Árvores forrageiras para bovinos e caprinos na Holanda

Descrição do sistema

Vários produtores de leite de vaca e cabra na região de Duinboeren dos Países Baixos foram os participantes da "Farms’ Network for Fodder Trees and Multifunctional Land Use (2012-2014)". Durante esse projeto, quatro locais de teste com árvores forrageiras foram plantadas em quatro quintas. Dentro do projeto original, cabras e vacas leiteiras[nbsp]foram deixadas a pastar em árvores forrageiras como o salgueiro (Salix spp).

Reunião de stakeholders inicial

Os quatro agricultores que utilizam árvores forrageiras foram entrevistados a 11 de setembro de 2014. O aspecto mais positivo da utilização de árvores forrageiras foi visto como sendo[nbsp]a melhoria da saúde e bem estar animal. A questão-chave[nbsp]negativo salientada foi o controlo de ervas daninhas no estabelecimento do salgueiro. Temas de pesquisa potenciais são a protecção das árvores, a seleção das espécies forrageiras e o design do sistema.
Se você gostaria de saber mais sobre a actividade deste grupo, entre em contato com Boki Luske B.Luske@louisbolk.nl do[nbsp] Louis Bolk Institute, Holanda. >

Faça download do relatório inicial de stakeholders

Faça download do protocolo inicial de pesquisa e desenvolvimento

Download the system description

A system description report providing an update on the research with ruminants and fodder trees was produced in November 2015.

Lessons learnt

In August 2017, Boki Luske and colleagues at the Louis Bolk Institute summarised the lessons learnt from their research on using tree fodder with dairy cattle in the Netherlands. The research focused on measuring several functional aspects of willow (Salix viminalis) and alder (Alnus glutinosa) trees in a case study. The intake of leaves and twigs by dairy cows was estimated by a browsing experiment on an organic dairy farm. In this particular trial the cows preferred willow leaves to alder leaves. Willow cultivars which have a wide spreading habit were able to provide a “fodder hedgerow” with many growing points within the reach of the cows. Wide growing willow trees enable three dimensional grazing.
Additionally, the nutritional value of the leaves was determined from leaf samples and from a literature study. In general, the willow and alder leaves were found to have higher protein, macro- and micro-element levels than grass. The intake rate of willow was only 0.6 and 0.4% of the required dry matter intake for dry and lactating cows respectively. However the intake of, for instance, sodium (Na), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) was 2-9% of the daily requirements.
The willow and alder trees also play a functional role in relation to soil fertility and initial measurements were taken of soil organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus below the trees compared to the grass. Significantly higher earthworm numbers and earthworm biomass were found in the soil under the alder trees than under the willow trees.