Production of milk and beef are very important
activities for small farmers in Nicaragua. Traditional
systems are often economically marginal and land use
practices are not sustainable in a long-term perspective,
in particular when hillsides and forest margins
are exploited (Mendieta et al., 2000). Ruminant
feeding is mainly based on grazing, specifically of
gramineas. Grass yield is in general not enough to
satisfy the nutritional requirements of animals in the