Palma forrageira, o alimento mais importante para vacas leiteiras no semiárido pernambucano: manual prático

Abstract

The dairy basin of Pernambuco is distributed throughout its territory, however with a larger concentration in the Agreste region. Evaluations of production systems in this region indicate that milk production becomes efficient over the years, can improve several aspects, among them one of the most important would be the increase in land productivity. This would only be possible, mainly due to the size of the properties, with the implementation of forages with high productivity. In this context, forage palm became a key strategic forage due to its production potential and nutritional value. The objective was to develop a practical manual for the use of forage palm in the diet of dairy cows and to offer the field technician and the producer a material with options to associate it with a range of ingredients normally used in the most practical way possible. From there, 48 diets were formulated, based on forage palm, for cows with different weights (400, 450, 500, 550, and 600 kg) also different milk yields (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 kg of milk/day). Data were presented on a dry matter basis. It is expected that the material produced can reach the hands of technicians and producers to guide them in choosing the best options according to the characteristics of the production system, availability, and price of ingredients.