July 11, 2023
Posted by: clakaf
Category: Uncategorized

Pastoreo Racional Voisin: A Sustainable and Productive Way of Grazing

If you are looking for a way to improve your livestock production and soil health, you might want to consider Pastoreo Racional Voisin (PRV), a grazing management system that is based on agroecological principles and practices. PRV was developed by the French agronomist André Voisin, who studied the interactions between animals, plants and soil in different grazing systems. PRV aims to optimize the use of natural resources and increase the productivity and profitability of livestock farms, while respecting the environment and animal welfare.

In this article, we will explain what PRV is, how it works, what benefits it can bring to your farm, and how you can implement it. We will also provide some examples of successful experiences of PRV in different regions and contexts. If you are interested in learning more about this innovative and sustainable way of grazing, keep reading!

What is Pastoreo Racional Voisin?

Pastoreo Racional Voisin (PRV) is a grazing management system that consists of dividing the pasture into small paddocks and rotating the animals according to the growth rate of the grass. The main objective of PRV is to achieve a balance between the animal demand and the pasture offer, ensuring that the animals have enough quality and quantity of forage, and that the plants have enough time to recover after each grazing cycle. PRV is based on four universal laws that must be rigorously followed:

Law of rest: The pasture must have a sufficient rest period to allow the plants to store reserves in their roots and perform a growth spurt.
Law of occupation: The occupation time must be as short as possible to avoid that the animals eat the regrowth.
Law of maximum yields: The animals must harvest the maximum amount of pasture of the best quality. A pasture that has 15 to 25 cm of height is the one that provides the maximum amount of pasture of the best quality.
Law of regular yield: An animal can achieve its maximum performance on the first day of grazing and its performance decreases as the time of stay in each paddock increases.

How does Pastoreo Racional Voisin work?

Pastoreo Racional Voisin works by dividing the pasture into small paddocks of equal size and quality, and rotating the animals according to the growth rate of the grass. The number of paddocks depends on the rest period required by the plants and the occupation time allowed by the animals. For example, if the rest period is 30 days and the occupation time is one day, then 30 paddocks are needed. The animals are moved from one paddock to another every day, following a fixed sequence. This way, each paddock receives a uniform grazing pressure and a uniform rest period.

The advantages of this system are that it allows the animals to have access to fresh and nutritious forage every day, which improves their health and performance. It also prevents overgrazing and undergrazing, which can damage the pasture and reduce its productivity. It also stimulates the growth and diversity of the grasses and legumes, which improves the soil fertility and water retention. It also reduces the need for external inputs such as fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, which lowers the production costs and environmental impacts.

What are some examples of successful experiences of Pastoreo Racional Voisin?

Pastoreo Racional Voisin has been implemented in different regions and contexts, with positive results and impacts. Here are some examples of successful experiences of PRV:

In Uruguay, a group of family farmers from the metropolitan region have been applying PRV in their sheep production systems, with the support of the National Commission of Rural Promotion (CNFR) and the Integral Metropolitan Program (PIM) of the University of the Republic. They have achieved significant improvements in their animal performance, pasture productivity, soil health and income, as well as a greater integration and empowerment of the farmers.
In Brazil, a dairy farmer from Minas Gerais has been using PRV in his farm since 2004, with remarkable results. He has increased his milk production from 400 liters per day to 1,600 liters per day, using only 12 hectares of pasture and 60 cows. He has also reduced his production costs by 70%, eliminated the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, improved his soil quality and water availability, and diversified his production with fruits, vegetables and honey.
In Colombia, a group of cattle farmers from the department of Cauca have been implementing PRV in their farms since 2010, with the support of the National Federation of Cattle Ranchers (FEDEGAN) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). They have increased their animal productivity by 30%, reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, improved their soil fertility and water conservation, and enhanced their social cohesion and participation.

How can you learn more about Pastoreo Racional Voisin?

If you are interested in learning more about Pastoreo Racional Voisin, there are several sources of information and guidance that you can consult. Some of them are:

The book \”Pastoreo Racional Voisin: La Revolución en la Producción Animal\” by André Voisin, which is the original and comprehensive reference on the theory and practice of PRV.
The booklet \”Pastoreo Racional Voisin (PRV)\” by Rubén Mondino, which is a practical guide for technicians and farmers who want to implement PRV in their farms.
The website \”Pastoreo Racional Voisin\” (www.pastoreoracionalvoisin.com), which is a platform that offers information, courses, videos, articles and news about PRV.
The network \”Red de Agroecología del Uruguay\” (RAU), which is a network of organizations and individuals that promote agroecology and PRV in Uruguay. You can contact them through their website (www.redagroecologia.org.uy) or their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/RedAgroecologiaUruguay).

Conclusion

Pastoreo Racional Voisin is a grazing management system that can improve your livestock production and soil health, while respecting the environment and animal welfare. It is based on four universal laws that regulate the balance between the animal demand and the pasture offer. It has been implemented successfully in different regions and contexts, with positive results and impacts. It is a simple and affordable way to optimize the use of natural resources and increase the productivity and profitability of your farm. If you want to learn more about Pastoreo Racional Voisin, you can consult the sources of information and guidance that we have mentioned in this article. We hope that this article has been useful and interesting for you, and that you will consider trying Pastoreo Racional Voisin in your farm.

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Pastoreo Racional Voisin Libro Pdf 15l WORK