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Participatory Study on Feeding Strategies for Working Donkeys Used by Campesino Farmers in the Highlands of Central México

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Abstract

The aim of this work was to describe the feeding strategies for donkeys used by peasant farmers in central México. Feeding strategies for the dry and wet seasons are described, as well as the nutritional characteristics of the main forages and supplements used by the farmers. The extent to which the feeding practices used by farmers matched the digestible energy and crude protein requirements of donkeys for maintenance and work was determined. It was concluded that grazing on native grassland could provide enough energy and protein for donkeys at maintenance level and for those performing only a moderate amount of work. More research in required in order to have better estimates of intake and plant species preferred by donkeys under prevailing grazing conditions.

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Abbreviations

ADF:

acid detergent fibre

ADL:

acid detergent lignin

CP:

crude protein

DE:

digestible energy

DMI:

dry matter intake

LW:

live weight

NDF:

neutral detergent fibre

OMD:

organic matter digestibility

RE:

' egular' group of donkeys

TH:

'thin' group of donkeys

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Agropecuarias (CICA), Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Instituto Literario #100 Col. Centra, Toluca, México

    G. B. Colunga, J. Estrada-Flores, A. Rayas-Amor & O. A. Castelán-Ortega

  2. Coordinación General de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Instituto Literario #100 Col. Centra, Toluca, México

    C. M. Arriaga-Jordán & L. Veláquez Beltran

  3. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Instituto Literario #100 Col. Centro, Toluca, México

    M. González-Ronquillo

  4. Department of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 4FA, Scotland, UK

    D. G. Smith

Authors
  1. G. B. Colunga
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  2. C. M. Arriaga-Jordán
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  3. L. Veláquez Beltran
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  4. M. González-Ronquillo
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  5. D. G. Smith
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  6. J. Estrada-Flores
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  7. A. Rayas-Amor
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  8. O. A. Castelán-Ortega
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. A. Castelán-Ortega.

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Colunga, G.B., Arriaga-Jordán, C.M., Veláquez Beltran, L. et al. Participatory Study on Feeding Strategies for Working Donkeys Used by Campesino Farmers in the Highlands of Central México. Trop Anim Health Prod 37 (Suppl 1), 143–157 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-005-9013-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-005-9013-2

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