Cacti (Opuntia spp.) as forage in Argentina dry lands: a review

GRÜNWALDT JOSEFINA; GUEVARA J.C.; GRÜNDWALDT E.; MARTÍNEZ CARRETERO, E.

REVISTA DE LA FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS AGRARIAS DE LA UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CUYO

UNIV NACIONAL CUYO

Lugar: Mendoza; Año: 2014

0370-4661

The studies on cactus carried out mainly in Mendoza plain, Argentina, and in other country areas were reported. Economic analysis of Opuntia plantations and the use of cactus for replacing corn in small ruminant diet were also included. Variations in nutrient contents with three cladode age classes were examined for seven Opuntia forage clones. For all age classes combined, clones showed high organic matter: 84.4%, in vitro organic matter digestibility: 78.9 % and low crude protein (CP) content: 4.0 %. High doses of fertilizer almost doubled the mean CP content of the cladodes from O. ficus indica (L.) Mill. x O. lindheimerii Engelm. cross when it was compared with the treatment in which no fertilizer was added (7.8 and 4.3 %, respectively). Of this cross, clone 42 produced a dry matter (DM) biomass of 40 t DM ha-1 in 4 years with a total of 625 mm rainfall which is the greatest DM production recorded to date for such a low rainfall. O. spinulifera Salm-Dyck f. nacuniana Le Houér. f. nov appears to be the most promising species for forage production in areas with extremely cold winters. Clones 46, 80, 83, 89 and 94 had zero frost damage. The cactus/corn cost relationship indicated the possibility of replacing corn by cactus in small ruminant diet.