Investigación alimentaria para producción bovina con ordeño en el trópico

Dual purpose (beef and milk) cattle production levels in the Ucayali area are low despite of 25 years of research. Poor nutritional quality of available forage and reduced pasture production during the dry season, and low overall productivity of the herds, are the principal factors which limit the development of this activity. The Program on Peed Research in Dual Purpose Cattle Production has promoted research to alleviate these constraints. The components of this program include introduction and evaluation of forage germoplasm of higher nutritive quality which is tolerant of dry conditions, use of forage legumes, and incresasing the reproductive performance of the herdsthrough better feeding strategies. Current and expected research results are described. Research impact at farmer level is defined as increased and more efficient milk production through the use of better quality pastures, higher productivity during the dry season, and increasedreproductive performance of the farm herd.