GRAZING MANAGEMENT FOR A SUSTAINABLE ANIMAL PRODUCTION IN THE TROPICS

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

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

3. OBJECTIVES • 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.

4. PLANT:ANIMAL SYSTEM

5. PLANT:ANIMAL SYSTEM

6. PLANT:ANIMAL SYSTEM

7. 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…

8. How Solar Energy is utilized? Feces Urine, methane O2 C6H12O6 Sugar, starch,... N P K S Mg Ca + micros O.M. Maintenance GE DE ME Production C H O CO2

9. How much minerals does the plant extracts from the soil? Production C H O Days N P K S Mg Ca micros N P K S Mg Ca micros 250 cows/ha/day = 50-10-40 Murphy, 1981 III II I 500 kg/ha/año of N 125 kg/ha/año of P2O5 40 m2/an/d 500 kg/ha/año of K2O 50 an./0.2 ha = 250 an./ha

10. 80 - 50 - Utilization (%) 20 - 2 50 100 Instant stocking rate (an./ha/day) Pasture Utilization Efficiency

11. 1oAdequate development 2oOne day grazing 3oLeave some leaves Sugar cane Silage Concentrated Hay LAWS of theRational Intensive Grazing System 4oHave some reserves :

12. 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)

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

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

15. Close up of some paddocks of“El Principio Ranch”(paddocks size = 2000 m2 or 0.5 acres)

16. Grazing

17. Pasture Divisions (paddocks) 2 ½” 4” 2,000 m2 each 2”

18. 3.6 Plant Production Parameterstaiwan grass under RIGS with fertirrigation Parameter Leaf Stem Total Production, DM t/ha/year 19.0 9.8 28.8 DM Intake, AU/kg/day 8.9 4.2 13.1 DM Intake, % 66 34 DM Intake, % AU of BW 2.0 0.9 2.9 Gwowth rate,DM kg/ha/d 52 27 79 Average of 13 cuts from October of 1997 to June of 1999.

19. Animal Production Variables with Concentrated Taiwan with fertirrigation 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.

20. Animal Production Variables with Concentrated Taiwan with fertirrigation Hectares (n) 9.2 Cattle groups (number/year) 3 Fattening period (d/group) 125 193 Cattle raised (produced) per year (n) Average initial weight(kg/animal) 240 Average final weight(kg/animal) 374 Stocking rate AU/ha animals/ha 4.8 7.0 Average daily gain(kg) 1.09 Beef production(kg/ha/year) 2,766 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.

21. $93,895 $75,062 NUMBERS INFORMATION (analyze, interpret, compare, take decisions,…) $1,007 $26 $4,797 $0 Profit/Loss StatementUS Dollars PARAMETER TAIWAN Total Sales Production Cost GROSS PROFIT $18,834 Administrative Expenses Sales Expenses Financial Expenses Other Expenses OPERATING PROFIT $13,004 Profit sharing to workers $650 NET PROFIT $12,354 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.

22. FINANCIAL RATIOS TAIWAN GRASS PARAMETER Break-even point, animals/ha 2.40 Break-even point, kg/animals/day 0.35 Total assets productivity, % 65 Total cost of meat, US$/kg 0.90 Net profit of meat, US$/kg 0.48 Profit margin, % 13.1 Profit over investment (reval), %/year 25 Net profit per hectare, US$/year $1,300 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.

23. CONCLUSIONS • 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.

24. Thanks…

25. The End