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- Title
SUPLEMENTACIÓN EN ESTEPAS PATAGÓNICAS: ¿OPORTUNIDAD O RIESGO AMBIENTAL?
- Authors
Ángel Golluscio, Rodolfo; García Martínez, Guillermo Carlos; Gabriel Ormaechea, Sebastián; Débora Valenta, Magalí
- Abstract
The deterioration of grasslands is evidenced by the reduction in forage cover, net aerial primary production and stocking rates, the latter resulting from a fall in numbers of sheep sheared (percentage of live lambs at eight weeks of age with respect to the total number of ewes) and an increase in lamb mortality in the first year. Winter supplementation (contribution of part of the daily nutritional requirements of animals) can be useful in the Patagonian steppes, since most of the sheep gestation occurs during winter time. This paper synthesizes the results of three experiments carried out in steppes located in the provinces of Río Negro, Chubut and Santa Cruz, dominated by poorly preferred grass species of the genus Pappostipa (coirones). The results suggest that winter nitrogen supplementation increases the proportion of paddock area that is explored by the animals and also improves the marking rate due to the increase in the proportion of plants of low-quality species that are defoliated. However, an increase in grazing pressure can trigger serious erosive effects, since it is precisely these no-preferred species that prevent soil losses due to wind erosion. It is discussed that the use of supplementation may entail environmental risks if a global strategy is not adopted, regarding stocking rate, the time of year, the animal species/age category, the location of supplements and their eventual relocation. On the other hand, a strategy that contemplates all these aspects could improve the productive indexes and the use of forage resources.
- Subjects
SANTA Cruz (Argentina : Province); ANIMAL species; WIND erosion; NUTRITIONAL requirements; SOIL erosion; ENVIRONMENTAL risk; WINTER; EROSION
- Publication
Agronomía & Ambiente, 2023, Vol 43, Issue 1, p46
- ISSN
2314-2243
- Publication type
Article