Feeding systems with forage legumes to intensify dairy production in Latin America and the Caribbean A project executed by the Tropileche Consortium editors F. Holmann and C. Lascano Feeding systems with forage legumes to intensify dairy production in Latin America and the Caribbean A project executed by the Tropileche Consortium editors F. Holmann and C. Lascano 2004 CGIAR System-wide Livestock Programme P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia International Center for Tropical Agriculture P.O. Box A.A. 6713, Cali, Colombia International Livestock Research Institute P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya I. Lascano, Carlos. II. Tropileche Consortium. III. International Livestock Research Institute. IV. Title. V. Series. Descriptors 1. Cattle 2. Multipurpose breeds 3. Small farms 4. Brachiaria decumbens 5. Arachis pintoi 6. Companion crops 7. Milk production 8. Proximate composition 9. Diet 10. Supplements 11. Oryza sativa 12. Yields 13. Soil fertility 14. Cratylia argentea 15. Hyparrhenia rufa 16. Silage 17. Zea mays 18. Glycine max 19. Brachiaria brizantha 20. Stylosanthes guianensis 21. Innovation adoption 22. Marketing 23. Databases 24. Diffusion of research 25. Latin America. AGRIS subject category: L02 Animal feeding LC classification: SF 203. H65 © 2004 ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute) All rights reserved. Parts of this publication may be reproduced for non-commercial use provided that such reproduction shall be subject to acknowledgment of ILRI as holder of copyright. ISBN 92–9146–104–1 Correct citation: Holmann F. and Lascano C. (eds). 2004. Feeding systems with forage legumes to intensify dairy production in Latin America and the Caribbean: A pro- ject executed by the Tropileche Consortium. CIAT (Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical), Tropileche Consortium, Cali, Colombia; SLP (System-wide Livestock Programme), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya. 172 pp. Table of Contents Project objectives .......................................................vi List of abbreviations and acronyms.........................................vii Executivesummary.....................................................viii Foreword..............................................................1 Research results: Component 1—Activity 1.1 Effects of Brachiaria decumbens alone and associated with Arachis pintoi on milk production and milk components .................................5 F. Romero and J. González Rice (Oriza sativa) yield as an indicator of soil fertility after the incorporation of Stylosanthes guianensis stubble.........................................12 J. Vela Research results: Component 1—Activity 1.2 Evaluation of milk production systems using Cratylia argentea ....................17 C. Lascano, P. Toro and P. Avila Nutritional complementarity between forage basal diets and legume supplements....20 W. Quiñonez, P. Avila and C. Lascano Effects of dry season feeding of fresh and ensiled Cratylia argentea on milk production and milk composition ................................23 F. Romero and J. González Substitution of chicken manure with Cratylia argentea in diets of cows grazing Hyparrhenia rufa pastures...............................................28 M. Ibrahim, M. Franco, D. Pezo, A. Camero and J. Araya Use of additives in Cratylia argentea silage...................................32 C. Jiménez, L. Pineda and A. Medina Planting maize in association with forage soybean for silage production: Economic evaluation of partial sale of tender corn harvest ....................35 C. Jiménez, L. Pineda, B. León and A. Montenegro Planting maize in association with forage soybean for silage production: Indicators of silage quality .............................................39 C. Jiménez, L. Pineda, B. León and A. Montenegro Research results: Component 1—Activity 1.3 Milk urea nitrogen concentration for recommendations on optimum protein-to-energy ratios in tropical forage diets .............................45 P. Avila and C. Lascano Tropileche Consortium iii Research results: Component 2—Activity 2.1 Milk production of dual-purpose cows grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv. La Libertad alone and associated with Arachis pintoi cv.ElPorvenir..........49 M. Lobo and V. Acuña Effect of regrowth age and cutting height on productivity of Cratylia argentea cv. Veraniega........................................................54 M. Lobo and V. Acuña Effect of supplementing fresh and ensiled Cratylia argentea cv. Veraniega on milk production of dual-purpose cows .................................59 M. Lobo and V. Acuña Effect of Centrosema macrocarpum on milk production ..........................63 D. Lara and K. Reátegui Effect of associating Brachiaria brizantha with Arachis pintoi on milk yield ...........67 D. Lara and K. Reategui Research results: Component 2—Activity 2.2 Use of Stylosanthes guianensis for strategic supplementation of pre-weaned calves .....71 J. Vela Feeding pre-weaned calves with Stylosanthes guianensis in dual-purpose production systems ...................................................73 J. Velasquez, G. Ruiz and C. Lascano Research results: Component 2—Activity 2.3 Decision tools to overcome nutritional constraints in dual-purpose cattle in agro-silvopastoral systems: Net carbohydrate and protein system model........77 F. Holmann and R.W. Blake Research results: Component 2—Activity 2.4 Annual meeting .......................................................85 F. Holmann, C. Lascano and A. Ramírez Annual workshop ......................................................86 F. Holmann, C. Lascano, P. Kerridge and A. Ramirez Regional consultation meeting ............................................87 F. Holmann, P. Argel, C. Lascano and A. Ramírez Research results: Component 3—Activity 3.1 Ex ante analysis of new forage alternatives for dual-purpose cattle farms in Peru, Costa Rica and Nicaragua .................................91 F. Holmann iv Tropileche Consortium Feeding systems with forage legumes to intensify dairy production in LAC Early adoption of Arachis pintoi in the humid tropics: The case of dual-purpose cattle systems in Caqueta, Colombia................104 L. Rivas and F. Holmann The need for forage technologies in the Alto Mayo Region of the Peruvian Amazon ..............................................109 S. Fujisaka, D. Lara, K. Reategui, J. Montenegro, R. Ventura, M. Diaz, R. Diaz and D. White Potential benefits of new forage germplasm in dual-purpose cattle systems in the dry tropics of Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua ...................114 F. Holmann Analysis of milk market for small-scale artisan cheese factories in watersheds of Honduras and Nicaragua involved in livestock production ................132 F. Holmann Research results: Component 3—Activity 3.2 Tropileche newsletter ..................................................143 F. Holmann Database on dual-purpose cattle production systems ..........................144 A. Medina and F. Holmann Tropileche in the Internet ..............................................145 A. Medina and F. Holmann Videotape release .....................................................146 F. Holmann, C. Lascano, P. Argel and R. Goyenaga Publicationofbrochures................................................147 Cratylia argentea: A shrub legume for livestock production in the tropics ..........148 P. Argel, J. Gonzalez and M. Lobo Brachiaria brizantha CIAT 26110: cv. Toledo ................................152 P. Argel, J. Gonzalez and M. Lobo Publications..........................................................155 List of project proposals developed........................................159 Tropileche collaborators ................................................160 Tropileche Consortium v Project objectives The project’s main objective is to use improved legume-based pastures to increase milk production in smallholder dual-purpose systems, thus increasing income of dairy pro- ducers and ensuring the sustainability of their natural resources. vi Tropileche Consortium List of abbreviations and acronyms ADF acid detergent fibre CATIE Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Educación (Costa Rica) CIAT International Center for Tropical Agriculture (Colombia) CNCPS Cornel Net Carbohydrate and Protein System CODESU Consorcio para el Desarrollo de Ucayali (Peru) CORPOICA Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (Colombia) CP crude protein CTAR Consejo Transitorio Agropecuario Regional (Peru) DEPAAM Desarrollo Participativo Amazónico (Peru) DICTA Dirección de Ciencia y Tecnología Agropecuaria (Honduras) DM dry matter ECAG Escuela Centroamericana de Ganadería (Costa Rica) FUNDAAM Fundación para el Desarrollo Agropecuario del Alto Mayo (Peru) GTZ German Agency for Technical Co-operation ha hectare IDB Inter-American Development Bank IDR Instituto de Desarrollo Agrario (Nicaragua) IIAP Instituto de Investigación de la Amazonía Peruana ILRI International Livestock Research Institute IVDMD in vitro dry matter digestibility IVITA Instituto Veterinario de Investigaciones Tropicales y de Altura (Peru) LAC Latin America and the Caribbean LW animal liveweight MA Ministry of Agriculture (Peru) MAG Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (Costa Rica) masl metre above sea level ME metabolisable energy MUN milk urea nitrogen N nitrogen NDF neutral detergent fibre NFS non-fat solids OM organic matter R&D Research and development SLP CGIAR System-wide Livestock Programme TS total solids UCR University