Abstract

MANZANO-DURAN, Joseph; GARCIA-FERIA, Luis M.  and  MANDUJANO-RODRIGUEZ, Salvador. Evaluation of the native vegetation diversity and characterization of goat farming in a locality of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve. Biotecnia [online]. 2023, vol.25, n.2, pp.120-125.  Epub Aug 25, 2023. ISSN 1665-1456.  https://doi.org/10.18633/biotecnia.v25i2.1876.

Goat farming in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (RBTC) has been a factor in the habitat transformation. The loss of plant diversity and the deterioration of vegetation coverage can be reflected in the body condition of goats due to the intake of lower quality vegetal species. Our objectives were to assess the plant diversity of the grazing sites in San Gabriel Casa Blanca, Oaxaca, as well as the carrying capacity between seasons and the body condition of the goats. Through transects in the grazing sites, 53 plant species were recorded, 36 are consumed by goats and some in risk categories. The average herd size is 30 ± 26 goats, and the average grazing time is 5 ± 0:53 h. The body weight of the goats was not different between the seasons, but the body condition was higher in the rainy season, reflecting medium quality (2 points). Both the carrying capacity (96 goats·ha-1 during 152 d in the rainy season and 18 goats·ha-1 during 213 d in the dry season) and grazing time indicate that there is no overgrazing. It is recommended to calculate the optimal carrying capacity based on the goats specific requirements, plants chemical composition and their productivity, to reduce the impacts on the plant diversity.

Keywords : Carrying capacity; grazing time; herd size; native vegetation.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )