RESUMO
The economic contribution of draught animals to smallholder Mazahua campesino systems in two mountain villages of San Felipe del Progreso, in the central highlands of Mexico, was assessed. Campesinos rely on draught animals for cultivation tasks, as pack animals, and as transport for agricultural and domestic activities. The villages were San Pablo Tlalchichilpa (SPT) and La Concepción Mayorazgo (LCM). Twelve households that possessed draught animals were monitored from July 1999 to June 2000, nine in SPT and three in LCM, in terms of animal inventories and income from their draught animals, in cash and opportunity values. Equines in SPT have substituted bulls, and are recognized for their multipurpose contribution, while in LCM bulls are still used for ploughing the land. Overall total mean gross income was US dollar 490.78 per farm per year, plus US dollar 56 as opportunity value of the fertilizer value of manure for both villages. Deducting estimated costs, owning draught animals leaves a mean net margin of US dollar 412.50/year in SPT and of US dollar 285.64/year in LCM. There is a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between ownership of draught animals and incomes, with a regression coefficient of US dollar 279.16 per year per draught animal. Besides positive economic returns, having work animals alleviates drudgery for the campesino families.
Assuntos
Criação de Animais Domésticos/economia , Criação de Animais Domésticos/métodos , Animais Domésticos , Agricultura/economia , Agricultura/métodos , Animais , Bovinos , Países em Desenvolvimento , Equidae , Feminino , Cavalos , Humanos , Masculino , Esterco , México , PobrezaRESUMO
Campesino systems on hill slopes in Central Mexico rely on equids for multiple activities and have a problem in adequately feeding them. A participatory trial was conducted to evaluate the inclusion of common vetch in the traditional forage oat crop to improve its feeding value. An agronomic evaluation was undertaken by intersowing common vetch at 40 kg seed/ha with oats at 80-100 kg/ha in small plots, recording the yield and the chemical composition of the fresh forage in ten plots at harvest. The data were analysed as a completely random design, taking each farmer/plot as a treatment. A feeding trial compared the live weight of 7 donkeys fed oats and vetch against 17 donkeys fed traditional forage. There were differences between farmers in forage yields (p < 0.01) that could not be explained as due to soil types or management. The mean yield of 31.0 t/ha of fresh forage of oats-vetch was 20.5% higher than that from monoculture, and had a higher crude protein content. Donkeys fed the oats-vetch were heavier (p < 0.001). The farmers evaluated the oats-vetch association positively, appreciating the higher yields and good condition of their equids. The combination is an appropriate technology for these campesino farming systems.