Grazing management strategies for massaigrass-forage peanut pastures: 3. definition of sward targets and carrying capacity

Carlos Mauricio Soares De Andrade,Rasmo Garcia,Odilon Gomes Pereira,Judson Ferreira Valentim

doi:10.1590/s1516-35982006000200004

Carlos Mauricio Soares De Andrade, Rasmo Garcia + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/s1516-35982006000200004

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Abstract

This study was carried out to define sward management targets for mixed Massaigrass (Panicum maximum x P. infestum, cv. Massai) and forage peanut (Arachis pintoi Ac 01) pastures in the Western Brazilian Amazon. Seasonal variation in the pasture carrying capacity was also analyzed. Pastures were intermittently stocked at three daily herbage allowance levels (9.0, 14.5 and 18.4% of live weight) from October 2002 to December 2003. Sward targets were defined in terms of the sward condition that best conciliated the grass-legume balance, the maintenance of the structure of Massaigrass tussocks and the equilibrium between forage production and utilization. For the Western Brazilian Amazon conditions, the following sward management targets can be recommended for mixed Massaigrass and forage peanut pastures under intermittent stocking: pre-grazing height ranging from 50-55 cm (June to September) to 65-70 cm (October to May), and post-grazing height from 30-35 cm (June to September) to 35-40 cm (October to May). Annual carrying capacity of this mixed pasture in 2003 was 2.7 AU/ha. The average carrying capacity during the dry season (1.8 AU/ha) was 50% lower than that observed during the rainy season (3.6 AU/ha).

Highlights

The development of grazing management strategies for grass-legume pastures is an important step to ensure wide spread adoption of the technology; it is not a simple task (Valentim & Andrade, 2004)
For the Western Brazilian Amazon conditions, the following sward management targets can be recommended for mixed Massaigrass and forage peanut pastures under intermittent stocking: pregrazing height ranging from 50-55 cm (June to September) to 65-70 cm (October to May), and post-grazing height from 3035 cm (June to September) to 35-40 cm (October to May)
In Brazil, there has been a growing interest in developing grazing management strategies based on descriptors of sward condition, and recent studies indicates that this concept could be applied to tropical pastures without great adaptations (Hodgson & Silva, 2002)

Summary

Definition of sward targets and carrying capacity1

Carlos Mauricio Soares de Andrade, Rasmo Garcia, Judson Ferreira Valentim, Odilon Gomes Pereira. 2 Embrapa Acre, CP 321, CEP: 69908-970, Rio Branco, AC. Animal Science Department, UFV, granted by CNPq. ABSTRACT - This study was carried out to define sward management targets for mixed Massaigrass Massai) and forage peanut (Arachis pintoi Ac 01) pastures in the Western Brazilian Amazon. For the Western Brazilian Amazon conditions, the following sward management targets can be recommended for mixed Massaigrass and forage peanut pastures under intermittent stocking: pregrazing height ranging from 50-55 cm (June to September) to 65-70 cm (October to May), and post-grazing height from 3035 cm (June to September) to 35-40 cm (October to May). Annual carrying capacity of this mixed pasture in 2003 was 2.7 AU/ha. Estratégias de manejo do pastejo para pastos consorciados de capimmassai e amendoim forrageiro

Definição de alvos de manejo e da capacidade de suporte

Introduction

Material and Methods

Results and Discussion

Conclusions

Literature Cited