EDUARDO G. CANUDAS-LARA, Ph.D. Professor of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Faculty University of Veracruz, Mexico GRAZING MANAGEMENT FOR A SUSTAINABLE ANIMAL PRODUCTION IN THE TROPICS

INTRODUCTION Tropical Grasses (C4) = High Growth Potential Intensive Grazing Management works (grazing laws) Farm Administration: an essential aspects 1. Plan : clear goals (animal and forage production, sustainable, profitable,… 2. Organization : identify, group, and assign ranch activities,… 3. Direction : leadership, communication, motivation,… 4. Control : Intensive Grazing System gives more control.

Conserve soil properties by efficient nutrient cycling (sustainability). Achieve profitability by increasing productivity and reducing cost. Reduce forest conversion to pasture land by increasing land productivity (animal). Become competitive in quality and price. OBJECTIVES

PLANT:ANIMAL SYSTEM

How? How solar energy is utilized? How forage is produced? (soil, minerals, water,..) How animal intake is controlled? (quality, quantity,...) How the environment is preserved? (nutrient cycling, erosion, insecticides, herbicides,...) RATIONAL MANAGEMENT The common sense is the least common of the senses…

N P K S Mg Ca + micros CO 2 O2O2 C 6 H 12 O 6 Sugar, starch,... O.M. How Solar Energy is utilized? C H O GEDEME Maintenance Production Feces Urine, methane

N P K S Mg Ca micros 500 kg/ha/año of N 125 kg/ha/año of P 2 O kg/ha/año of K 2 O C H O I II III N P K S Mg Ca micros Days Production 250 an./ha 50 an./0.2 ha = 40 m 2 /an/d 250 cows/ha/day = Murphy, 1981 How much minerals does the plant extracts from the soil?

Pasture Utilization Efficiency Utilization (%) Instant stocking rate (an./ha/day)

LAWS of the Rational Intensive Grazing System 1 o Adequate development 3 o Leave some leaves 2 o One day grazing 4 o Have some reserves : Sugar cane Silage Hay Concentrated

MATERIAL AND METHOD LOCATION: Medellin, Ver., Mexico WEATHER: Tropical Sub-humid RAINFALL: 1,700 mm (90% from July to October.) TEMPERATURE: 25º C (mean annual)

 Rational Intensive Grazing System  Deworming, vaccinate, vitamins, implants, tick control,…  Weight: individually approximately every 45 days. Chopped + urea + concentrated (16% CP) ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Aerial picture of “El Principio Ranch” 9.2 ha of taiwan grass (22.7 acres) 1.5 ha sugarcane (3.7 acres)

Close up of some paddocks of “El Principio Ranch” (paddocks size = 2000 m 2 or 0.5 acres)

Grazing

Pasture Divisions (paddocks) 2,000 m 2 each 2 ½” 4” 2”

Plant Production Parameters taiwan grass under RIGS with fertirrigation 3466DM Intake, % Gwowth rate, DM kg/ha/d DM Intake, % AU of BW DM Intake, AU/kg/day Production, DM t/ha/year TotalStemLeafParameter Average of 13 cuts from October of 1997 to June of

Animal Production Variables with Concentrated Supplementation form January to July with 2 kg DM/day of chopped sugarcane with 3% urea and the whole year with 1.14% of their body weight with a concentrated with 16% CP. Hectares (n)9.2 Cattle groups (number/year)3 Fattening period (d)376 Cattle raised (produced) per year (n)193 Average initial weight (kg/animal)240 Average final weight (kg/animal)374 Stocking rate(AU/ha) (animals/ha) Average daily gain (kg)1.09 Meat production (kg/ha/year)2,766 Taiwan with fertirrigation

Feed complement form January to July with 2 kg DM/day of chopped sugarcane with 3% urea, and the whole year with 1.14% of their body weight with a concentrated with 16% CP. animals/haAU/ha 7.0 Beef production (kg/ha/year) Average daily gain (kg) Stocking rate Average final weight (kg/animal) Average initial weight (kg/animal) Cattle raised (produced) per year (n) Fattening period (d/group) Cattle groups (number/year) Hectares (n) 2, Taiwan with fertirrigation Animal Production Variables with Concentrated

Profit/Loss Statement US Dollars NET PROFIT Profit sharing to workers OPERATING PROFIT Other Expenses Financial Expenses Sales Expenses Administrative Expenses GROSS PROFIT Production Cost Total Sales PARAMETER $12,354 $650 $13,004 $0 $4,797 $26 $1,007 $18,834 $75,062 $93,895 TAIWAN Supplementation form January to July with 2 kg DM/day of chopped sugarcane with 3% urea and the year 2000 with 1.14% of their body weight with a concentrated with 16% CP.NUMBERSINFORMATION (analyze, interpret, compare, take decisions,…)

FINANCIAL RATIOS $1,300 Net profit per hectare, US$/year 25 Profit over investment (reval), %/year 13.1 Profit margin, % 0.48 Net profit of meat, US$/kg 0.90 Total cost of meat, US$/kg 65 Total assets productivity, % 0.35 Break-even point, kg/animals/day 2.40 Break-even point, animals/ha TAIWAN GRASS PARAMETER Supplementation form January to July with 2 kg DM/day of chopped sugarcane with 3% urea and the year 2000 with 1.14% of their body weight with a concentrated with 16% CP.

 Rational Intensive Grazing System has demonstrated to be sustainable by recycling nutrient and maintaining production throughout the years.  The system had proof to be profitable and be competitive with high productivity per hectare, quality, and price in the domestic and international markets.  On a macroeconomic environment, the extensive use of this system may reduce the forest conversion to pasture land.  Finally, human population can be fed economically and environmental sustainable. CONCLUSIONS

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