, Argentina. The aim of the present study was to quantify sheep performance grazing under two crown cover (40 and 60%) in Nothofagus antarctica silvopastoril system and two post-grazing pasture masses (optimum: 850 kg DM/ha and low: 300 kg DM/ha). Liveweight gain/head (LWG, gr/head/d) and liveweight gain/ha (kg/ha/d) of four years old ewes (17 and 38 ewes/ha for 60 and 40% crown cover, respectively) were recorded during december (maximum biomass production). There was no difference in LWG per head in both crown cover stands, but LWG decreased up to 50% for ewes grazed until a low post-grazing mass. The highest pre-grazing mass in the 40% crown cover silvopastoral system allowed a higher stocking rate (38 ewes/ha) and consequently, a greater LWG per ha (3.8 vs. 2.4 kg/ha/d for optimum post-grazing mass).

Keywords : crown cover; sheep production; silvopastoril systems; Patagonia.

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