Subject: Twenty ninth paper: Opuntia-based ruminant feeding systems in Mexico
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Second FAO Electronic Conference on Tropical Feeds
Livestock Feed Resources within Integrated Farming Systems
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Participant,
Here is the abstract of the twenty ninth paper from C.A. Flores Valdez and
G. Aranda Osorio.
Questions that might stimulate discussion on this topic
include:
1. Apart from the well-known use of Opuntia as a drought feed, is it a major
fodder all year round in your area? If not, what are the constraints
impeding this happening considering its very efficient use of water compared
to other traditional fodders?
2. Do you have any data on the water requirements of Opuntia compared to
those of traditional fodders?
3. Do you have any data on Opuntia used as the basis of the ruminant diet
all year round?
4. What are the alternatives to Opuntia for drought feeding in your area?
Christophe Dalibard, Rene Sansoucy, Andrew Speedy (moderators)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PS: In order to read the tables of the paper, a non
proportional font such as courier 12 should be used
and margins should be adjusted if necessary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OPUNTIA-BASED RUMINANT FEEDING SYSTEMS IN MEXICO
Claudio A. Flores Valdez and Gilberto Aranda Osorio
The Nopal Program. CIESTAAM.
University of Chapingo, Mexico
E-mail: caflores@taurus1.chapingo.mx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ABSTRACT
In Mexico, the arid and semi-arid regions occupy around 50% of the total
area. One of the plant resources with a wide range of distribution and uses
by man and animals is nopal (Opuntia).
The use of nopal as forage in Mexico depends mostly on the utilization of
wild nopal communities and less on the cultivated forage, fruit or vegetable
plantations.
The Opuntia species utilized are numerous and they are used to feed cattle
(milk and meat), goats (meat and milk), sheep (meat and wool), horses
(transportation and draft), and wildlife. The volumes fed to cattle are
around 30-40 kg per day and to goats and sheep around 6-8 kg.
The utilization of the nopal is carried out by large, medium and small
rangeland ranches, and in medium and small stables. The methods used by the
farmers are reviewed. The comparative advantages of nopal are highlighted
and recommendations are given for further research and extension programmes.
KEY WORDS: Opuntia, prickly pear, nopal, Mexico, feed, ruminant
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FAO ELECTRONIC CONFERENCE:
LIVESTOCK FEED RESOURCES WITHIN INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEMS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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message or any copyright laws that the person sending this
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Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 15:08:00 +0000 (GMT)
From: "Dalibard, Christophe (AGAP)"
Subject: Opuntia-based ruminant feeding systems in Mexico
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Second FAO Electronic Conference on Tropical Feeds
Livestock Feed Resources within Integrated Farming Systems
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OPUNTIA-BASED RUMINANT FEEDING SYSTEMS IN MEXICO
Claudio A. Flores Valdez and Gilberto Aranda Osorio
The Nopal Program. CIESTAAM.
University of Chapingo, Mexico
E-mail: caflores@taurus1.chapingo.mx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. INTRODUCTION
Opuntia cactus (prickly pear or nopal) is a group comprising plants=
=20
belonging to different species of the genera Opuntia and Nopalea, bot=
h of=20
the Cactaceae family. Its origin is the American Continent and it can=
be=20
found from Canada (59 deg. north latitude) to Argentina (52 deg. sout=
h=20
latitude), and from sea level to an altitude as high as 5100 m in Per=
u=20
(Bravo & Sheinvar, 1995).
The Cactaceae family includes approximately 130 genera and 1500 speci=
es. Of=20
these, the Opuntia and Nopalea genera are the most important due to t=
heir=20
usefulness to man. In America, there are two centres of diversificati=
on of=20
the Cactaceae family, one in the northern part of the continent and t=
he=20
other in the south. Most of its genera are in one of the two centres;=
an=20
exception is the Opuntia genus, which is found on both sites. There a=
re 258=20
recognized species of Opuntia and 100 are found in Mexico, while the =
genus=20
Nopalea has only ten reported species (Bravo, 1978).
Cactaceae are plants resistant to arid and semi-arid conditions. Thes=
e=20
conditions in Mexico are characterized by scarce and erratic precipit=
ation,=20
high diurnal thermic oscillation, high annual thermic oscillation and=
=20
rainfall only in the summer (Flores and Aguirre, 1992).
The arid and semi-arid regions of Mexico cover more than 95 million h=
a,=20
where annual precipitation ranges from 150 to 600 mm, and the average=
annual=20
temperature is around 15-25 deg C, with more than seven dry months.=
=20
Vegetation is composed of grasslands and scrublands, and the plant co=
ver is=20
less than 70% (Jaramillo, 1994).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. HISTORY AND PRESENT-DAY IMPORTANCE OF NOPAL IN MEXICO
Three main nopal production systems have been identified: wild cactus=
=20
communities, family orchards and intensive commercial plantations. Al=
though=20
intensive commercial plantations are recent, they were started only 5=
0 years=20
ago, they produce the greatest amount of fruit and vegetable nopal wh=
ich=20
supplies the domestic and international markets (Flores, 1993). Perio=
d in=20
use, products and the total area cultivated per system at present is =
shown=20
in Table 1.
Table 1: Period in use, products and total area cultivated under each=
nopal=20
production system at present in Mexico
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Production system Period in use Products Area (ha)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wild communities 20,000 BC to Forage 3,000,000
present Fruit
Vegetable
Family orchards 3,000 BC to Fruit unknown
present Vegetable
Forage
Intensive 1945 to Vegetable 10,400
commercial present Fruit 56,856
plantations Forage 150,000
Grana 100
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Flores, 1993
The use of nopal in Mexico goes back to its first inhabitants. At pre=
sent,=20
nopal is used in many ways; to name but a few: it is eaten as a veget=
able=20
and fruit; it is used for forage, fuel and fences, as well as in medi=
cines,=20
cosmetics and in ceremonies; it produces grana, a natural dye; and it=
helps=20
to control erosion. The use of nopal as forage for livestock began wi=
th the=20
colonization of the north of Mexico by the Spaniards in the 16th cent=
ury.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. NOPAL-BASED RUMINANT FEEDING SYSTEMS IN MEXICO
3.1 Extensive (grazing) animal production systems
Nopal is found naturally on 3 million ha of rangelands in northern Me=
xico=20
which have, even now, a good plant population density. Another 150,00=
0 ha of=20
nopal were planted by ranchers and small producers with government su=
pport.
The livestock fed with nopal are mainly cattle, goats and sheep. But=
=20
fighting bulls and oxen are also fed with nopal. The two main product=
s of=20
cattle production are calves for export and meat. The goats are used =
to=20
produce meat and milk, and the sheep to produce meat and wool.
The cattle have a certain amount of blood from breeds such as the Her=
eford,=20
Charolais, Aberdeen Angus and Beef Master. When the quality of the=
=20
rangelands is lower, crosses are made with Brahman, Indobrasil, etc.
In goats there has been a more limited degree of cross-breeding with =
breeds=20
such as the Nubian, Granadina, Murciana, Alpino Francesa and Sannen. =
While=20
in sheep, the situation has been similar with limited cross-breeding =
with=20
Rambouillet, Suffolk and Corridale.
Feeding cattle is based on grazing on rangeland grasses such as Boute=
loua,=20
Eragrostis, Buchloe, Hilaria, and the introduced Pennisetum. All of t=
hese=20
are reduced markedly during the dry years. There are also shrubs on w=
hich=20
cattle forage like Prosopis, Acacia, Celtis, Flourencia, etc., and a =
great=20
variety of cactus (nopal) (Table 2).
Table 2: Main Opuntia species used as forage on the rangelands of nor=
thern=20
Mexico
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
O. streptacantha Cardon
O. leucotricha Durasnillo
O. robusta Tapon
O. cantabrigiensis Cuijo
O. rastrera Rastrero
O. microdasys Cegador
O. lindheimeri Cacanapo
O. engelmannis Rastrero
O. azurea Coyotillo
O. stenopetala Serrano
O. imbricata Cardenche
O. fulgida Choya
O. choya Choya
O. macrocentra Chivero
O. chrysacantha Espina amarilla
O. lucens Penca redonda
O. duranguensis
O. tenuispina
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nopal is fed to livestock using the following methods:
a) Direct consumption, even though thorns and glochids are present in=
all=20
these varieties.
b) For consumption by goats and sheep, mainly on the edge of the nopa=
l,=20
where the concentration of thorns is greatest, and they are cut off.
c) The whole nopal plant is burned by piling dry brush at the base an=
d=20
burning it in order to eliminate the thorns. However, this method has=
the=20
disadvantage of causing severe damage to the plant making its recover=
y=20
difficult.
d) Utilizing a gas or kerosene burner to burn off the thorns of selec=
ted=20
nopal pads without damaging the whole plant.
e) The best method is cutting off the nopal pads, placing them on the=
=20
ground, and then burning the thorns off.
The livestock on this kind of rangeland should be given supplements o=
f at=20
least calcium and phosphorus, which can be supplied through the addit=
ion of=20
bone meal or blocks with phosphorus and limestone, among other nutrie=
nts.=20
Also, it is common to use a mineral premix with salt. In some rangela=
nds=20
during dry seasons, a supplement with protein concentrates (i.e., cot=
ton=20
seed meal, oil seed meals, etc.) is commonly given to livestock. On g=
ood=20
rangelands (with leguminous forage plants) the supplements are source=
s of=20
energy (i.e., maize, sorghum, cane molasses, etc.).
In general, nopal is used during the dry season of the year. However,=
=20
because there has been a continuous drought in northern Mexico during=
the=20
last four years, it has been used throughout the year, resulting in=
=20
deterioration of the nopal communities and a depletion of the resourc=
e=20
(Flores and Aranda, 1996).
The drought, however, did serve to underline the benefits of using no=
pal as=20
a feed for livestock on the rangelands. In the last three years, 650,=
000=20
head of cattle died in northern Mexico as a consequence of the drough=
t. In=20
general, the ranchers with nopal did not suffer great losses compared=
with=20
those who did not have or ran out of nopal. Moreover, reproduction ra=
tes and=20
levels of production of cattle, sheep and goats are superior when the=
=20
ranchers supplement the normal diet of the livestock with nopal durin=
g the=20
dry season.
3.2 Confined livestock
For this system, the nopal is obtained from the rangelands of norther=
n=20
Mexico (3 million ha), from the plantations of forage nopal (150,000 =
ha),=20
=66rom the plantations of nopal for fruit (cladodes from pruning) in =
the=20
central region (50,000 ha), and from the plantations of nopal for veg=
etable=20
(cladodes from pruning) also in the central region (10,500 ha).
Holstein is the most common breed for milk production on small farms =
of the=20
central and northern regions. Furthermore, small feedlots use nopal t=
o grow=20
and fatten cattle. In this case, the breeds used are the same as thos=
e=20
mentioned for the rangelands.
The feeding of the confined dairy cattle consists of nopal supplement=
ed with=20
commercial concentrates and other forages like oats, alfalfa, maize s=
ilage=20
and sorghum straw, with additions of premix and common salt.
The species of nopal utilized in these conditions are the same as tho=
se used=20
under rangeland conditions. Additionally, O. lindheimerii, O. engelma=
nnii=20
and O. rastrera are used on forage plantations. O. robusta and O.=
=20
streptacantha is used in family orchards, and O. amyclaea, O. ficus-i=
ndica=20
and Nopalea cochillinifera in plantations for fruit or vegetable (nop=
alito).
Methods used by the farmers to prepare nopal for livestock:
a) Cutting the nopal. This is done using a knife attached to a bar or=
tube=20
with a pair of hooks on the opposite end. The hooks are used to lift =
the cut=20
claddodes and place them on a truck. The main problem here is the lev=
el=20
where the nopal is cut, because most of the time the nopal is cut fro=
m the=20
root, limiting the possibility of the plant's recovery.
b) Transporting the nopal. The cut claddodes are transported in large=
or=20
small sized trucks, or even on carts pulled by animals when the dista=
nces=20
are not so great. Unfortunately, with wild species, the sites where n=
opal=20
can be found and cut have become increasingly further away (100-150 k=
m).
c) Burning the nopal. When the nopal arrives from the field it is pil=
ed up=20
in the yard. As it is needed, it is first spread out and then burned =
in=20
order to remove the thorns (on both sides of the pad). This can be do=
ne with=20
a gas (propane) or kerosene burner. The main problem here is the time=
that=20
the nopal can be kept in piles (no more than 10 days). On the other h=
and,=20
the use of burners is expensive and, in the case of kerosene, drops o=
f fuel=20
are left on the nopal, so the cattle refuse to eat it.
d) Chopping the nopal. Once the nopal is free of thorns, it is choppe=
d and=20
then given to the cattle. The process can be done manually or by cutt=
ing=20
machines (usually on farms with more than 50 head). In some cases, th=
e nopal=20
is chopped without burning off the spines and this causes some animal=
s to=20
have problems in their digestive tract.
e) Feeding the cattle. The nopal is carried on wheelbarrows to the fe=
eder=20
stall, and usually it is supplied twice a day. The amount used to fee=
d=20
cattle is around 30 to 40 kg of fresh nopal per day and 6 to 8 kg per=
day to=20
feed sheep and goats. It has been found that different amounts of nop=
al are=20
used in different parts of the country. For example, in Saltillo, Coa=
h., 200=20
tons per day are used, while in Monterrey, N.L., the amount is around=
600=20
tons. There are no data available for other regions.
The results obtained when cattle are fed with nopal have been shown t=
o=20
reduce the total milk or meat production per animal. However, the cos=
t per=20
unit of production is less. Thus, the utilization of nopal offers a g=
ood=20
alternative for feeding cattle during the dry season and for lowering=
milk=20
production costs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. CONCLUSIONS
In general, the technical-scientific knowledge on the use of nopal as=
=20
livestock feed is good. However, knowledge on the sustainable utiliza=
tion of=20
the wild nopal communities and cultivated forage nopal plantations is=
=20
limited and only just beginning to be studied.
Planting nopal on the rangelands of the central and northern regions =
may be=20
the easiest way to improve the vegetation, conserve soil, stop the=
=20
desertification process, increase the stocking rate, and improve=20
productivity and incomes, and thus the living conditions of the produ=
cers of=20
these regions.
The utilization of nopal has been compared with that of fresh alfalfa=
or=20
alfalfa hay, and/or maize silage, among others. Although lower levels=
of=20
production have been found using nopal, the costs per unit of product=
ion=20
(milk and/or meat) are lower. Therefore, the nopal has been, is, and =
will=20
be, an important source of forage for livestock in the central and no=
rthern=20
regions of Mexico.
In recent extension work, nopal for forage has been planted in the Mi=
xteca=20
region (Puebla) and in northeastern Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo Leon,=
=20
Tamaulipas), as a first stage in a programme that includes: fencing a=
nd=20
exclusion, sowing forage shrubs (Prosopis, Acacia, Atriplex, Agave, e=
tc.),=20
sowing grasses (Bouteloua, Pennisetum, etc.) and probably eliminating=
=20
undesirable species (Larrea, etc.).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
REFERENCES
Bravo H.H. 1978. Las cactaceas de Mexico. Universidad Autonoma de Mex=
ico.=20
Mexico, D.F. Vol. I. 743 pp.
Bravo H.H. y L. Sheinvar. 1995. El interesante mundo de las cactaceas=
.=20
CONACYT y Fondo de Cultura Economica. Mexico. 233 pp.
Flores V., C.A. y R. Aguirre R. 1992. El nopal como forraje. CIESTAAM=
-UACH.=20
Chapingo, Mexico. 80 pp.
Flores V., C.A. 1993. "Historia del uso del nopal en Mexico y el mund=
o." In:=20
Agricultura y Agronomia en Mexico. 500 anos. De la Fuente,J.; Ortega =
R.;=20
Samano, M.(Eds.) Universidad Autonoma Chapingo. Chapingo, Mexico.=
=20
pp.155-160.
Flores V., C.A. y G. Aranda O.1996. Uso del nopal como forraje en el =
mundo.=20
Taller internacional sobre conocimiento y aprovechamiento del nopal y=
=20
mezquite. FAO. U. de G., CINVESTAV-IPN. Irapuato, Guanajuato.14 p.
Jaramillo, V.V.1994. Revegetacion y reforestacion en las areas ganade=
ras en=20
las zonas =E1ridas y semiaridas de Mexico. COTECOCA. SARH. M=E9xico. =
48 p.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FAO ELECTRONIC CONFERENCE:
LIVESTOCK FEED RESOURCES WITHIN INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEMS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DISCLAIMER: Neither the conference organizers nor FAO accept
any legal responsibility for either the contents of this
message or any copyright laws that the person sending this
electronic message may have violated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TO COMMENT: Unless you want to reply only to the person
sending this information, please send your comments to the
address: TFCONF2-L@MAILSERV.FAO.ORG
or TFCONF2-ABS-L@MAILSERV.FAO.ORG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~