Researchers from the Chascomús Integrated Experimental Farm and INTECH demonstrate the advantages of the Lotus tenuis grasslands in the practice of early weaning in cattle
The promotion of forage legumes in marginal environments for agriculture constitutes an important technological challenge for livestock. The legume Lotus tenuis (Waldst. & Kit.) Is a good example of beneficial naturalization in the Salado river basin, that is, in the largest area dedicated to bovine farming in the country. In a study carried out among researchers from the Chascomús Integrated Experimental Farm (CEICh, INTA-MAI-BsAs) and the Chascomús Technological Institute (INTECH, CONICET-UNSAM) it was possible to demonstrate the importance of promoting this legume in marginal environments for agriculture , as a valuable alternative for early weaning systems in livestock production.
For this, two treatments were tested during three years of study, sequentially and comparatively determining the average daily weight gain and the weight gain of calves generated from the processes of early weaning versus conventional practice. Calves from early weaning were included in L. tenuis promotions and it was determined that they gained more weight than calves from conventional treatment and were kept at the mother's foot, on semi-natural pastures. At the same time, the body condition of the mothers was evaluated in both treatments, noting that in lactating cows according to conventional management, they had lower rates than those where early weaning management was applied, which was not accompanied by a loss of weight of their calves when kept on a diet of grassland with significant presence of L. tenuis.
In conclusion, the promotion of L. tenuis in the summer season provided higher yields in marginal areas than semi-natural grasses and an acceptable nutritional value for adequate feeding of a considerable amount of calves on a small surface. The results obtained support the design of a low cost strategy and easy adoption by producers.
The research work was recently accepted for dissemination in the INTA Agricultural Research Journal (http://ria.inta.gob.ar/) and its authors were the Engineer Matías Bailleres and the Veterinary Doctor Gustavo Melani of the CEICh and the Dras. Maria Paula Campestre and Ana Menéndez and Drs. Cristian Antonelli and Oscar A. Ruiz of INTECH.