Resumen

SANGINES GARCIA, Leonor; DAVILA SOLARTE, Paulina; SOLANO, Lourdes  y  PEREZ-GIL, Romo Fernando. Forbs of coffee plantations: taxonomically identify, chemical evaluation and evaluate the behavior of free range lambs. Ecosistemas y recur. agropecuarios [online]. 2014, vol.1, n.3, pp.249-260. ISSN 2007-901X.

The goal of this work was to taxonomically identify different species of forbs that grow in coffee plantations, analyze their chemical composition and evaluate the behavior of free range lambs compared to animals grazing in pasture. The taxonomic classification was done in both the rain and dry season. The whole plantation was studied while the animals grazed. All the existing plant species were registered, observed and separated between those ones eaten by the animals, which were called selected forbs, and the no eaten ones, called rejected ones. Chemical composition and in vitro and in situ digestibility were studied as well as the grazing ovine behavior, which was closely observed. 58 different plant species were found, belonging mainly to the Fabaceae, Mimosaceae, Caesalpinaseae, Gramineae and Asteraceae families. The selected forbs and grass fodder showed: 14 and 7.8 % CP; 45.9 and 47.7 % NDF(p < 0.05); 3.2 and 2.3 Mcal GE(p < 0.05); a=9.3^a and 8.8^a, b= 74.3^a and 74.6^a c = 61.1^a and 60.4^b respectively. The feed intake frequency of the animals grazing in the coffee plantation was higher and produced no damage to the leaves, branches, stems nor beans. In conclusion, there is more feed diversity in coffee plantations than in pastures and animals are capable to select those fodders of better nutritional quality without producing any damage to the coffee plants.

Palabras llave : Etology; forbs; coffee plantation; chemical composition; digestibility.