Los de residuos de cosecha en la alimentación de bovinos de carne en la hacienda Rivas del cantón Arenillas.

Abstract

The present experimental work was carried out at the "RIVAS" cattle ranch in the Arenillas canton, with the objective of analysing the inclusion of crop residues in the diet of cattle as a complement to grazing in times of feed shortage in the paddocks. The research focused on the use of corn stover together with sugar cane molasses and oats as complementary raw materials, in an effort to improve the nutritional requirements of cattle. A sample of 15 fattening cattle was selected and divided into three treatment groups: T1, T2 and T3. Each treatment consisted of five animals. T1 and T2 were fed rations formulated by the Solver Excel programme, while T3, which served as a control, was fed by grazing. The investigation was carried out over a period of 8 weeks, using Statgraphics Centurion XV.I.® statistical software for data analysis, applying the one-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) and, in cases where the data did not fit, the Kruskal-Wallis test. The results of the analysis showed that the T1 treatment had the most notable weight gain, with an increase of 30.2 kg, followed by T2 with 17.8 kg and T3 with 13.4 kg. This suggests that T1 is the most effective method of increasing cattle weight, although it is crucial to consider factors such as feed type and animal health to optimise results. In addition, the experimental work exceeded expectations compared to previous studies, showing an average weight gain of 4.57 kg per day using maize stubble, unlike other studies that reported lower gains with different methods. This indicates that the use of crop residues such as maize stubble is more effective in increasing cattle weight compared to traditional methods that do not adequately supplement the diet. In conclusion, the inclusion of a balanced diet based on crop residues is a viable alternative to improve the nutritional requirements of cattle. This strategy is not only more effective for weight gain, but also more economical compared to commercial diets, with a cost of $120 until the completion of the project. Therefore, the use of crop residues is presented as a natural, cost-effective and sustainable option to replace all or part of commercial feedstuffs, allowing producers to improve the weight gain of their animals. Recommendations include properly formulating crop residue-based diets to meet the nutritional requirements of livestock, conducting cost analyses to compare with commercial feeds, and conducting research on various types of crop residues to identify new sources of nutrients.