Caatinga is themost important biome for the livestock in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Thisreview paper aimed to present information on different forage aspects of caatingavegetation for ruminant feeding. Caatinga vegetation is formed mainly by shrubsand small trees, usually presenting thorns, deciduous leaves, and leaf abscissionoccurring frequently at the onset of the dry season. Additional components ofthe botanical composition in this biome includes the families cactaceae, bromeliaceae,and a herbaceous component formed by grasses, legumes, and forbs, often presentingannual cycle. Quantitative information of caatinga vegetation is scarce in theliterature, mainly for the herbaceous stratum. Methodological aspects such aslack of standardization across evaluations make comparison regarding foragepotential of caatinga plant species difficult. Index species must be identifiedwithin each caatinga type. Quantitative aspects of biological N2fixation by caatinga species have not been extensively studied. Regarding foragenutritive value, it is necessary to study N availability for ruminants in caatingaplants, since large proportion of this element may bind to fiber components(ADIN). Manipulation of caatinga vegetation is an alternative to change foragequantity and quality for grazing animals, affecting their performance as a result.Studies measuring qualitative and quantitative variability of native forageresources from caatinga are mandatory in order to improve animal feeding management,with the ultimate goal of creating sustainable animal production based on caatingavegetation.
