Chihua squash is a livestock feed option in times of drought in Mexico

Published 2021년 7월 12일

Tridge summary

The article highlights the potential of Chihua squash residues, which are abundant in Mexico's tropical regions but typically discarded after seed collection, as a solution to livestock feed shortages during the dry season. These residues, rich in fiber, are suitable for ruminant feed but require preservation due to their high moisture content. Research from the Postgraduate College recommends silage as a conservation method, which can be cost-effective for livestock production units near Chihua squash crops. This method involves chopping, compacting, and sealing the squash with a dry substrate like straw. Chihua squash was the fifth most important crop in Campeche in 2019, making it a potential key source of feed for livestock through silage.

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Original content

The tropical regions of Mexico are characterized by generating large amounts of forage during the rainy season, but in the dry season there is a severe shortage of feed for livestock Mexico City, July 12, 2021.— Chihua squash is a viable option for feeding livestock in states in the south-southeast of the country during times of drought — a period in which forage is scarce — since they can be conserved for long time through silage, highlighted the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. He indicated that Campeche produces about 324 thousand tons of fresh Chihua squash (Cucurbita argyrosperma Huber) residues per year, which remain in the cultivation plots after collecting the seeds, which have an economic value. Due to its high fiber content, this residue is suitable for consumption by ruminants, only that due to its high moisture content (90 percent) it decomposes easily, so it requires a process to be preserved in the long term, highlights research from the Postgraduate ...

Source: MX2000