Intensificación sostenible de la ganadería bovina tropical basada en recursos locales: alternativa de mitigación ambiental para América Latina. Revisión Bibliográfica

Abstract

The present and future demand for food caused by population growth require a greater degree of intensification of production systems, but in the case of livestock, its development has involved changes in land use and environmental deterioration. Therefore, the production of meat and milk must not exceed the limits of the use of natural resources and mitigate the environmental deterioration caused. The main effect associated with livestock activity is the emission of greenhouse gases, the same origination of deforestation for the establishment of grazing areas and forage crops, as well as the enteric fermentation of cattle. This problem requires an analysis of the interaction, between livestock, and the environment and the validation of suitable technological tools for the mitigation of environmental deterioration. In this sense, this document provides information on alternatives for sustainable intensification of livestock production systems, emphasizing pastoral systems in developing countries. The objectives of this review article are: a) to conduct a comparative synthesis of greenhouse effect gas emissions attributed to the intensification of cattle ranching in developed and developing countries and, b) to propose as basic elements of the silvopastoral systems the integration of trees, shrubs and local breeds for the mitigation of environmental deterioration in tropical areas of Latin America.