TECHNOLOGICAL STRATEGIES FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCTIVITY INTENSIFICATION UNDER FLOODED SAVANNAS CONDITION OF COLOMBIAN ORINOCO

Abstract

It is estimated that livestock activity in Colombian Orinoco flooded savannas is develops on some 5 million hectares located between Casanare and Arauca departments, especially for breed and raise grazing cattle. The hydrological dynamics of the area and the spatial and temporal variability of forage, in conjunction with the characteristic extensive management of livestock systems of the region, have resulted in low productive and reproductive performance and a high environmental impact. This activity must undergo major changes to promote further development in line with the objectives required to address climate change. Some evidence suggests that management of grazing, water and trees and shrubs integration, are practices that would provide great productive and environmental benefits, increasing the livestock systems resilience in flooded savannas and promoting biodiversity conservation and maintenance of ecosystem services. The integration of new knowledge areas such as phenomics and “big data”, become useful research alternatives to understand in greater proportion the complex biological interactions that occur in this ecosystem, facilitating the creation of management programs that maximize productivity and animal welfare, while reducing the environmental impact associated with this activity.