Forage performance and cattle production as a function of the seasonality of a Brazilian tropical region

Odimar De Sousa Feitosa,Joaquim José De Paula Neto,Leonardo Bernardes Taverny De Oliveira,Emerson Alexandrino,Thiago De Jesus Saboia Pires,Rubson Da Costa Leite,Antonio Clementino Dos Santos

doi:10.4025/actascianimsci.v44i1.53779

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate forage yield, tiller population density, canopy height, nutritional value as well as cattle performance in alternate stocking from three tropical forage cultivars. The experiment followed a randomized block design, in a 3 x 3 factorial scheme with three replications. Three forage cultivars (Marandu, Massai and Xaraés) distributed in nine hectares were evaluated in three dry season periods (transition wet/dry, dry, and end of dry season), with repeated measures over time. The following variables were evaluated: canopy height, leaf: stem ratio, forage mass, leaf mass, stem mass and dead material mass. Total digestible nutrients, crude protein and in vitro dry mass digestibility were evaluated regarding forage nutrition. Animal performance, using 36 eleven-month-old animals (half-blood Nelore), was evaluated by the daily average gain and weight gain by area. During pre-grazing, canopy height presented interaction among forage cultivars and the evaluated periods. The average daily gain showed no interaction among cultivars and period of the year the similarity in animal performance among the cultivars Marandu and Massai show that the Massai grass can be used as an alternative for forage diversification under an alternate management system.

Highlights

IntroductionThe Brazilian cattle herd has about 215 million head distributed on 162 million hectares of pasture in the country territory (Jank, Barrios, Valle, Simeão, & Alves, 2014; ABIEC, 2019)
In the transition period, canopy height was higher than the periods represented by dry conditions
Only the cultivar Xaraés presented a reduction in canopy height at the end of dry season when compared with the beginning of the dry season

Summary

Introduction

The Brazilian cattle herd has about 215 million head distributed on 162 million hectares of pasture in the country territory (Jank, Barrios, Valle, Simeão, & Alves, 2014; ABIEC, 2019). Marandu is the most expressive forage in Brazil, with 50 million hectares of cultivated area (Leite et al, 2018). This cultivar presents high forage yield and good adaptation to soils and tropical climatic conditions (Rodrigues, Santos, Silveira Junior, & Santos, 2017). Brazilian pastures are composed of other species of the genus Urochloa Xaraés and others) and species of the genera Megathyrsus and Andropogon (Guarda & Guarda, 2014)

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion