The climate and the pastures

As mentioned in the previous article forage yield plays a fundamental role in the feeding of cattle, because grass provides the necessary fiber for ruminants, that is why the study of these plant species is of great relevance for livestock systems. Among the elements to be considered in these ecosystems are the abiotic ones such as precipitation, solar radiation, temperature among others, which can influence the physiological processes of plants.

Therefore, when talking about the quality of grasslands, one cannot help but consider the climatic conditions of the geographical area, since its adaptability to the present conditions favors the physiological functions of forage crops, added to this, of course, agronomic and zootechnical management are added to obtain a QUALITY pasture, this term of quality according to certain researchers such as Febres (2014), is the relationship that exists between chemical composition, digestibility and dry matter. By having well-adapted pastures and with the aforementioned suitable elements we will have animals with good production and reproduction.

In this sense, it can be said that environmental elements can influence the behavior and adaptation of species to different geographical areas, in the specific case of the southern area of Lake Maracaibo Venezuela, which has a tropical climate, all these elements can intervene because according to Del Pozo and Herrera (2011), temperature can generate a response on the growth and metabolism of grasses, since according to the same author these elements affect the physiological and biochemical processes vital for the plant such as photosynthesis, absorption of water and nutrients, among others.

In consideration of what was mentioned in the previous paragraph, some researchers, such as clavero (2003), mention that temperature and evaporation can cause grass plants to develop secondary and tertiary cell walls, which undoubtedly causes a decrease in the digestibility of plant biomass by the ruminant due to the accumulation of substances such as lignin that is indigestible in the digestive system of the ruminant. This cell wall is what is known as fiber and that is of importance for animal nutrition when it is in balance the excess causes a rapid filling of the rumen and low digestibility as already mentioned above.

Similarly, an increase in fiber can lead to a decrease in protein, which is an element highly considered by farmers and technicians in animal nutrition, likewise, precipitation also plays a vital role in the physiological processes of the plant, pastures if well managed can reach excellent yields at times of the year where there is greater precipitation, since the presence of moisture in the soil because it favors the absorption of nutrients, but in clay soils that tend to flood, it can cause anoxia in the roots. On the other hand, in times where rains are scarce, growth can decrease, in critical cases of drought according to those reported by some researchers, the plant can present water stress causing stomach closure, decreased transpiration and therefore photosynthesis, up to leaf fall and senescence of the plant.

To deal with the imbalances that exist at the climatic level on the farm, man is found as a fundamental component in the agro-ecosystem, in case of prolonged droughts, if the producer has sufficient economic resources, irrigation systems can be established to maintain the availability of water in the plants. In summary, dear readers, from the physiological point of view it can be evidenced the importance of climatic elements on the cultivation of grass since they exert a direct influence on the plant, because they intervene in the growth and in turn in the nutrition of the animal, due to the presence of a thickened cell wall to make resistance to high temperatures, they make it a very fibrous and therefore poorly digestible food.