Forage utilization to improve productivity of dual-purpose cattle systems in central Veracruz, Mexico

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Forage utilization to improve productivity of
dual-purpose cattle systems in central Veracruz,
Mexico

• Victor Absalón-Medina
• Animal Science Department
• Morrison Hall 112

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Veracruz State

• Variety of natural resources and agro-ecosystems
• Lumber, coffee and dairy cattle (high-lands)
• Dual-purpose cattle and other crops (lowlands)
  such as staples (maize), fruits

More pictures at http//www.flickr.com/photos/8165
1699_at_N00/sets/
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Cattle Key farming system

• Mexicos premier producer of beef
• gt4.1 million head (2002) produce
• gt214,000 metric tons of carcass weight (2003)
• 50,000 are dairy cows
• 2,000,000 are DP cows whose
• Calves supply the beef market
• Beef cattle

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Dual-purpose production system

• Most common system in Veracruz.
• Beef and milk are important products.
• Utilizing Bos taurus and Bos indicus crosses
• Brown Swiss x Brahman and Holstein x Brahman cows

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Dual-purpose system defined

• Family-owned and operated enterprise with
  small capital investment located on marginal land
  with few alternative uses under current
  infrastructure and market conditions. Management
  practices on dual-purpose farms often lack the
  sophistication of specialized operations few
  farmers keep formal records, uncontrolled natural
  mating is predominant.
• Nicholson et al., 1994

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Dual-purpose system defined 2

• Dual-purpose (DP) cattle operations in Veracruz
  low outputs and productive efficiency
• In which productive parameters?
• Comparison of DP systems in Latin America
• Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Bolivia, Colombia,
  Brazil, and Venezuela.

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Productive Parameters
Characteristics and production parameters of dual-purpose cattle farms in the Gulf coast region of Mexico Characteristics and production parameters of dual-purpose cattle farms in the Gulf coast region of Mexico Characteristics and production parameters of dual-purpose cattle farms in the Gulf coast region of Mexico Characteristics and production parameters of dual-purpose cattle farms in the Gulf coast region of Mexico Characteristics and production parameters of dual-purpose cattle farms in the Gulf coast region of Mexico Characteristics and production parameters of dual-purpose cattle farms in the Gulf coast region of Mexico Characteristics and production parameters of dual-purpose cattle farms in the Gulf coast region of Mexico Characteristics and production parameters of dual-purpose cattle farms in the Gulf coast region of Mexico Characteristics and production parameters of dual-purpose cattle farms in the Gulf coast region of Mexico Characteristics and production parameters of dual-purpose cattle farms in the Gulf coast region of Mexico
and in other Latin American countries and in other Latin American countries and in other Latin American countries and in other Latin American countries            
Variable       Mexico   Other Latin America Other Latin America    
        Value   Minimum   Maximum  
Age at first calving, mo Age at first calving, mo Age at first calving, mo   42   31   36  
Body weight (calving), kg Body weight (calving), kg Body weight (calving), kg   470   420   550  
Calving rate, of total cows in herd Calving rate, of total cows in herd Calving rate, of total cows in herd Calving rate, of total cows in herd 71   45   85  
Days open Days open     150   120   222  
Calving interval Calving interval     420   374   568  
                   
Mortality, Mortality,                
lt1 year       7.5   5   8  
gt1 year       1   1   1.5  
                   
Culled cows, year Culled cows, year     20   15   20  
Marketable milk yield, kg per cow day Marketable milk yield, kg per cow day Marketable milk yield, kg per cow day Marketable milk yield, kg per cow day 6.6   4   10  
Lactation, days Lactation, days     270   212   330  
Dry period, days Dry period, days     150   104   238  
Milk per lactation, kg Milk per lactation, kg     2500   1000   3000  
Stocking rate, AU ha Stocking rate, AU ha     1.4   0.8   4.1  
Source Reynoso-Campos et al. Source Reynoso-Campos et al. Source Reynoso-Campos et al. 2003
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Previous research

• Juárez et al. (1999) categorized and assessed
  different grass species
• Determined the productive potential of each
  forage alternative
• Based on chemical composition, digestion kinetics
  and simulations of their productivity potentials.
  
• Predicted milk yields
• Metabolizable energy allowable milk
• Metabolizable protein allowable milk
• Grasses with low protein content
• Protein was first limiting also energy

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Previous research 2

• Opportunities from combinations of forages
• Rueda et al. (2003), Brazil
• Shelton (2004), Australia
• Juárez data base A critical information resource
• Contains grasses and legumes.
• Research need Ex ante evaluation of most
  promising options

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Challenges

• Research information is frequently specific to
  narrow disciplinary objectives, such as improving
  genetic potential, improved forage yield or
  reproductive performance, rather than holistic,
  systems objectives.
• Producers might invest to improve milking
  performance by artificial insemination but the
  nutritional requirements will be higher and
  costly. (Holmann et al., 1990)

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INIFAP-funded project

• Three research sites (target ecozones)
• Campo experimental La Posta
• Paso del Toro, Veracruz (coastal plain)
• Campo experimental Las Margaritas
• Hueytamalco, Puebla (highlands)
• Campo experimental El Verdineño
• Nayarit (Pacific coastal plain)
• Research approach (Rueda et al., 2005)
• Integrated, multidisciplinary approach
• Mathematical models, system dynamics and
  geographic information system
• To enhance the productivity of dual-purpose
  cattle systems while protecting and conserving
  watersheds.
• My project will focus on CNCPS evaluations of
  energy and protein allowable milk yield and body
  tissue reserve status throughout a calving
  interval.
• A contributing study that is part of this INIFAP
  project

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Management information needs

• Assumptions
• Nutritive quality of grasses varies throughout
  the year (poorest in the dry season)
• A mode of calvings coincides with the dry season
• Low dietary nutrient availability results in low
  lactational and reproductive performances
• Objectives
• Evaluate a representative herd scenario to
  understand current performance and limitations
• How do current systems work?
• Evaluate alternative nutrition management
  scenarios
• To improve milk income
• To shorten calving intervals (relieve energy
  deficits)
• To evaluate preferred calving seasons

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Expectations

• Earlier puberty (1st heat) in heifers
• More rapid repletion of body tissue reserves
• Earlier return to the ovarian cyclicity
• Shorter calving intervals
• More milk for calves and sales.
• Earlier weaning and/or weaning weight improved or
  both.
• More profit

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Input information

• Distribution of supply and nutritive quality of
  forages throughout the year
• Annual rainfall
• Calving distribution throughout the year
• Chemical composition and digestion rates of
  forages (Juárez et al., 2002. key data base)
• Production parameters (for the CNCPS)
• Age at first calving
• Body condition scores, score changes
• Milk production
• Milk composition
• Body weights, weight changes
• Breed
• Physiological status
• Early lactation (negative EB), mid/late
  lactation, dry period

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Targeted agro-ecozone
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Targeted agro-ecozone 2

• Climate (Köppen classification)
• Aw1 based on annual and monthly average
  temperatures and rainfall
• A tropical moist climates all months with
  average temperatures 18 C.
• w tropical wet and dry or savanna with extended
  dry season during winter
• Representative soil types
• Arenosol
• Predominantly sandy, has a superficial layer of
  organic matter (1.15 ), pH of 5.4-5.6, more than
  15 of clay it is susceptible to be eroded.
• Luvisol
• Gathers clay in the subsoil, also susceptible to
  erosion.

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Rainfall
T. 1800
1
2
3
4
Management seasons of the year
T. 1700
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Temperature
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Forages used by Farmers
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1
2
3

Seasons
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Chemical composition and digestion rate of forages
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Growth management groups

• Age/growth requirements
• Heifers, first-lactation and second-lactation
  cows
• Mature cows
• Physiological status
• Early lactation
• From calving until 90 days
• Mid-late lactation
• From 90 days post-partum to 250 days
• Early dry and late dry
• Late 90-day period prior to calving
• Meet nutritional requirements
• Growth and lactation
• Replete catabolized tissue
• Help assure longer productive life
• Age at first calving sooner
• Overcome anestrous postpartum sooner

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Current management

• Dry season
• Forage scarcity
• Cows freely roam
• Supplementation with commercial feed in May
• Wet season
• Few paddocks in the meadow
• Faster grass performance
• Inadequate management of nutrient stocks and
  flows in pasture lands
• Empirical fertilization of pastures and crops
• Little soil analysis information
• Inefficient economic investment in fertilization

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Base scenario ofanimal management groups
(S) Star grass Cynodon plectostachyus (Ll)
Llanero grass Andropogon gayanus (C) Commercial
feed
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Alternative Scenario
(G) Gliricidia sepium, (L) Leucaena leucocephala,
(P) Pangola grass Digitaria decumbens (M)
Mulato grass Brachiaria spp
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Preliminary results

• Dry season Increases in MP and ME allowable milk
  but still low
• Rainy season Negative energy balances were
  overcome.
• More analyses needed for the dry season, other
  scenarios.

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Suggestions

• Supplement with commercial feed or available
  agricultural by-products to compensate protein
  deficits at the beginning of the dry season.
• Evaluate the cost and benefits from this
  practice.
• Substitute better quality forages for star grass.
• Cultivate another forage for the dry season.
  Guazuma ulmifolia is a good prospect for this
  purpose.

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Thank YOU!!!
Courtesy of professor R.W. Blake