Photo 3. Subhumid zone espinal in flatlands with grazing animals. (Credit: C. Ovalle)
The ovine breeds most commonly used are Suffolk Down, Hampshire
Down, and various crosses between these two. Average stocking rates in the
espinal are approximately-1 sheep (= 0.2 AU)ha-1 [Serrano and Jara 1975].
Levels of production of the highest-yielding ovine sectors are only about
32 kg live weight ha- 1 yr- 1. These yields compare unfavorably with climatically
similar areas in Australia or Portugal, for example, where with 600 mm
mean annual precipitation and similar climatic and edaphic conditions (but
with regular planting of annual legumes), production levels typically reach
100-150 kg live weight ha- ~ yr-~ [Crespo 1985].