FODDER NOPAL IN MEXICO: FROM THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY

Since the end of the 20th Century, nopal (Opuntia spp) has been one of the most studied fodder plants by different disciplines; however, little has been documented regarding the use of nopal as fodder. Using the historiographic method, we reviewed sources written by chroniclers, travelers and scientists, in order to analyze the importance and use of nopal as fodder from the 16th to the 20th Centuries. We suggest that its use was a reflection of the need for feeding livestock in arid areas of the country and in those where drought periods are very lengthy, making the wild Opuntia an excellent food for livestock. It is also important to point out that in spite of the current importance that fodder nopal has, production has been stagnant for the past 10 years. It is possible that the 3 million hectares with wild nopal there are in the country are the reason why many livestock producers are not interested in producing or buying fodder nopal, since they have it in the wild. Therefore, a culture of fodder nopal production does not exist.