Field Guide
For the Selection of Tropical Forages
Forage and Pastures
Forages are plants or parts of plants used to feed farm animals, especially ruminants such as cows, goats, and sheep. They are mainly divided into two groups: grasses and legumes.
Why use improved forages?
They tolerate droughts and pests
Less need to buy supplements and/or pesticides.
Palatability
Increased voluntary consumption and improved health.
High nutritional value
Improve meat and milk production.
Rotational Grazing Management
Technique in which the farm is divided into several paddocks or enclosures, and the cattle are rotated between them.
Each area has a rest period of 21 to 35 days, which allows the grass to recover.
Advantages of rotational grazing:
It improves the quality of the grass.
It reduces soil erosion and compaction.
Milk and meat production increases.
It reduces food costs.
How do I know which pastures to use for my livestock?
When pastures are degraded or have lost their productivity, it is necessary to replant them with new forage. The choice of the most suitable species and cultivar will depend on several factors, such as:
Soil type
Local climate
Soil fertility
Species of livestock that will be fed
Inter alia
Aponte Zayas, A. (n.d.). Between Pastures and Forages. Agricultural Extension Service, University of Puerto Rico. Photographs and technical writing.
For more information, access the PDF
Field Guide: Grasses and Legumes
Urochloa decumbens cv. Basilisk
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Gramínea conocida comúnmente como hierba signal.
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Fertilidad suelo: se adapta a suelos con fertilidad baja / media
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Usos: heno, pastoreo, corte y acarreo
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Proteína: 8 %
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Palatabilidad: buena
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Tolerancias:
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Sequía: alta
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Salivazo : baja
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pH bajo: alta
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Encharcamiento: baja
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Urochloa ruziziensis cv. Ruzi
Grass, known as Congo grass.
Soil fertility: It adapts to soils of medium fertility.
Uses: hay, grazing, silage, and cut and carry
Protein: 10%
Palatability: excellent
Tolerances:
Salivazo: susceptible
Drought: moderate
Low pH: moderate
Flooding: low
Shade: moderate
Urochloa humidicola cv. Humidicola
Grass, known as needle grass or common humidicola.
Soil fertility: adapts to soils of low fertility
Uses: hay, grazing, cutting and hauling.
Protein: 5%
Palatability: good
Tolerances:
spit: high
drought: high
Low pH: moderate
flooding: high
Urochloa humidicola cv. Llanero
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Gramínea, conocido como pasto aguja.
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Fertilidad suelo: se adaptada a suelos de fertilidad media
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Usos: heno, pastoreo, corte y acarreo
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Proteína: 6%
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Palatabilidad: buena
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Tolerancias:
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Salivazo: alta
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Sequía: alta
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pH bajo: moderada
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Encharcamiento: alta
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Urochloa brizantha cv. Xaraes
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Gramínea, conocido como pasto Toledo
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Fertilidad suelo: se adapta a suelos de fertilidad media
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Usos: heno, pastoreo y corte y acarreo
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Proteína: 12%
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Palatabilidad: buena
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Tolerancias:
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Salivazo: alta
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Sequía: moderada
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pH bajo: baja
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Encharcamiento: media
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Urochloa brizantha cv. Piatá
Grass
Soil fertility: It adapts to soils of medium/high fertility.
Uses: hay, grazing, silage, and cut and carry
Protein: 12%
Palatability: good
Tolerances:
Salivation: high
Drought: moderate
Low pH: low
Waterlogging: medium
Shade: moderate
Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandú
Grass
Growth habit: clump
Soil fertility: It adapts to soils of medium fertility.
Uses: hay, grazing, silage, and cut and carry
Protein 10%
Palatability: good
Tolerances:
Salivation: high
Drought: moderate
Low pH: low
Waterlogging: medium
Shade: moderate
Urochloa híbrido cv. Mavuno
Grass
Soil fertility: It adapts to soils of medium/high fertility.
Uses: hay, grazing, silage
Protein: 15%
Palatability: Excellent
Tolerances:
Salivation: high
Drought: high
Low pH: High
Flooding: low
Urochloa hybrid cv. Cayman
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Gramínea: conocido como Yacaré
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Fertilidad suelo: se adapta a suelos de fertilidad media/alta
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Usos: heno, pastoreo, ensilaje, corte y acarreo
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Proteína: 15%
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Palatabilidad: excelente
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Tolerancias:
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Salivazo: alta
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Sequía: media
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pH bajo: alta
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Encharcamiento: alta
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Urochloa hybrid cv. Mulato II
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Gramínea: conocido Mulato 2
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Fertilidad suelo: se adapta a suelos de fertilidad baja
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Usos: heno, pastoreo, ensilaje, corte y acarreo
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Proteína: 12%
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Palatabilidad: excelente
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Tolerancias:
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Salivazo: alta
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Sequía: alta
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pH bajo: alta
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Encharcamiento: baja
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Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombasa
Grass, guinea grass
Soil fertility: It adapts to soils of medium/high fertility.
Uses: hay, grazing, silage, and cut and carry
Protein: 14%
Palatability: excellent
Tolerances:
Salivation: medium
Drought: moderate
Low pH: low
Flooding: low
Shade: moderate
Megathyrsus maximus cv. Tanzania
Grass, guinea grass
Soil fertility: It adapts to soils of medium/high fertility.
Uses: hay, grazing, silage, and cut and carry
Protein: 14%
Palatability : excellent
Tolerances:
Salivation: medium
Drought: moderate
Low pH: low
Flooding: low
Shadow: high
Urochloa hybrid cv. Camel
Grass, camel , hybrid developed for dry or arid areas
Soil fertility: It adapts to soils of medium fertility.
Uses: hay, grazing, and cutting and hauling
Protein: 14 to 18%
Palatability: excellent
Tolerances:
Salivation: high
Drought: high
Low pH: High
Flooding: low
Shadow: low
Chloris gayana
Grass, Rhodes grass cultivars Callide and Pioneer
Soil fertility: It adapts to soils of medium/high fertility.
Uses: hay and grazing
Protein: 6%
Palatability: good
Tolerances:
Salivation: medium
Drought: high
Low pH: low
Flooding: low
Dichanthium annulatum
Grass, vetch or pajón , one of the few grasses that grow in the dry area of Puerto Rico without irrigation.
Soil fertility: It adapts to soils of medium fertility.
Uses: hay and grazing
Protein: levels from 2% to 6% have been reported
Palatability: good
Tolerances:
Drought: high
Low pH: low
Flooding: low
Salinity: high
Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Ubon Stylo
Legume
Soil fertility: adapts to soils of low fertility
Uses: hay, grazing, cutting and hauling. Adapts well to associations with grasses.
Protein: leaves 20% and stems 14%
Palatability: excellent
Tolerances:
Drought: high
Low pH: High
Flooding: low
Shade: moderate
Desmanthus sp.
Legume : also known as Desmanto , there is the cv. Marc
Soil fertility : It adapts to soils of low fertility and tolerates alkalinity.
Uses: grazing, cutting, and hauling. Adapts well to associations with grasses.
Protein: leaves 24%
Palatability: excellent
Tolerances:
Drought: high
High pH: high
Flooding: low
Lablab purpureus
Legume: known as lablab bean.
Soil fertility: adapts to low fertility soils but does not tolerate waterlogging
Uses: preserved, cut and carry. It adapts to associations with tall grasses (sorghum) and tillered growth.
Protein: leaves 26% and stems 7%-20%
Palatability: excellent in leaves and low in stems
Tolerances:
drought: high
High pH: high
nematodes: susceptible
Clitoria ternatea L.
Legume: known as clitoria or blue clam. Excellent protein source
Soil fertility: adapts to medium fertility soils, does not tolerate waterlogging
Uses: grazing, hay, cutting and hauling. Adapts well to associations with grasses.
Protein: whole plant 22%
Palatability: excellent
Tolerances:
Drought: high
Low pH: High
Desmodium sp.
Legume: known as pega pega or tropical clover, several species
Soil fertility: It adapts to soils of medium fertility.
Uses: grazing, hay, cutting and hauling. Adapts well to associations with grasses.
Protein: 15% to 20%
Palatability: good, not excellent due to the presence of tannins
Tolerances:
Drought: low
Low pH: High
Humidity: high
Salinity: low
Arachis sp.
Legume: known as forage peanut,
Soil fertility: It adapts best to soils of medium/high fertility.
Uses: grazing, hay, haylage. Adapts well to associations with grasses.
Protein: 15 to 20%
Palatability: excellent
Tolerances:
Drought: low
Low pH: medium
Humidity: high
Aponte, A., Rivera, A., & Mas, E. (n.d.). Field guide for the selection of tropical forages: grasses and legumes. Specialists attached to the Agricultural Extension Service, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez Campus (UPRM), and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS-USDA).
