Fattening system of young Creole bulls in Guadeloupe an farms based on sugar cane diets and grazing

Abstract

The authors studied a fattening system of young bulls in Guadeloupean farms. This system consisted in a day-time pasture period and a night-time period during which animals were placed in cattle pens and received a sugar cane mixture. The average daily gain observed in seven animals during eight months was 490 g (± 26), that is almost the double of the gain observed in traditional grazing systems. The area used for this operation was 1.3 ha and the economic profit was 17.700 French francs for a daily labour of 2.5 h. The characteristics of this fattening system were: reduced investments, cheap rations, easy techniques leading to low cost of production and sure profits for farmers. The system studied may be an alternative way to other modern intensive fattening systems. It was based on two main items: elaboration of autonomous and economical production systems and improvement of crop/rearing relationships.