AGRONOMIC AND FORAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF Guazuma ulmifolia, LAM

Abstract

Native trees are an important source of forage for cattle, particularly in regions that have prolonged dry periods. Some species of trees have fast growth rates, good nutritional quality, and the ability to produce forage during dry periods when the need for forage is greater. Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. is a tree native to tropical America that has a high forage potential, but little is known about its agronomic management. This species is mentioned in a number of studies assessing the forage potential of trees in a diverse array of environments and vegetation communities, but there is a lack of published information on adequate management and cultivation of this species as a forage tree. There is enough information on the nutritional value of the species, but supplementation with this forage and resulting animal responses have not been extensively studied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the available literature for information on the presence, management, and forage quality of G. ulmifolia in production systems with domestic ruminants.