Influence of the composition and diversity of tree fodder grazed on the selection and voluntary intake by cattle in a tr
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Influence of the composition and diversity of tree fodder grazed on the selection and voluntary intake by cattle in a tropical forest S. Albores-Moreno . J. A. Alayo´n-Gamboa . A. Moro´n-Rı´os . P. N. Ortiz-Colin . J. Ventura-Cordero . P. G. Gonza´lez-Pech . G. E. Mendoza-Arroyo . J. C. Ku-Vera . G. Jime´nez-Ferrer . A. T. Pin˜eiro-Va´zquez
Received: 20 May 2019 / Accepted: 2 January 2020 Ó Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the composition and diversity of plant species browsed in a tropical dry forest, on the selection and voluntary intake (VI) by cattle during two seasons of the year. Plant species selection and VI of nine adult cattle (390 ± 13 kg of live weight) was evaluated for 7 weeks during the dry and rainy seasons on secondary vegetation (acahual). The composition, structure, diversity and importance value index were measured for fodder species browsed by cattle. The bite frequency (BF), preference index (PI) and VI of plants were also recorded. A total of 4882 plants belonging to 26 species and 17 families were
S. Albores-Moreno J. A. Alayo´n-Gamboa (&) A. Moro´n-Rı´os P. N. Ortiz-Colin G. E. Mendoza-Arroyo G. Jime´nez-Ferrer Southern Frontier College, Avenida Rancho, Poligono 2-A, Ciudad Industrial, 24500 Lerma, Campeche, Mexico e-mail: [email protected] S. Albores-Moreno Mezcalapa Agricultural Studies School, Autonomous University of Chiapas, 29625 Copainala, Chiapas, Mexico J. Ventura-Cordero P. G. Gonza´lez-Pech J. C. Ku-Vera Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Autonomous University of Yucatan, 97300 Merida, Yucatan, Mexico A. T. Pin˜eiro-Va´zquez Division of Graduate Studies and Research, Technological Institute of Conkal, Avenida Tecnologico, Sin numero, 97345 Conkal, Yucatan, Mexico
registered, with a Shannon–Wiener diversity (H0 ) of 2.45. The species with the highest BF, PI and VI (P \ 0.05) were Gymnopodium floribundum, Neomillspaughia emarginata, Mimosa bahamensis, Diospyros anisandra and Randia obcordata. The VI was higher (P \ 0.05) in the rainy season than in the dry season (12.48 and 10.26 kg of DM/animal/day, respectively) and corresponded with a higher intake (P \ 0.05) of nutrients and secondary metabolites. The density of species in the acahual played a determinant role in the VI of cattle, and the secondary metabolite content of plants did not interfere with the VI. We concluded, that the acahual vegetation provides sufficient forage for ruminant given its high plant diversity, guaranteeing the VI and adequate provision of nutrients for cattle. Keywords Secondary vegetation Preference index Selection Voluntary intake Cattle
Introduction Currently, 30% of the tropical forest and rainforest in the world is being transformed for extensive livestock ranching (FAO 2009). Resulting in deforestation, reduction of biodiversity and alteration of biogeochemical cycles of ecosystem (Stern et al. 2002). Within the tropics, tropical dry forest (T
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