Abstract
Silvopastoral systems (SPSs) in Uruguay have been developed in the context of a recently formed plantation forestry sector. Beef cattle farmers have long been adopting forestry mostly as woodlots or SPSs. In spite of the potential complementary relationship between forestry and cattle husbandry, research in temperate regions is scarce. The objectives of this study were to identify constraints for the inclusion of forestry in cattle farms and to assess expansion potential for this land use. A survey was conducted on a sample of 104 landowners with cattle farms larger than 100 ha. The adoption of forestry in cattle farms was strongly associated with educational level and farm size. The most frequently mentioned advantage in forest plantations owners (FF) and farmers willing to adopt forestry (PWF) was the shelter that trees give to cattle, followed by the increase in calving rate. In those cases where more than one disadvantage was mentioned, environmental issues were the main factors constraining plantation forestry adoption. Over 18 % of FF farmers and 37 % of farmers not willing to adopt forestry (NWF) perceived land use conversion from forestry back to grassland pastures and the high costs involved as a major disadvantage.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would especially like to express their gratitude to CSIC (Scientific Research Sectorial Committee) University from Uruguay (UDELAR) for the funding of this research project, and to Forestal Oriental S.A. for the financial assistance given and for valuable suggestions made by Andrés Solari, Nicolás Mosca and Alexander Burger.
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Bussoni, A., Juan, C., Fernández, E. et al. Integrated beef and wood production in Uruguay: potential and limitations. Agroforest Syst 89, 1107–1118 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-015-9839-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-015-9839-1