Abstract
ABSTRACT The study was carried out to evaluate the forage intake and performance of beef heifers from 15 to 18 months of age, grazing on Alexandergrass (Urochloaplantaginea (Link) Hitch) fed rice bran (RB; 0, 0.5 and 1.0% body weight (BW)). The experiment consisted of a completely randomized design with repeated measurement arrangement. Rice bran increased the total dry matter (DM) intake, total crude protein intake and total digestible nutrients intake. Heifers that received 1.0% BW of RB reduced forage DM intake, increasing by 18% stocking rate (SR) and by 27% BW gain per area in comparison with the system exclusively on pasture. In the system in which the heifers were fed 0.5% BW of RB, SR and gain per area were similar to other systems. In this feeding system, we observed average daily gain 18% higher than when heifers were exclusively on pasture and gain similar to that observed when using 1.0% BW of RB. In Alexandergrass pasture it is recommended to supply 0.5% BW of RB for beef heifers from 15 to 18 months of age, to promote better productive responses compared to heifers exclusively on pasture and similar to those observed when supplying 1.0% BW of RB.
Highlights
Alexandergrass (Urochloaplantaginea Link.) has been recommended by Lançanovaet al. (1988) as a forage due to its high dry matter production accompanied by good cattle performance
In a continuously stocked pastures, this forage provided proper nutrient intake, so beef heifers reached the body weight necessary to be mated at 18 months of age, with forage intake and performance similar to those grazing on Pearl millet (Costaet al., 2011; Souzaet al., 2012)
The average monthly temperature was similar to the historical average (22.5oC) and the cumulative rainfall was 161mm higher than the historical rainfall (684.7mm), providing suitable climatic conditions for the development of plants
Summary
Alexandergrass (Urochloaplantaginea Link.) has been recommended by Lançanovaet al. (1988) as a forage due to its high dry matter production accompanied by good cattle performance. In a continuously stocked pastures, this forage provided proper nutrient intake, so beef heifers reached the body weight necessary to be mated at 18 months of age, with forage intake and performance similar to those grazing on Pearl millet (Costaet al., 2011; Souzaet al., 2012). Different types of supplement were tested for cattle on continuously stocked Alexandergrass pasture (Oliveira Netoet al., 2013; Salvador et al, 2014). When heifers received a protein supplement, DM intake, average daily gain and body condition score were similar between heifers receiving supplement or not (Oliveira Netoet al., 2013). When oat grain was given at different supplementation frequencies, the average daily gain of heifers was similar among the tested feeding systems (Salvador et al, 2014). Studies on the use of energetic supplements for heifers grazing on Alexandergrass under rotational stocking, are lacking
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