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Economic Contribution of Draught Animals to Mazahua Smallholder Campesino Farming Systems in the Highlands of Central Mexico

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Abstract

The economic contribution of draught animals to smallholder Mazahua campesino systems in two mountain villages of San Felipe del Progreso, in the central highlands of Mexico, was assessed. Campesinos rely on draught animals for cultivation tasks, as pack animals, and as transport for agricultural and domestic activities. The villages were San Pablo Tlalchichilpa (SPT) and La Concepción Mayorazgo (LCM). Twelve households that possessed draught animals were monitored from July 1999 to June 2000, nine in SPT and three in LCM, in terms of animal inventories and income from their draught animals, in cash and opportunity values. Equines in SPT have substituted bulls, and are recognized for their multipurpose contribution, while in LCM bulls are still used for ploughing the land. Overall total mean gross income was US$490.78 per farm per year, plus US$56 as opportunity value of the fertilizer value of manure for both villages. Deducting estimated costs, owning draught animals leaves a mean net margin of US$412.50/year in SPT and of US$285.64/year in LCM. There is a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between ownership of draught animals and incomes, with a regression coefficient of US$279.16 per year per draught animal. Besides positive economic returns, having work animals alleviates drudgery for the campesino families.

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Abbreviations

DM:

dry matter

DAP:

draught animal power

INEGI:

National Institute for Statistics, Geography and Informatics of Mexico

LCM:

La Concepción Mayorazgo

PLEC:

People, Land Management and Environmental Change Project

SPT:

San Pablo Tlalchichilpa

UNU:

United Nations University

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Coordinación General de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Instituto Literario No. 100, 50000, Toluca, México

    C. M. Arriaga-Jordán

  2. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Agropecuarias (CICA), Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, México

    A. M. Pedraza-Fuentes, L. G. Velázquez-Beltrán, E. G. Nava-Bernal & M. C. Chávez-Mejía

Authors
  1. C. M. Arriaga-Jordán
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  2. A. M. Pedraza-Fuentes
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  3. L. G. Velázquez-Beltrán
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  4. E. G. Nava-Bernal
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  5. M. C. Chávez-Mejía
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Correspondence to C. M. Arriaga-Jordán.

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Arriaga-Jordán, C.M., Pedraza-Fuentes, A.M., Velázquez-Beltrán, L.G. et al. Economic Contribution of Draught Animals to Mazahua Smallholder Campesino Farming Systems in the Highlands of Central Mexico. Trop Anim Health Prod 37, 589–597 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-005-4177-3

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