Abstract
Brazil has the largest commercial cattle herd in the world and is the world's leading exporter of fresh and processed meat. Beef production is based on pastures and the production system is influenced by the absence of fertilization and the seasonality of forage production during the year, caused mainly by variation in temperature, rainfall and sunlight hours. Nitrogen (N) is the most important element for the development and growth of grasses, since it accelerates the formation and growth of new leaves, and improves regrowth vigor, resulting in greater production and carrying capacity of pastures (Cecato et al. 2011). The present study aimed to quantify the accumulation of dry matter and percentage of leaf blade of irrigated Mombaca grass (Panicum maximum cv. Mombaca) at 4 N fertilizer levels, under intermittent grazing.
Highlights
Brazil has the largest commercial cattle herd in the world and is the world's leading exporter of fresh and processed meat
To determine dry matter (DM) production, 6 samples of 1 m2 per paddock were cut to ground level before grazing commenced
Accumulation of DM was highest in summer at all N levels, with the other seasons generally following in order spring, autumn and winter (Table 1)
Summary
Brazil has the largest commercial cattle herd in the world and is the world's leading exporter of fresh and processed meat. A splitplot design with blocks of Mombaça grass 4 levels of N fertilizer were imposed: 0 (control), 200, 400 and 800 kg N/ha/yr; the seasons of the year were the subplots. The nitrogen was applied after grazing in split applications according to the number of grazings per treatment, with 4, 7, 9 and 10 grazing cycles, respectively, for 0, 200, 400 and 800 kg N/ha/yr.
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