Forage availability and nutritional analysis in a xerophytic forest of Semi-Arid Chaco, Bermejo department, Formosa, Argentina

Authors

  • J.J. Pinto INTA, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Ingeniero Juárez. Ruta Nacional Nº 81 Km 1.618 (3636), Formosa, Argentina. / Autor/a
  • N.B. Varlamoff INTA, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Ingeniero Juárez. Ruta Nacional Nº 81 Km 1.618 (3636), Formosa, Argentina. Autor/a
  • G.R. Bono INTA, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Ingeniero Juárez. Ruta Nacional Nº 81 Km 1.618 (3636), Formosa, Argentina Autor/a
  • V.S. Borelli INTA, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria del INTA. Las Breñas, Ruta Nacional Nº 89 Km 227 (3722), Chaco, Argentina Autor/a

Abstract

In the western region of Formosa province (Argentina), cattle farming breeding is carried out extensively on native forest. Forage is composed by woody fruits, green foliage and leaf litter. The aim of this work was to evaluate forage offer composed by foliage and leaf litter of woody and herbaceous, in terms of availability and quality. Forage availability estimation for cattle was done both by measuring seasonal and annual dry matter production per hectare for 3 years and by the determination of nutritional parameters. A composite sample was made with all the forage harvested in each season for the period 2017-2018. The highest forage availability was observed in winter (439.44 kg DM/ha) and the lowest in spring (106.48 kg DM/ha). The highest accumulation of forage was obtained in the third period (2017-2018) with 1,411.11 kg DM/ha and the lowest in the first period (2015-2016) with 553.34 kg DM/ha.. Forage quality was classified as medium to low.

Published

2024-08-14

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 1 (2019)

Section

Scientific article