The aim of the study was to determine the methane production in cattle grazing in the Peruvian highlands in a pasture of Festuca dolichophylla - Muhlenbergia fastigiata (Chilliguar), supplemented with silage and concentrate or tannins during the dry season (August). The study was conducted at the Experimental Centre «La Raya», Cusco, Peru, located at an altitude of 4200 m. Three treatments were used (T1: natural grass + oat silage, T2: as in T1 + tannins, T3: as in T1 + concentrate). Each treatment had four replicates distributed in a hierarchical design. Methane determination was performed using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) marker technique. The measurement was during 24 h for 7 d. The average energy content in the pasture was 4.1 Mcal GE/g, organic matter 91.8%, crude protein 10.3% and dry matter 91.17%. The methane (g/d) production for T1 was 421.7 ± 43.4, for T2 was 330.6 ± 66.7...

El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la producción de metano en vacunos al pastoreo en el altiplano peruano en un pastizal de Festuca dolichophylla - Muhlenbergia fastigiata (Chilliguar), suplementados con ensilado y concentrado o taninos durante la época seca (agosto). El estudio se realizó en el Centro Experimental «La Raya», Cusco, Perú, ubicado a una altitud de 4200 msnm. Se plantearon tres tratamientos (T1: pastos naturales + ensilado de avena; T2: como en T1 + taninos; T3: como en T1 + concentrado). Cada tratamiento contenía cuatro repeticiones distribuidos en un diseño jerárquico. La determinación de metano se realizó con la técnica del marcador con hexafluoruro de azufre (SF6), siendo la frecuencia de medición por animal de 24 h por 7 d. El contenido de energía promedio en el pastizal fue de 4.1 Mcal EB/g, materia orgánica 91.8%, proteína cruda 10.3% y materia s...

The dairy activity, based on pastures, represents the main source of income for the rural population of the Andes of northern Peru. The objective was to evaluate biomass yield, growth rate, plant height, Crude Protein (CP), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDDM) and metabolizable energy (ME) of 22 genotypes of Lolium spp. in three Andean floors (AF) (AF I: 2300 - 2800, AF II: 2801 - 3300 and AF III: 3301 - 3800 masl) in northern Peru. Better biomass (7662 kg dry material (DM) ha-1 year-1) and growth rate (21.0 kg DM ha-1 day-1) showed AF I for Lolium perenne L., however AF III stood out in yield (9,041 kg MS ha-1 year-1) and growth rate (24.8 kg DM ha-1 day-1) for Lolium multiflorum L. The mean ME was 2.61 Mcal kg-1 MS and 2.43 Mcal kg-1 MS for L. perenne and L. multiflorum, respectively. The nutritional values of both varieties are adequate for feedi...

Background: Evaluation of forage resources is vital for the sustainability of livestock farming in the South American Andes, especially under conditions of low water availability for irrigation and acid soils. Methods: We evaluated the productivity and nutritive value of two cultivars of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and one of plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) in three high‐altitude sites (AL) of the northern highlands of Peru: AL‐I: 2300–2800 m.a.s.l, AL‐II: 2801–3300 m.a.s.l. and AL‐III: 3301–3800 m.a.s.l., for 1 year. The parameters evaluated were dry matter yield (DMY), plant height (PH), growth rate (GR) and nutritional value. Results: Plantain achieved the greatest annual DMY (ADMY), PH and GR compared to the two chicory cultivars (9.34, 9.56 and 13.39 Mg ha−1 for Puna II and Sese 100 chicory and Tonic plantain, respectively; p = 0.0019). The greatest ADMY and GR ...

The dairy activity, based on pastures, represents the main source of income for the rural population of the Andes of northern Peru. The objective was to evaluate biomass yield, growth rate, plant height, Crude Protein (CP), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDDM) and metabolizable energy (ME) of 22 genotypes of Lolium spp. in three Andean floors (AF) (AF I: 2300 - 2800, AF II: 2801 - 3300 and AF III: 3301 - 3800 masl) in northern Peru. Better biomass (7662 kg dry material (DM) ha-1 year-1) and growth rate (21.0 kg DM ha-1 day-1) showed AF I for Lolium perenne L., however AF III stood out in yield (9,041 kg MS ha-1 year-1) and growth rate (24.8 kg DM ha-1 day-1) for Lolium multiflorum L. The mean ME was 2.61 Mcal kg-1 MS and 2.43 Mcal kg-1 MS for L. perenne and L. multiflorum, respectively. The nutritional values of both varieties are adequate for feedi...

            The aim of this study was to evaluate the productive performance and nutritional value of seven clover genotypes at three altitude levels (PA I: 2300-2800 m above sea level, PA II: 2801-3300 and PA III: 3301-3800) of the northern highlands of Peru during a year. Four genotypes of white clover (Trifolium repens) and three genotypes of red clover (Trifolium pratense) were installed in each altitudinal floor (PA). The germination power, weight and purity of the seeds were evaluated to ensure the viability of the number of seeds sown. The yield (kg DM ha-1 year-1), growth rate (kg DM ha-1 day-1), plant height (cm) and nutritional value for each genotype were determined. The highest yields and the best growth rates (p<0.01) in the three PAs corresponded to the three varieties of Trifolium pratense (Tuscan, Americano and Rel...

            The aim of this study was to evaluate the productive performance and nutritional value of seven clover genotypes at three altitude levels (PA I: 2300-2800 m above sea level, PA II: 2801-3300 and PA III: 3301-3800) of the northern highlands of Peru during a year. Four genotypes of white clover (Trifolium repens) and three genotypes of red clover (Trifolium pratense) were installed in each altitudinal floor (PA). The germination power, weight and purity of the seeds were evaluated to ensure the viability of the number of seeds sown. The yield (kg DM ha-1 year-1), growth rate (kg DM ha-1 day-1), plant height (cm) and nutritional value for each genotype were determined. The highest yields and the best growth rates (p<0.01) in the three PAs corresponded to the three varieties of Trifolium pratense (Tuscan, Americano and Rel...

La actividad lechera, basada en pasturas, representa la principal fuente de ingreso de la población rural de los andes del norte del Perú. El objetivo fue evaluar el rendimiento de biomasa, tasa de crecimiento, altura de planta, Proteína Cruda (PC), Fibra Detergente Neutro (FDN), digestibilidad in vitro de la materia seca (DIVMS) y Energía metabolizable (EM) de 22 genotipos de Lolium spp. en tres pisos altoandinos (PA) (PA I: 2300 - 2800, PA II: 2801 - 3300 y PA III: 3301 - 3800 msnm) del norte del Perú. Mejor biomasa (7 662 kg materia seca (MS) ha-1 año-1) y tasa de crecimiento (21,0 kg MS ha-1 día-1) mostró el PA I para Lolium perenne L., en cambio el PA III destacó en rendimiento (9041 kg MS ha-1 año-1) y tasa de crecimiento (24,8 kg MS ha-1 día-1) para Lolium multiflorum L. La EM promedio fue de 2,61 Mcal kg-1 MS y 2,43 Mcal kg-1 MS para L. perenne y L. multiflorum respect...

El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el comportamiento productivo y el valor nutricional de siete genotipos de trébol en tres niveles de altitud (PA I: 2300-2800 msnm, PA II: 2801-3300 msnm y PA III: 3301-3800 msnm) de la sierra norte de Perú durante un año. Se instalaron cuatro genotipos de trébol blanco (Trifolium repens) y tres genotipos de trébol rojo (Trifolium pratense) en cada piso altitudinal (PA). Se evaluó el poder germinativo, peso y pureza de la semilla para asegurar la viabilidad del número de semillas sembradas. Se determinó el rendimiento (kg MS ha-1 año-1), tasa de crecimiento (kg MS ha-1 día-1), altura de la planta (cm) y valor nutricional para cada genotipo. Los rendimientos más altos y las mejores tasas de crecimiento (p<0.01) en los tres PA correspondieron a las tres variedades de Trifolium pratense (Tuscan, Americano y Relish). El PA I (p<0.01) obtuvo la ma...

The aim of this study was to determine the metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance (MEm) and growth (MEg) of llamas and alpacas, by the comparative slaughter technique, at 4200 m above sea level. Twenty male llamas (106.6 ± 7.7 kg live weight, LW) and 20 male alpacas (55.7 ± 4.9 kg LW), both of two years of age, were subdivided into 5 groups of 4 animals each, per species. One group was slaughtered at the beginning of the study to measure the initial body energy content, and the remaining four groups were fed over a period of 55 days on a mixture of chopped hay of oats and Lucerne at four levels of feed (94.2% dry matter, DM): maintenance, intermediate low, intermediate high and ad libitum; corresponding to 40, 50, 60 and 70 g DM/kg LW0.75, respectively. All animals were slaughtered at the end of the experiment to determine retained energy (RE). Another group of four animals ...

El objetivo del estudio fue determinar los requerimientos de energía metabolizable de mantenimiento (EMm) y ganancia de peso vivo (EMg) de llamas y alpacas, mediante la técnica de sacrificio comparativo, a 4200 m de altitud. Se utilizaron 20 llamas machos (106.6 ± 7.7 kg de peso vivo, PV) y 20 alpacas machos (55.7 ± 4.9 kg PV), ambos grupos de 2 años de edad, divididos en 5 grupos de 4 animales por especie. Un grupo fue sacrificado al inicio del estudio para medir la energía corporal inicial, mientras que los cuatro grupos restantes fueron alimentados durante 55 días con una mezcla de heno picado de avena y alfalfa, en cuatro niveles de oferta de dieta (94.2% materia seca, MS): mantenimiento, intermedio bajo, intermedio alto y ad libitum; correspondientes a 40, 50, 60 y 70 g MS/kg PV0.75, respectivamente. Todos los animales fueron sacrificados al final del experimento para determi...