Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. and silvopastoralism in Ecuador

The integration of trees in pastoral systems is a technique that favors the comfort of the livestock ecosystem in general, and directly improves the soil and the plants that make up the pasture. In Ecuador, and with marked importance in the region of Manabí, the spontaneous presence of the Prosopis juliflora tree, commonly known as Algarrobo, is frequent in pasture areas. However, there is still a certain belief among ranchers that the shade of the trees has a negative influence on the pastures. The experimental trials developed at the Escuela Superior Politécnica Agropecuaria de Manabí "Manuel Félix López", in which densities from 1 to 27 trees per hectare were evaluated, as well as the extent of the most adequate density in cattle systems in the region of Carrizal-Chone, Manabí, Ecuador, constitute an important contribution that breaks the myth of the apparent lack of knowledge about the presence of carob trees and their benefits in grazing areas.