Resumen
- In Colombia, specialized dairy cattle production is based in the Andes between 2000 and 3400 m above sea level. Dairy cattle graze swards of kikuyu grass and ryegrass with an annual fertilizer N input of more than 400 kg/ha. To increase the competitiveness this system it is necessary to reduce the cost of production, improve milk quality and yield using swards that are resistant to plagues, such as Collaria spp., are frost tolerant and less dependent on N fertilization. For this purpose the introduction of Lotus uliginosus cv. Maku in Festuca sp. swards was evaluated. This legume (Lotus) is promising due to its capacity to fix atmospheric N, its tolerance of plague and diseases and its forage quality