4 research outputs found
Costs, Benefits and Challenges of Sustainable Livestock Intensification in a Major Deforestation Frontier in the Brazilian Amazon
Extensive livestock production is a major deforestation driver in the Brazilian Amazon. This study presents an assessment of the economic and environmental feasibility of sustainable livestock intensification in São Félix do Xingu municipality, a deforestation frontier with an area of more than 8.5 million hectares, and home to the largest cattle herd in Brazil. Proposed intensification was limited to approximately three animal units per hectare to avoid negative environmental impacts. Transition costs to sustainable cattle intensification were estimated for thirteen pilot farms taking into account adoption of good agriculture practices, pasture maintenance/restoration, and restoration of environmental liabilities. To move to sustainable intensification practices, a mean total annual investment of US619/ha would be necessary, varying from US2595/ha. Internal rate of return and net present value estimates indicated that the sustainable livestock intensification approach proposed was profitable in farms with more than 400 hectares of pastureland, but not in those where the pasture areas were smaller than 150 hectares. Livestock sustainable intensification also had the potential to promote social and environmental benefits, including a 54% increase in the number of contract workers, improvement of landowners’ managerial skills, and workers’ training, in addition to avoiding emission of 1.9 Mt CO2eq and sequestration of 0.36 Mt CO2eq. We conclude that the sustainable intensification of pasture areas has the potential to prevent further deforestation in the Amazon while generating social and other environmental benefits
Desempenho de novilhos suplementados com sais proteinados em pastagem nativa Performance of steers supplemented with protein salts on native pastures
O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da suplementação com sais proteinados sobre o desempenho de novilhos em pastagem nativa diferida, no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Os suplementos de sal proteinado avaliados foram: com urĂ©ia, com amirĂ©ia, com amirĂ©ia mais levedura e sal mineral. O experimento teve duração de 118 dias e foram utilizadas 8 parcelas com área de 7,5 ha, cada uma com 8 novilhos, de peso mĂ©dio 264 kg, com idade de 18 meses, em delineamento completamente casualizado. A pastagem apresentou valores mĂ©dios de 6,8% de proteĂna bruta, 73,3% de fibra em detergente neutro, e 42,5% de digestibilidade in vitro da matĂ©ria orgânica, sem que fossem detectadas diferenças significativas entre tratamentos. O ganho mĂ©dio diário (0,287 kg) dos animais suplementados com o sal proteinado com amirĂ©ia e levedura, foi superior ao apresentado pelos animais que consumiram sal mineralizado (0,019 kg) mas nĂŁo houve diferenças entre urĂ©ia (0,159 kg) e amirĂ©ia (0,124 kg). O consumo diário dos suplementos proteinados (0,400 kg) foi superior ao consumo do suplemento mineral (0,038 kg). A adição de levedura ativa, ao sal proteinado formulado com amirĂ©ia, melhora o desempenho de novilhos em pastagem nativa diferida.The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of protein salts supplementation on performance of beef steers grazing differed native pasture in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Protein salts were supplemented with: urea, starea, starea plus yeast, and mineral salt. The experiment was conducted during 118 days, and utilized 8 paddocks with 7.5 ha each one, with 8 steers averaging 264 kg and 18 months old, in a completely randomized design. Average composition of pasture was 6.8% of crude protein, 73.3% of neutral detergent fiber, and 42.5% in vitro organic matter digestibility; significative differences weren't detected among treatments. Average daily weight gain of animals fed protein salt with starea plus yeast (0.287 kg), was higher than the weight gain of animals fed mineral salt (0.019 kg); differences weren't detected among urea (0.159 kg) and starea (0.124 kg). Daily intake of protein supplements (0.400 kg) was higher than that of mineral supplement (0.038 kg). Addition of live yeast to the protein salt formulated with starea resulted in better performance of steers grazing differed native pasture