Nutritional Contribution of Cultivated Pastures in the Eastern Part of Ecuador

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L. Velasco, L. Condolo, M. Vaca, C. Santos

Abstract

Pasture selection and improvement have significantly impacted the country over the last 20 years. In Ecuador, due to the country’s topography, cattle farmers have a choice of the best pasture for their production. The pastures in eastern Ecuador are generally of the following types AXONOPUS SCOPARIUS (AS) - PURPLE GRAMALOTE, BRACHIARIA DECUMBENS (BD) - DALIS PASTURE, SETARIA SPLENDIDA (SS) - HONEY PASTURE and ARACHIS PINTOI (AP) - FORAGE MANI, each of them offering excellent nutritional values for the production of beef cattle, especially of the Charolais breed, currently the Ecuadorian East is part of the country’s dairy production with Brown Swiss cattle. The nutritional values of protein, fiber, FDA and soluble lignin are determined by employing a proximal analysis, which determines which provides better product performance. Furthermore, thanks to bromatological analysis and digestibility tests, it is possible to determine what will guarantee high productivity for the producer, thus achieving optimal performance in its exploitation. The protein values are 8.54% (AS), 9.96% (BD), 10.01% (SS) and 14.58% (AP); of fiber, 39.39% (AS), 31.44% (BD), 32.97% (SS) and 23.66% (AP); of FDA 39. 21% (AS), 39.99% (BD), 42.56% (SS) and 37.03% (AP); and lignin 5.09% (AS), 7.49% (BD), 6.44% (SS) and 11.45% (AP). At the production level, nutritional requirements are becoming more demanding. Production animals fed on pasture must have access to pastures with a high nutritional value, which is reflected in the milk quality and the meat quantity.

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