Decision Support of Ruminant Livestock Systems in the Gulf Region of Mexico Cornell University Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán Universidad Veracruzana INIFAP, Campo Experimental “La Posta”, Veracruz What is our TIES collaborative project? Who are the players? AnSc 640, TIES Seminar 31 August 2005 Robert Blake and Guillermo Ríos

Project objectives (Area of focus: rural development) (initiated June 2004) Support a research platform with emphasis on agricultural and environmental management aimed at improving net economic returns and livestock competitiveness.

Complementary objective  Widespread dissemination of research results to producers and other interested parties  Implementation of educational activities  Short courses  Training and exchanges  Postgraduate programs

Focus Herd nutritional and environmental management for meat production beef mutton

Information from rapid appraisals June-August 2004: 63 farms with sheep surveyed in five Yucatan locations. Primary objective: evaluate the limitations and opportunities in this sector. October-December 2004: 60 farms with beef cattle surveyed in eastern and southern Yucatan Data coding and analysis:  Initial coding and data sets complete for sheep survey  Data available for thesis proyects. Two Cornell students (from Australia, Japan) will use them in contributions to our TIES project.

Two Mexican students began MS programs at Cornell, August 2005 Luis Nabté: Yucatán Victor Absalón: Veracruz

Total number of students on the TIES research platform 7 UADY: 3 Ph. D., 3 MS, 1 BS 4 Cornell: 1 Ph. D., 3 MS

Program of short courses, September: “Evaluación nutricional de forrajes en la Región del Golfo” October: “Uso de un modelo computacional para el manejo nutricional de bovinos y ovinos” November: “Análisis bioeconómico de alternativas tecnológicas y la dinámica de sistemas agropecuarios” February: “Evaluación del potencial para progreso genético en poblaciones de ganado rumiante en la Región del Golfo”

Short course objectives (>175 classroom hours given) Agree on priority research themes (>175 classroom hours given) Disseminate information through Internet site and other avenues Forage  Nutrition  Bio-economic  management evaluación …  Genetic mgt… system dynamics (SD) Aplicación de la DS al Entorno… 5 o : Aplicación de la DS al Entorno… (>175 classroom hours given) Agree on priority research themes (>175 classroom hours given) Disseminate information through Internet site and other avenues Forage  Nutrition  Bio-economic  management evaluación …  Genetic mgt… system dynamics (SD) Aplicación de la DS al Entorno… 5 o : Aplicación de la DS al Entorno…

5 ◦ Curso ENLACES Aplicación de la Dinámica de Sistemas al Entorno Agropecuario en la Región del Golfo de México

Specific objectives of 5 th short course  Understand basic concepts of SD and modeling using this method.  Demostrate the usefulness of this method... Capstone exercize: review a conceptual model of sheep systems derived from our rapid appraisal.  Begin to specify thesis (research) topics Build a collaborative research team: UV-INIFAP-Cornell (and with UADY).

Principal activities,  Disseminate information (e. g., Internet) Short courses (e.g., presentations, literature) Research platform Joint teaching platform Implement a new SD course at UV (and UADY)  Support these platforms with study leaves at Cornell: Profesors/researchers from UADY, UV and INIFAP Doctoral students from UADY, (PIFOP-CONACyT funding)  Provide a core program of joint courses TIES seminar: research and training collaborations 3 courses on agricultural systems with livestock,…. 2 with field laboratories in the Gulf Region

UADY co-directors  Guillermo Ríos Arjona  Juan Ku Vera

Needs of Yucatan cattle producers Farmers assertively identified a series of urgent problems to be resolved:  Greater contact, more research and better information flow (results) needed between UADY and farmers  Training courses needed for farmers in their communities:

Needs of Yucatan cattle producers (2) Themes identified:  Technical-productive (e.g., pasture management, feeding, dry-season strategies)  Production costs (integration strategies)  Product marketing (e.g., meat price, importation limitations and problems)

Benefits to UADY from courses and diagnostics These tools have helped define problems affecting farmers. The primary feedback is to opt for adjustments that would make more agile  its structure and  its operation to become more effective in problem solving.

Other benefits Novel opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students. Thesis projects based on these themes and problems. Greater opportunity for obtaining project funding federal/state (projects) for the training of professionals.

¡Gracias! (en Maya) … Yum bo’otik