Performance of Calves Receiving By-Products of Oil Palm during the Dry Season in an Integrated Pasture-Forestry System in Pré-Amazonic Regions of Brazil

The integrated farming and livestock-forestry constitutes a viable alternative for the advancement of sustainable agriculture through its influence on social and ecological processes. Silvopastoral systems are integrated systems characterised by the management of animals in an agricultural-forestry association. These systems aim to provide shade for animals, stabilize forage production for meat production and/or milk products, forestry and various other environmental services (Maurício et al. 2010). Despite the benefits mentioned, the seasonality in the production of tropical forages needs to be considered. An efficient way to avoid losses in animal production in the dry season is with the use of supplementation. By-products from agri-business with high nutritional value, are often not recovered, and are discarded, sometimes incorrectly harming the environment. The use of these residues in animal feed can reduce environmental impacts and the cost of animal feed. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a cattle silvopastoral system in the dry season, supplemented with babassu meal.