Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the vegetal and animal production of a natural pasture on a Mollisol soil in the region of Campanha, in RS. The experimental design consisted of complete randomized blocks with three replicates, which enables the comparison between natural unfertilized pastures with fertilized pastures and pastures fertilized and overseeded with Lolium multiflorum, Lotus corniculatus cv. São Gabriel and Trifolium repens cv. Lucero (NPO). Data were submitted to the analyses of variance considering seasons of the year as time repeated measurements. Aberddeen Angus calves of about nine months of age were used in continuous stocking with variable stocking rate in order to maintain forage offer at 13% of live weight. Data were collected between July 7th (2007) and May 3rd (2008), totaling 302 days. Fertilized and oversown pastures showed higher green forage mass mainly in the spring, as result of higher dry matter (DM) accumulation rate. Average daily live-weight gain for fertilized pasture (0.581 kg/day) was higher than for natural pasture (0.473 kg/day). Higher live-weight gains were obtained in the fall (0.869 kg/day). Stocking rate showed interaction with the seasons of the year, with higher stocking rates obtained in oversown pasture (701 kg of LW/ha) and fertilized pasture (667 kg of LW/ha) during the spring. Live-weight gain per hectare from natural pasture (224 kg LW/ha) was lower than on fertilized (310 kg LW/ha) and over-sown pasture (287 kg LW/ha). Forage mass, dry matter content, forage allowance and pasture height explained 61% of the average live weight gain. Despite the good performance of native grasslands in this region in its natural condition, the utilization of different inputs as fertilization and oversowing of winter cultivated species promoted positive differences in forage production and its distribution along the year and in animal yield.
Highlights
The rearing of beef cattle in complete cycle systems is a stage in the production process that cannot bring immediate financial return, like in the finishing phase
The experimental design consisted of complete randomized blocks with three replicates, which enables the comparison between natural unfertilized pastures with fertilized pastures and pastures fertilized and overseeded with Lolium multiflorum, Lotus corniculatus cv
These variations in the values of forage allowance were due to underestimates in the previsions of forage accumulation rate, which affected the calculation of stocking rate
Summary
The rearing of beef cattle in complete cycle systems is a stage in the production process that cannot bring immediate financial return, like in the finishing phase For this reason, many farmers end up leading this production phase inefficiently, making it too long and creating an undesirable herd structure that increases the production costs (Beretta et al, 2002). Beef cattle production in the region of Campanha, in Rio Grande do Sul, is done in natural pastures, but these pastures are not homogeneous in terms of floristic composition, which is mainly dependent on soil condition and previous management practices Their potential can only be properly assessed when forage allowance is controlled as recommended by Maraschin (2001). It is known that usually during the fall-winter native pastures of southern Brazil have low forage accumulation rate due to the low
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