INCIDENCIA DE LA PRÁCTICA EN LA FORMACIÓN DE PROFESIONALES DEL ÁREA AGROPECUARIA EN LA UNIVERSIDAD CATÓLICA DE SANTIAGO DE GUAYAQUIL

INCIDENCE OF PRACTICE IN THE TRAINING OF PROFESSIONALS OF THE AGRICULTURAL AREA AT THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF SANTIAGO DE GUAYAQUIL RESUMEN Se ha detectado un limitado desarrollo de habilidades y destrezas en la Práctica Veterinaria de los estudiantes de Medicina Veterinaria e Ingeniería Agropecuaria y espacio limitado para realizar investigaciones dirigidas a mejorar la producción de sistemas pecuarios del litoral ecuatoriano. Se considera como causa fundamental, el deficiente desarrollo del componente práctico. En esta investigación se demuestra la importancia del mismo en las asignaturas de: Anatomía, Fisiología y Reproducción Animal, Mejoramiento Ganadero, buscando desarrollar habilidades y destrezas en los estudiantes para llevar a cabo métodos de reproducción animal asistida, que tributen a materias de orden productivo, fomentando con ello, la mejora permanente de indicadores reproductivos de los sistemas. Se utilizó encuestas y evaluaciones a profesores y estudiantes, entrevistas a expertos del área y análisis de syllabus. Como resultado, se cuenta con un Laboratorio de Reproducción Animal, equipado para lograr potenciar la enseñanza e investigación en ésta área. PALABRAS CLAVE: Relación teoría-práctica; Enseñanza; Zootecnia; Reproducción Animal; Laboratorio Universitario ABSTRACT There has been a limited development of abilities and skills in the Veterinary Practice of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science and Agricultural Engineering students and limited space for research aimed at improving the production of livestock systems on the Ecuadorian coast. It is considered as fundamental cause, the deficient development of the practical component. This research demonstrates the importance of the same in the subjects of: Anatomy, Physiology and Animal Reproduction, Breeding Improvement, seeking to develop skills and abilities in students to carry out methods of assisted animal reproduction, which pay attention to productive matters, thus promoting the permanent improvement of reproductive indicators of the systems. Surveys and evaluations were used for teachers and students, interviews with experts in the field and syllabus analysis. As a result, there is an Animal Reproduction Laboratory, equipped to enhance teaching and research in this area. KEYWORDS: Theory-practice relationship; Teaching; Livestock; Animal Reproduction; University Laboratory

Cut and carry vs. grazing of cultivated pastures in small-scale dairy systems in the central highlands of Mexico

Small-scale dairy systems are an option to alleviate poverty and contribute up to 37% of milk production in Mexico; however high costs affect their economic sustainability. Since grazing may reduce feeding costs, a participatory on farm experiment was undertaken to compare animal performance and feeding costs of the traditional cut-and-carry strategy or grazing cultivated pastures, during the dry season in the highlands of Mexico. Pastures of perennial and annual ryegrasses with white clover were utilised, complemented with maize silage and commercial concentrate. Five dairy cows were assigned to each strategy. The experiment ran for 12 weeks, recording weekly milk yields and fat and milk protein content; live-weight and body condition score every 14 days. Analysis was as a split-plot design. The adjusted (covariance) mean milk yield was 18.78 kg/cow/day with no significant differences (P>0.05) between treatments, and no significant differences for live-weight or body condition score. There were no significant differences for milk fat (P>0.05), but there were for protein in milk (