Use of legumes in livestock systems

Executive Summary

Countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay are large producers and exporters of meat under direct grazing of natural fields and planted pastures, totaling almost 300 million head of cattle. Most of the land dedicated to this low-productivity pastoral livestock is found in marginal areas for agriculture, with severe limitations of fertility and/or acidity/alkalinity and/or waterlogging, on forage resources that need to be improved in their productive capacity. On the other hand, in countries such as Ecuador, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, livestock plays a vital role in the sustainability of agricultural systems.

The GHG emission inventories show that pastoral farming is a main source of emission of these gases in the countries mentioned but few of them have their own emission factors (GHG emitted per kilo of forage consumed). Therefore, they use the default emission factors established by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) that do not necessarily reflect local conditions, nor do they allow discriminating possible mitigation opportunities of intensified systems.

An option for sustainable intensification of these animal production grazing systems is the incorporation of forage legumes. Both the promotion of legume species in natural communities, and the implantation of improved legumes, bring several benefits.

The Regional Workshop "Use of legumes in livestock systems" was held at the Experimental Station La Estanzuela (Colonia) of the National Institute of Agricultural Research of Uruguay (INIA) on October 2, 3 and 4, 2017, constituted an instance of Dialogue and training of specialists from the member countries of PROCISUR, Ecuador, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, on the issue of sustainable intensification of grazing livestock systems.

The technological solution

Use of legumes in livestock systems.

Results

Beneficiaries

Researchers from participating research institutes.

Main donors