Understory Forage Quality for Grazing Animals in Chilean Patagonian Forests

Thomas Brisard, Amelie Brisard, Mónica D. R. Toro-Manríquez, Soraya Villagrán Chacón, Pablo Jesús Marín-García, Lola Llobat, Guillermo Martínez Pastur (), Sabina Miguel Maluenda and Alejandro Huertas Herrera
Additional contact information
Thomas Brisard: Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT), 23 Chem. des Capelles, 31300 Toulouse, France
Amelie Brisard: Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour (UPPA), Av. de l’Université, 64000 Pau, France
Mónica D. R. Toro-Manríquez: Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n km 4.7, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
Soraya Villagrán Chacón: Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n km 4.7, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
Pablo Jesús Marín-García: Department of Animal Production and Health, Veterinary Public Health and Food Science and Technology (PASAPTA), Universidad Cardenal Herrera (CEU), 46113 Valencia, Spain
Lola Llobat: Department of Animal Production and Health, Veterinary Public Health and Food Science and Technology (PASAPTA), Universidad Cardenal Herrera (CEU), 46113 Valencia, Spain
Guillermo Martínez Pastur: Laboratorio de Recursos Agroforestales, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Bernardo Houssay 200, Ushuaia 9410, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Sabina Miguel Maluenda: Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad de Zaragoza, C. de Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Alejandro Huertas Herrera: Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n km 4.7, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-23

Abstract: Native forests provide forage for grazing animals. We investigated whether native and exotic vegetation promotes the potential animal load (PAL, ind ha −1 yr −1 ) for cattle ( Bos taurus , ~700 kg) and sheep ( Ovis aries , ~60 kg) in contrasting native forest types and canopy cover (closed, semi-open, open). This study was conducted in Chilean Patagonia (−44° to −49° SL). Vegetation cover (%) and growth habit data (trees, shrubs, forbs, graminoids, ferns, lianas, lichens, and bryophytes) were collected from 374 plots (>5 ha) in different environments: coihue ( Nothofagus dombeyi , CO), lenga ( N. pumilio , LE), mixed Nothofagus forests (MI), ñirre ( N. antarctica , ÑI), evergreen forest (SV), and open land (OL). We combine this data with literature and laboratory analyses (e.g., crude protein, %) to develop PAL values for seasons. Data sampling was evaluated using descriptive analyses and uni- and multi-variate analyses (ANOVA, MCA, GLM). Results showed that closed forests had more native species (~56.6%) compared to open forests (~33.3%), while OL had higher cover of exotic species (~68.6%). LE presented the highest native species cover (~58.0%) and ÑI presented the highest exotic species cover (~53.0%). Closed forests had fewer exotic species than semi-open and open forests, which supported higher cover of native plants ( p < 0.01). Forbs were the dominant growth habit in closed forests, while graminoids were dominant in OL (~45.8%). Multivariate analyses showed that LE and CO were associated with lower PAL values, explaining 91.2% variance. GLMs showed that the PAL increased in ÑI and the spring season, with forbs and graminoids having positive effects and shrubs and trees having negative effects (r 2 = 0.57–0.67). Our analyses also showed that exotic species dominated environment types with a high PAL, particularly during spring and summer, when cover increased. This indicates a trade-off between forage production in forests with exotic plants.

Keywords: native forests; livestock grazing; potential animal load; exotic vegetation; Patagonia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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