B razil is one of the primary beef-producing and -exporting countries in the world. The production system is mostly forage based, and the largest livestock herd in the world (215 million head) relies on ?163 million ha of grasslands (ABIEC, 2019). In addition, only 12.6% of the slaughtered animals come from feedlots (ABIEC, 2019). The forage-based system reduces the production cost and brings competitive advantages to Brazil compared with countries where beef production is highly dependent on feedlots that are labor intensive and depend heavily on expensive equipment, concentrate feeds, and fossil fuel (Dias-Filho, 2014).Despite the importance of grazed pastures, ?70% of Brazilian planted pastures are in some stage of degradation (Macedo et al., 2013), which negatively affects system sustainability (Pequeno et al., 2015). Among the main causes of pasture degradation are the incompatibility of the grass with the local environment and management practices used (Dias-Filho, 2014). Forage breeding programs are important tools for generating new cultivars (i.e., greater productivity, quality, and pest and disease resistance), supporting the release of plants that are well adapted to specific
New hybrid grass cultivars may enhance animal performance in forage‐livestock systems if they possess traits that address edaphoclimatic challenges and pest susceptibility. The objective was to assess herbage accumulation, plant‐part composition, nutritive value, and animal performance of ‘Ipyporã’ [Brachiaria ruziziensis Germ. & Evrard × B. brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Stapf] and ‘Mulato II’ (B. ruziziensis × B. brizantha × B. decumbens Stapf) hybrids in the Brazilian Amazon biome. From May 2016 to May 2018, pastures were maintained under continuous stocking with variable stocking rates to maintain canopy height at 30‐cm. Herbage accumulation (HA) was greater in Mulato II (17,370 kg dry matter [DM] ha−1 year−1) than Ipyporã pastures (14,930 kg DM ha−1 year−1) across the years. In Year 1, Mulato II had greater stocking rate (1685 vs. 1215 kg body weight [BW] ha−1) and greater gain ha−1 (1130 vs. 850 kg) than Ipyporã. However, in Year 2, both cultivars had similar plant and animal responses. The Year 1 ADG was similar among cultivars or seasons but in Year 2, rainy seasons had 21 and 77% greater ADG than dry seasons for Mulato II and Ipyporã, respectively. Both cultivars can contribute to the diversification of pasture‐based livestock systems in humid tropical regions. Mulato II presented superior performance when soil moisture and fertility were not limiting (i.e., Year 1). However, both cultivars provide similar plant and animal responses in Year 2, offering viable alternatives for the diversification of pasture‐based livestock systems in the Amazon Biome.
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