Microlivestock Little-Known Small Animals with a Promising Economic Future (1991) / Chapter Skim
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16 Capybara
16 Capybara
Pages 207-216
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From page 207... ...
Its natural habitat is the environs of South America's rivers, marshlands, and swamps, where it feeds on the grasses and reeds that grow near water. An Because of its size, tasty meat, valuable leather, and rapid reproduction, the capybara is a candidate for both ranching and intensive husbandry throughout the hot and humid lowland tropical regions of Latin America.
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From page 208... ...
DISTRIBUTION Before livestock were introduced, the capybara grazed widely over riverine regions throughout South and Central America. Today, it is found in the flooded grasslands from Panama to Paraguay.
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From page 210... ...
That is, during the morning hours when they are resting, soft feces from the cecum are passed a second time through the digestive system.3 Contributing to the animal's digestive ability is its efficient mastication. It chews its forage seemingly incessantly, reducing it to extremely small particles before it is swallowed.
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From page 211... ...
It is particularly popular in Venezuela, where more than 400 tons are sold every year, especially during Easter festivities.5 4 Gonzalez-Jimenez, 1977a. 5 Centuries ago, Venezuelans and Colombians petitioned the Pope for special dispensation to eat this semiaquatic animal on traditional "meatless" days; approval was granted, and since that time the capybara has been an important food during Holy Week.
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From page 212... ...
The current aim is to get 16 offspring per mother per year. Newborns are weaned after 5 weeks and the mother is returned to the breeding pen.6 In Colombia, similar work is in progress, and guidelines for raising capybaras on breeding farms have been published.7 In Brazil, research has been carried out to study capybara nutrition, genetics, management, reproduction, and social behavior in total confinement.8 ADVANTAGES Throughout South America, the price of beef has increased greatly within the last few years, thereby providing a new incentive for capybara husbandry.
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From page 213... ...
Capybaras are at home in hot, humid environments and are fully adapted to life on the tropical floodplains and seasonally flooded savannas. They thrive in extreme climates where cattle struggle, such as in the parts of the lower Paraguayan Chaco where summer temperatures reach 45°C.9 An ecological benefit to raising Capybaras is that there is no need to alter habitats by introducing exotic forage plants.
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From page 214... ...
· Undertake nutritional trials. · Initiate captive breeding trials measurements of growth rates, space requirements, feed needs.
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From page 216... ...
- ~'1^ - yr- ( / ~ - ~ \ -- )
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