SUBSISTENCE IN THE PRODUCTION OF RUMINANTS USING AGRICULTURAL SUBPRODUCTS

Abstract

The production of ruminants, mainly cattle is estimated to grow from 1.500 to 2.600 million, as well as the population of goats and sheep (1.700 to 2.700 million), between the years 2000 and 2050. In Ecuador, the production of ruminants is limited, due to the low availability and poor quality of forage resources, a problem that is seen more frequently in dry and tropical regions, where the availability of grasses is scarce to cover the nutritional needs of the animals. animals, however, currently the challenge is to raise the performance of livestock instead of increasing the number of animals, and thus reduce the extensive grazing areas used for their feeding. The silvopastoral systems and the use of post-harvest residues of agricultural crops of vegetable origin are presented as a cost-effective alternative for sustainable livestock production, due to the large quantity and good quality of usable forage biomass, throughout the year, even in dry seasons. The foliar mass of trees, shrubs and post-harvest residues are characterized by being rich in nutrients, however, their use is restricted, due to the presence of secondary metabolites, especially tannins, which decrease voluntary consumption, the digestibility of nutrients and production of the animals, effects that are associated to the concentration in the diet and the amount consumed, as well as the state of health of the animal. Studies indicate that in moderate proportions (20-45 g kg^-1 of dry matter) have been shown to improve the productive performance of animals by reducing ruminal methanogenesis and degradation of forage protein in the rumen