ANNUAL FORAGE PRODUCTION DEPENDING ON MOISTURE AVAILABILITY (Atena Editora)

Abstract

Forage production is the basis of cattle feeding, for this it is necessary to have enough forage throughout the year, taking into account that in times of drought there is a deficit. Pastures, like other crops, are sensitive to moisture deficit in their different phenological stages. There is a high correlation between forage production and available moisture. The objective of this study was to present a procedure to estimate the pattern of forage production in the year, based on the availability of moisture and determine its probability for each of the months of the year. To do this, the Tanzania grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) was used as an example. Likewise, daily climatological information on precipitation, maximum and minimum temperatures, from the weather station 27056 in Balancán, Tabasco, was used. Models were also used to estimate the relative and maximum forage yield, depending on weather variables and pasture characteristics. The results show that in the area of influence of the meteorological station 27056 of Balancán, Tabasco, the highest yields are reached in the rainy season (June to October), while in the period from November to April the relative yield was lower. at 50% of the maximum achievable performance. The maximum achievable yield was obtained in the month of June and was almost 5.0 t ha-1 of dry matter; while the minimum yield was obtained in the month of March and was almost 0.50 t ha-1. The probability of obtaining yields equal to or greater than 4.5 t DM ha-1 was 12%, while yields of 2.0 and 1.0 t h-1 have a probability of exceedance of 52% and 78% respectively.