90 research outputs found
Formación Universitaria en Agroecología y Producción Ecológica en España: Perspectiva histórica, situación actual y retos
La presencia de la formación en Agroecología en la Universidad ha mejorado notablemente en
los 30 años transcurridos desde el inicio, pero sigue siendo muy escasa. Su carácter transversal,
el enfoque productivista de las ciencias agrarias y el desconocimiento de lo que la Agroecología
aporta a los sistemas agroalimentarios han sido las principales causas. En la actualidad, hay
mejores perspectivas
Utilización de la semilla de girasol (normal y alta en ácido oleico) en la alimentación de vacas lecheras.
De un rebaño de 24 vacas frisonas, alimentadas con una ración forrajera de base, variable según la época, y
con una mezcla de diversos alimentos concentrados (pulpa de remolacha, semilla de algodón, harina de soja, pienso compuesto de producción y correctores vitamínico-minerales), se utilizó una media de 15 vacas en lactación
para realizar tres ensayos, incorporando distintos niveles de semilla de girasol normal y uno de girasol alto oleico a la mezcla de concentrados y comparándolos en cada caso con una dieta control.
En el primer ensayo, teniendo como base forrajera ray-grass verde y paja de cereal, se incorporó un 6,75 p.
100 de semilla de girasol normal (G1) en sustitución de componentes de la mezcla, manteniendo el equilibrio isoproteico e isoenergético. En el segundo ensayo, sobre una ración de base compuesta por ensilado de avena, heno
de avena y paja de cebada, se incorporó un 13 p. 100 de semilla de girasol normal (G2) y en el tercero, sobre la
misma base forrajera anterior, se añadió semilla de girasol rica en ácido oleico (GA02).
La duración de cada ensayo fue de dos meses y medio, realizándose comparaciones de cada mezcla experimental con su respectivo control, en su diseño cruzado.
El consumo de concentrado descendió ligeramente, aunque no significativamente, con la inclusión de la
semilla de girasol. La condición corporal de las vacas se mantuvo prácticamente constante. La producción de
leche descendió, aunque no significativamente, -1,31 1 para la dieta G2, -0,81 1 para la GAO2 y -0,41 1 para la
G1. Su composición no varió, salvo en el porcentaje de grasa, que descendió -0,31 puntos en la G2 (p < 0,05). El
porcentaje de ácidos grasos insaturados aumentó significativamente (p < 0,001) con las tres dietas experimentales, aunque el de poliinsaturados sólo lo hizo para el tratamiento G2 (p < 0,01)
Carbon footprint of dairy goat production systems: A comparison of three contrasting grazing levels in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park (Southern Spain)
The main objective of this study was to analyze the carbon footprint (CF) of grazing dairy goat systems in a natural park according to their grazing level. A total of 16 representative grazing goat farms in southern Spain were selected and grouped into three farming systems: low productivity grazing farms (LPG), more intensified grazing farms (MIG) and high productivity grazing farms (HPG). Their CF was analyzed, including greenhouse gas emissions and soil C sequestration according to the farms’ grazing level and milk productivity, taking into account different functional units (one kilogram of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) and one hectare) and milk correction. Results showed that all variables differed according to the milk correction applied as the values for cow's milk correction were 41% lower than for sheep's milk correction. Total emissions and contributions of soil carbon sequestration differed according to farming system group; LPG farms had higher total emissions than MIG and HPG farms, however total carbon sequestration was lower in the MIG farms than in the LPG and HPG farms. The CF values ranged from 2.36 to 1.76 kg CO2e kg⁻¹ FPCM for sheep's milk correction and from 1.40 to 1.04 kg CO2e kg⁻¹ FPCM for cow's milk correction. No differences were found between farming system groups in either of the two cases but when calculations took hectare of land as a functional unit, the contribution of MIG farms to the CF was 85% higher than LPG and HPG farms. Therefore it is important to take into account the functional unit used to calculate the CF by analyzing this indicator in a broader context, and including carbon sequestration by grazing livestock in the calculation. In order to reduce the CF of this type of system, it is advisable to make appropriate use of the natural resources and to reach an optimum level of milk productivity, high enough for pastoral livestock farming to be viable
Caracterización, diagnóstico y mejora de los sistemas de producción ecológica de rumiantes en Andalucía
Use of Indicators to Evaluate Sustainability of Animal Production Systems
SUMMARY – Few indicators for sustainability are used in studying animal production systems. Sustainability of
these systems should be evaluated in a dynamic and multidisciplinary manner, and those indicators used should
allow for detecting the systems' most relevant properties, as well as the tendency of those systems to change.
Indicators proposed by FAO provide information regarding all attributes of sustainability, although in a manner
which is overly focused on technical and economic indicators at the expense of social and environmental factors.
In order to use these indicators to evaluate sustainability, it is necessary to: (i) integrate and reduce the number
of indicators, balancing them for all sustainability attributes; (ii) generate indicators which show system
sustainability in relation to the economic, environmental and social context; and (iii) design indicators which show
system evolution and the influence of this process on that system’s sustainability.RESUME – "Utilisation d'indicateurs pour évaluer la durabilité des systèmes de production animale". Les
indicateurs permettant de caractériser la durabilité des systèmes de production animale sont peu développés.
L'évaluation de la durabilité de ces systèmes doit être dynamique et multidisciplinaire et les indicateurs utilisés
doivent permettre de détecter les caractéristiques les plus importantes des systèmes et leur évolution. Les
indicateurs proposés par la FAO servent à informer sur tous les attributs liés à la durabilité, mais d’une façon non
équilibrée et trop centrée sur le système de production. Pour rendre possible l’utilisation des indicateurs FAO en
tant qu'évaluateurs de la durabilité des systèmes, il conviendra de: (i) réduire le nombre d'indicateurs obtenus à
partir des données de l’exploitation, en cherchant un équilibre entre le nombre d’indicateurs qui correspondent à
chaque attribut de la durabilité ; (ii) générer des indicateurs représentatifs de la durabilité des systèmes liés à
l'environnement, aussi bien physique, économique que social ; et (iii) créer des indicateurs qui renseignent sur
l’évolution du système et de sa durabilité
Energy Assessment of Pastoral Dairy Goat Husbandry from an Agroecological Economics Perspective. A Case Study in Andalusia (Spain)
This paper presents a methodological proposal of new energy sustainability indicators according to a novel accounting that follows agroecological and ecological economics criteria. Energy output is reformulated to include manure and thus consider the contribution to fertilization made by pastoral livestock farming to agroecosystems. Energy inputs calculations include the grazing resources. These new definitions and calculations allow for new formulations of the energy return on investment (EROI) as measures of the energy efficiency of livestock farming systems (final EROI and food/feed EROI). The environmental benefit of manure is estimated from the avoided
energy cost of using this alternative to inorganic fertilizers (AECM). The environmental benefit of grazing is measured through the energy cost of avoiding cultivated animal feed (AECP) and its impact in terms of non-utilized agricultural area (ALCP). The comparative analysis of different livestock breeding systems in three pastoral dairy goat farms in the Sierra de Cádiz in Andalusia, southern Spain, reveals the analytical potential of the new energy sustainability indicators proposed, as well as the potential environmental benefits derived from territorial-based stockbreeding and, more specifically, grazing activities. Those benefits include gains in energy efficiency, a reduction of the dependence on non-renewable energy, and environmental costs avoided in terms of energy in extensive pastoral systems
Influencia del Calor en la Producción. Aspectos a Considerar en el Diseño de Alojamientos para Vacuno
Es ampliamente conocido que el calor supone un factor de estrés para el vacuno lechero especializado, lo que limita la productividad del mismo. En este artículo se presentan las consecuencias negativas de dicho estrés y se analizan diferentes soluciones desde el punto de vista de instalaciones y manejo
Classification, characterisation and strategies for improvement of cattle and sheep pasture systems in marginal areas of Southern Chile
Pasture-based livestock systems in farms with medium or low size are especially important in less favored areas and are valuable for society. For these systems to survive, it is necessary to obtain an acceptable level of productivity and ensure commercialization of the products. This study was carried out in the district of Rio Ibáñez, General Carrera Province, in the XI (Aysén) Region of Chile. The sample consisted of 28 small-scale livestock farmers with dual-purpose cattle production; 16 of them also produced sheep for meat. The empirical data produced 55 variables which were subjected to multivariate analysis; three main components were obtained which explain 72.1 % of the variance. By cluster analysis it was obtained four groups with characteristics which varied by farm size, age and personal situation of farmers, farm management and farm profitability. The principal problems found are low productivity in the herds and the poor marketing channels of animals produced. In two groups, due to the low size and poor management, the profitability of the farms is very low and this may compromise their future. To improve production systems, the training and advice of farmers should be strengthened, investment should be supported, especially for young people, and the farmer partnership should be promoted. There is also a need to diversify the families' sources of income (sale of other farm products or handicrafts and touristic activities).Ministerio de Economía de Chile Innova-CORFO Project 11 NTEC 1279
El sector caprino y su contribución al desarrollo rural
El ganado caprino es una de las especies
ganaderas más importantes del medio
rural, ya que tradicionalmente se ha desarrollado
en zonas en un porcentaje elevado
marginales, en las que este tipo de ganado constituía
una forma de aprovechamiento rentable,
contribuyendo además a fijar población. Sin embargo,
la evolución en los últimos diez años nos
muestra un sector muy heterogéneo, en constante
evolución y en un proceso acelerado de
intensificación, lo cual sin duda cambia la relación
hasta ahora existente entre el ganado caprino
y el medio rural. Si se quiere vislumbrar cuál
va a ser a partir de ahora esta relación, es necesario
analizar cómo está el sector actualmente y
cuáles han sido los principales factores generadores
del cambio que se ha producido en el mismo.
Este cambio ha estado provocado en parte
por la propia dinámica de las explotaciones y,
en parte también, por la incidencia de factores
externos, tales como, por ejemplo, el aumento de
la demanda de los productos caprinos por parte
de los consumidores o la globalización de los
mercados.
En este artículo se hará una síntesis de los
principales aspectos que caracterizan al caprino,
así como de los principales factores que han
influido en su evolución, dedicando un apartado
especial a dos hechos que resultan relevantes: la
Reforma de la Política Agraria Común (PAC) y el
Plan de Desarrollo Rural para el período 2007/2013. Tratamos con mayor intensidad el
caprino de Andalucía por ser esta la región de la
UE en la que siguen teniendo bastante importancia
los sistemas caprino-lecheros ligados al
pastoreo en áreas de sierra. Con todo ello se hará
un diagnóstico y se concluirá con algunas ideas
sobre hacia dónde puede ir el sector y en qué
medida ese camino que va a recorrer estará ligado
o no al desarrollo rural
Classification, characterisation and strategies for improvement of cattle and sheep pasture systems in marginal areas of Southern Chile
Pasture-based livestock systems in farms with medium or low size are especially important in less favored areas and are valuable for society. For these systems to survive, it is necessary to obtain an acceptable level of productivity and ensure commercialization of the products. This study was carried out in the district of Rio Ibáñez, General Carrera Province, in the XI (Aysén) Region of Chile. The sample consisted of 28 small-scale livestock farmers with dual-purpose cattle production; 16 of them also produced sheep for meat. The empirical data produced 55 variables which were subjected to multivariate analysis; three main components were obtained which explain 72.1 % of the variance. By cluster analysis it was obtained four groups with characteristics which varied by farm size, age and personal situation of farmers, farm management and farm profitability. The principal problems found are low productivity in the herds and the poor marketing channels of animals produced. In two groups, due to the low size and poor management, the profitability of the farms is very low and this may compromise their future. To improve production systems, the training and advice of farmers should be strengthened, investment should be supported, especially for young people, and the farmer partnership should be promoted. There is also a need to diversify the families' sources of income (sale of other farm products or handicrafts and touristic activities).Ministerio de Economía de Chile Innova-CORFO Project 11 NTEC 1279
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