BOMFIM, M. A. D.

CAMPANHA, M. M.

MEDEIROS, H. R.

PEREIRA, V. G.

SILVA, G. L. G.

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EVALUATION OF AN AGROECOLOGIC GOAT PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE SEMI-ARIDREGION OF BRAZILMedeiros, H.R.3, Campanha, M.M2, Silva, G.J.G.4, Pereira, V.G.2, Bomfim, M.A.D.22. CNPC, Embrapa Caprinos e Ovinos.   3. UFRN, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte..   4. UFC,Universidade Federal do Ceará.hrdemedeiros@ufrnet.brAbstract / Resumo:The objective of this study was to evaluate an agroecologic goat production system in “Caatinga”, a typicalrangeland of Brazil. The original “Caatinga” was modified, it was done a strip cutting the wood vegetationthat improved the availability of herbaceous and arbustive extracts. This research was carried out fromJanuary to December of 2009. The experimental station is located 3 ° 42 'South latitude, 40 ° 21' westlongitude, and 83 meters higher than sea level. The weather is BShw 'according to the Köppen classification,with rainy season from January to June and average rainfall of 759 mm/year. The area with 8 hectares (ha)was divided in three parts: forest reserve (1,6ha); agricultural (1,6 ha) and livestock area (4,8ha). It was donea lowering and thinning of woody vegetation in agricultural and livestock area, with the preservation of up to200 and 400 trees per hectare, respectively. The average mass of “Caatinga” , was measured all months and itranged from 800 kg/month in December to 3600 kg/month in June at livestock area. However, it wasobserved that more than 70% of biomass was constituted of avoided plant species or had a little intake byanimals, such as “Bamburral” (Hyptis suaveolans (L.) Poit) and “Mofumbo” (Combretum leprosum Mart.).These results indicate that will be necessary increase the production of forage species in the area. Probably,the reduction of biodiversity and forage production was a consequence of overgrazing and selectivity of goat,during the rainy season. It will be necessary, in a near future, use some strategies of excluding grazing and/orstockpile forage to improve the forage production in the area. Besides, the activities of lowering and thinningof wood increase the requirements of labor in the system. Those activities compete for the time to plant, forexample, corn and beans to his family. Probably, the cost of opportunity of labor time limits the adoption ofthis technology by smallholder farmers. Those results showed that is necessary improve the efficiency of thesmallholder farmer labor. On the other hand, the agroecologic system permit an increase of food supply forfamily (corn, beans, goat milk and meat), allows the incorporation of 11 tons of organic matter in the soil,sustainability of production and become economically viable the small-holder system in the BrazilianSemiarid.

Evaluation of an agroecologic goat production system in the semi-arid region of Brazil.

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