Analysis of dual purpose cattle production systems in Chiapas, Mexico

The present investigation had as objective to analyze some factors in a retrospective and current way, some of the factors that influence the development, the soil use dynamics and the productivity of dual purpose cattle in Central region of Chiapas, Mexico. The tendency of historical variables was analyzed and a total of 180 ranches were studied and classified by means of the cluster analysis. Also, the fodder and animal components were monitored in three of the representative types of ranches. The grow of human population from 1930 to 1990 increased the demand of animal and plant products, fields, bovine population and grassland areas. This brought about an important change in the pattern of soil use. Nowadays, forest areas are practically non-existent. Out of the different types of ranches identified semi-extensive, semintensive and extensive, the semi-extensive type was the most common one (76.1%); however, the semi-intensive ones had the best levels (P<0.05) of milk production per hectare (7.3 Kg cow-1 day-1) and are among the smaller (P<0.05) in total surface area (44.7 hectares). Out of the three dual purpose cattle that exist nowdays in central region of Chiapas, the semiextensive management is the most common, and as the extensive, has low productivity. The semintensive management is less frequent in the region; nevertheless, it has more productivity and is more intensive in soil use. The increase in the levels of bovine production with low external inputs could be achieved reconverting the present systems to agrosylvopastoral systems, that allow an adequate management of regional resources

Use of resource and improvement possibilities in the spatial unit of Tzotzil sheep-farming zone

The present research was aimed at the geographic delimitation of the sheep-farming zone (SZ) in the highlands of Chiapas State Mexico, where most of the human population is conformed by the Tzotzil indians. The analysis of the roll of sheep in the family economy and the management of the crop-grazing-forestry system in relation to the soil use, as well as, to suggest some alternatives for the improvement of the system were another objectives for the present work. From the 3456.5 km-2 in the highlands, the SZ has 919.66 km-2 which is conformed by the Chamula sub zone (437.05 km-2) oriented mainly to self consumption; and the San Cristóbal sub zone (482.61 km-2) oriented to both, self consumption and the market. The sheep production systems have important ecological, economical and socio- cultural rolls for the Tzotziles and contributed with the 30 % of the global income of the crop-grazing-forestry family system. The traditional management practice of this pastoral complex system includes the utilization of induced grasslands which dynamic relations with the crop and forestry systems are similar in the whole SZ. The patterns of soil use in the SZ are annual crop production (20.5%), itinerant agriculture (39.7), oak and pine forest (35.6%) and the San Cristóbal urban area (44.2%). The growth of the human population in the highlands put a lot of pressure upon the use of soil for different purposes, this is conducting to lost of fertility, overgrazing and soil erosion with a strong trend toward an increase of the cultivated area in relation to grazing and forestry areas. According to it, the sustainability and development of the production system should be directed to intensification, looking for a maximization in the use of the productive resources

Contribución de la producción animal en pequeña escala al desarrollo rural

La producción y el consumo de productos de origen animal han experimentado un rápido crecimiento en todo el mundo, y se prevé que continuarán aumentando. Se considera que la mayor parte del incremento en la producción provendrá de sistemas de producción en pequeña escala, que representan el medio de vida de hasta un 70% de la población rural pobre del mundo.1 La producción animal en pequeña escala se reconoce en todo el mundo como un elemento que contribuye al alivio de la pobreza en el medio rural, mediante generación de ingresos, oportunidades de ocupación y dinamismo del uso de los recursos disponibles. Por lo tanto, es de suma importancia conocer las dinámicas de estos sistemas de producción animal y su contribución al desarrollo rural en México. Investigadores y extensionistas deben priorizar las demandas de la producción animal en las comunidades rurales, ya que la producción animal en pequeña escala ha contribuido a mejorar la calidad de vida y a disminuir la vulnerabilidad de las familias productoras. En el México prehispánico la población sólo criaba xoloitzcuintle y guajolotes como animales domésticos, y complementaba en proteínas su dieta con la caza y la pesca. Sin embargo, con la llegada de los españoles en 1521 llegaron también los primeros bovinos a la Nueva España, que se reprodujeron con suma rapidez. La carne de bovino llegó a constituir una parte sustancial de la dieta alimenticia de toda la población.2 A pesar de que al inicio la producción animal era casi nula, ésta empezó a desarrollarse rápidamente y en la actualidad representa un pilar importante para el desarrollo rural en las familias campesinas de nuestro país, pues es vista como una fuente de ingreso