Relations between tree cover in pasture lands and animal production in cattle farmers in dry tropic, Cañas, Costa Rica

Abstract

one farm which had representative tree covers was selected to establish this experiment. Growth rate, species selection and diet quality were evaluated in 12 Brahman heifers with 219 more or less 32 kg live weight on average, during both rainy and dry season. El objetivo principal del trabajo fue determinar el efecto de la cobertura arbórea en potreros sobre el manejo y la Producción animal en fincas ganaderas en Cañas (Guanacaste). El área de estudio está localizada en el Pacífico Norte de Costa Rica, la cual es una zona seca y estacional. Para caracterizar los sistemas de Producción animal, evaluar el componente arbóreo y sus relaciones con las características de las fincas se realizaron encuestas estructuradas en 53 fincas escogidas al azar, localizadas en los municipios de Cañas, Abangares y Las Juntas. Se utilizaron imágenes de satélite y mapas catastrados para calcular el porcentaje de cobertura arbórea en potreros para cada finca. Posteriormente, se seleccionó una finca con diferentes coberturas de árboles en potreros para evaluar las relaciones entre coberturas alta (27 por ciento), media (14 por ciento) y baja (7 por ciento) de árboles en potrero, con los cambios de peso, la selectividad de especies y la calidad de la dieta en 12 novillas Brahman de 219 más menos 32 kg, en pastoreo, durante la época seca (febrero-mayo) y lluviosa (junio-agosto). A research work aimed to evaluate how biophysical and socio-economic factors affect tree cover in pastures in different cattle production systeMON, and the effect of tree cover on animal productivity was conducted in Cañas (Guanacaste). It study area is located in the North Pacific of Costa Rica which is a seasonally dry area. In order to identify the cattle production systeMON in the area a survey was carried out on 54 randomly selected farMON located in the districts of Cañas, Abangares and Las Juntas. Satellite images and maps of farm properties in each district were used to estimate the percentage of tree cover in pasturelands on each farm. Following the characterization of farMON an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of contrasting tree cover on feed intake and animal performance of growing cattle. The tree cover studied was: high (27 percent of the area), medium (14 percent) and low (7 percent of the area)