/ "How Trees and Silvopastoral Systems Protect Livestock from Frost Damage")
Frosts in Colombia: A Recurring Challenge for Livestock Systems and Strategies to Mitigate Their Impact
Frosts, a climatic phenomenon that occurs when temperatures drop to 0°C or below, are wreaking havoc on Colombia’s livestock systems. These extreme weather events severely impact food availability, animal welfare, and productivity, posing a recurring challenge for producers. camilo Alvarado Cortés,from the Sustainable Livestock Area of the Colombian Federation of Livestock (Fedegán),has proposed a series of strategies to mitigate these effects and ensure the sector’s sustainability.
Strategies to Mitigate the Effects of Frost
Alvarado emphasizes the importance of adopting both immediate and long-term measures to reduce the impact of frost.In the short term, proper management of food resources is crucial. He explains that it is essential to “ensure dry matter to meet the nutritional requirements of animals,” which can be achieved through the planning and storage of silos, hay, or haylage. Complementing these reserves wiht protein and energized salts can definitely help maintain nutritional balance during critical periods.
Overgrazing should also be avoided.“Grazing aggressively, leaving a low residue, causes the grass not to recover, affecting food for the next grazing and for the rest of the year,” Alvarado warns. Proper pasture management helps preserve the productive capacity of meadows.
Other key recommendations include:
- Drying animals in milk-oriented systems, reducing nutritional requirements during periods of food stress.
- Adjusting the animal load before the dry season through strategic culling to reduce resource demand.
- Implementing strategic fertilization on farms with access to irrigation to improve pasture recovery.
long-Term Solutions: Trees and Plantations
To address frost with a sustainability-focused approach, Alvarado highlights the need to implement strategies that strengthen the resilience of productive systems:
- Establishment of Mixed pastures: Incorporating frost-tolerant grasses, such as specific ryegrass varieties, ensures fodder availability.Alvarado recommends consulting professionals to determine the most suitable variety for each farm.
- Silvopastoral Systems: Integrating trees and shrubs into the livestock landscape creates microclimates that mitigate the effects of frost and high temperatures. “The presence of trees and shrubs improves well-being parameters and productive and reproductive performance of animals,” says Alvarado. intensive silvopastoral systems, which include fodder bushes, can also serve as a valuable food source for animals.
- Regeneration of Native and Introduced tree Species: Planting frost-resistant trees, such as alder, oak, and Colombian pine, contributes to shade, protection, and biodiversity.
The Effects of Frost on Livestock
The impact of frost on livestock is profound and multifaceted. One of the primary consequences is the reduction in the quantity and quality of available food, notably in pastures like kikuyo. This leads to nutritional imbalances, reducing energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins in animals’ diets. Consequently, negative effects on body condition, fertility, conception rates, weight gain, and milk production are observed.
Thermal stress is another concern. High temperatures at noon exacerbate reproductive issues, while extreme cold in the morning causes additional stress.“The combination of these factors increases the interval between births,decreases open days,and affects the general well-being of animals,” explains Alvarado.
The Importance of Strategic Planning
Alvarado stresses that “these climatic phenomena are recurring, and it is in the hands of farmers to prepare to face them and reduce their effects.” Implementing a strategic approach that combines short- and long-term measures is essential to protect the profitability and sustainability of Colombia’s livestock sector.
| Key Strategies to Mitigate Frost Impact |
|———————————————|
| Short-Term Measures |
| – Prepare and store silos, hay, or haylage |
| – Avoid overgrazing |
| – Dry animals in milk-oriented systems |
| Long-Term Solutions |
| - Establish mixed pastures |
| – Integrate silvopastoral systems |
| – Plant frost-resistant trees |
By adopting these strategies, colombian livestock producers can better navigate the challenges posed by frost, ensuring the resilience and sustainability of their systems.
