El rol del Agropiro (Thinopyrum ponticum) en la nutrición de ovejas al momento de la gestación en el Partido de Patagones (Bs.As.)

Abstract

Sheep production in the Patagones District has been gaining relevance over the years, not only aimed at obtaining high yields of quality and quantity of wool, but also at meeting the demands of the lamb and capon meat market. For their part, the marked and persistent water deficiencies in Patagones lead to the meticulous planning of a forage scheme that satisfies the nutritional needs of the sheep farmers. In this context, Agropiro is incorporated as a perennial pasture in the forage plan in order to cover the summer forage gap that coincide with the gestation period of the sheep. Through the use of NRC tables, TND values of agropiro and consumption and digestibility formulas, an analysis of the nutritional supply of the pasture, the demand by the ruminant and the resulting use of it is carried out. In addition, the analysis of data from surveys of producers based on the strategic use of this pasture is used as input. Based on the calculations, the results show that as the gestation period of the sheep progresses, the requirements for CP and TND increase, resulting in the consumption of wheatgrass alone being insufficient to cover its needs. Therefore, supplementation with other ingredients is being analyzed to cover this deficit.