Pasture shade and farm management effects on cow productivity in the tropics

Shade, provided by trees within pastures, can affect cattle productivity through mitigating heat stress and by altering understorey pasture growth and cattle behaviour. Using mixed effects models, we studied the effect of pasture tree shade and farm management on milk yield and individual body score on dual purpose cows in six silvopastoral farms in the Rivas province of Nicaragua. Milk production reduced with time in milk (lactation stage) while access to shade did not have any significant effect on milk yield. Body condition was negatively affected by pasture shade. In addition, feed supplementation and corralling at night positively affected body condition scores. Cattle in our study paddocks had relatively good access to shade and consequently shade may not be a limiting production factor. Since tree shade did affect body condition negatively it may be that a reduced tree cover could increase the availability of grass pasture with a positive effect on cattle production parameters.

► Body condition was negatively affected by pasture shade.
► Body condition was positively affected by supplementation.
► Body condition was positively affected by corralling at night.
► Milk yield was negatively affected by lactation stage.
► Neither milk production or farm stocking densities were affected by pasture shade.