Abstract
This experiment was carried out from April to September 2008 with the objective of evaluating the forage production dynamics of winter annual grasses (Avena strigosa Schereb cv. IAPAR-61; Lolium multiflorum Lam cv. Comum; Avena strigosa cv. Comum; Avena sativa cv. IPR 126; and Triticum aestivum L cv. BRS Tarumã) on four sowing dates (April 4th, April 24th, May 14th and June 3rd). A completely randomized blocks with four replications was used. It was evaluated number of days and production at the first cutting, total production, number of cuts and density of plants and tillers. There is a strong interaction among cultivars and sowing dates for all analyzed variables and this indicates opportunities of choosing multiple combinations among cultivar and sowing dates to manipulate forage production aiming at easing forage gaps. The late season oats (IPR 126 and IAPAR 61) present high production and forage distribution capacities, especially if sown until mid-April.
Highlights
The weather changes in southwestern Paraná during the cool-season often cause decreased row crop productivity.The use of grain production land to forage production grazing the plants, besides being an option of income to farmers in between harvests, became diverse the farm income, because these activities, conducted alone, are not sustainable in long-term
The herbage production dynamics is a key indicator of the distribution of herbage production across the growing season, and determines how intense the lack of supply forage would be at a given time
The production dynamics has a large influence on total cost and animal production, and it can subsequently drives the decisions made related to the forage budget
Summary
The weather changes in southwestern Paraná during the cool-season often cause decreased row crop productivity. The use of grain production land to forage production grazing the plants, besides being an option of income to farmers in between harvests, became diverse the farm income, because these activities, conducted alone, are not sustainable in long-term. The economic environment is favorable either to grain production or animal production (Flores et al, 2008a). Dairy production is the primary economical activity of small farms in southwestern Paraná (IPARDES, 2008). From this standpoint, the herbage production dynamics is a key indicator of the distribution of herbage production across the growing season, and determines how intense the lack of supply forage would be at a given time. The production dynamics has a large influence on total cost and animal production, and it can subsequently drives the decisions made related to the forage budget
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