Abstract
Thus study was conducted with the objective of evaluating production and forage characteristics of Signalgrass ( Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk) deferred at different initial heights and nitrogen doses. Three initial sward heights (low - 10 cm, medium - 20 cm and high - 30 cm), three nitrogen doses (40, 80 and 120 kg/ha) and a control treatment, of no fertilization were evaluated. The experimental design utilized was of completely randomized blocks with three replications, in a subdivided-plot arrangement. There was no interaction between sward initial height and nitrogen dose for the variables analyzed. The Signalgrass deferred at an elevated initial height presented greater masses of forage, live stem, dead stem and dead leaves; higher percentage of dead stem and falling rate; and lower number of vegetative tillers, percentage of live leaves and live leaf/live stem ratio. Elevation in the nitrogen dose increase along with the number of live and vegetative tillers; masses of forage, live stem, dead stem, dead leaves and live leaves; percentage of live stem; and live tissue/dead tissue ratio; and reduced the percentage of dead leaves and the live leaf/live stem ratio. Signalgrass can be deferred at low and medium initial heights and varied nitrogen doses, according to the objectives and possibilities of the farmer.
Highlights
Deferment is the management strategy in which a certain area of the pasture is excluded from grazing from the end of the summer or the beginning of fall, enabling accumulation of forage mass to be utilized at the time of scarcity
For being a simple management strategy and usually of lower production cost, once the forage harvesting is performed by the animal itself, it is considered a technique of easy application
Nitrogen fertilization enables the deferment to be done in smaller areas and for reduced periods, allowing utilization of the pasture by herds for a longer time during the summer and the fall (SANTOS et al, 2009b)
Summary
Deferment is the management strategy in which a certain area of the pasture is excluded from grazing from the end of the summer or the beginning of fall, enabling accumulation of forage mass to be utilized at the time of scarcity (winter). Deferred pastures have been associated with the presence of elevated forage mass with low nutritional value. To circumvent this hindrance, management strategies such as nitrogen fertilization and reduction of pasture height at the beginning of the deferment period can be adopted, aiming to stimulate the appearance of younger tillers on the pasture and improve its nutritional value (FONSECA; SANTOS, 2009). Nitrogen fertilization enables the deferment to be done in smaller areas and for reduced periods, allowing utilization of the pasture by herds for a longer time during the summer and the fall (SANTOS et al, 2009b)
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