SUMMARYThe ability to adapt to a range of edaphic conditions favours the widespread use of marandu palisade grass in high as well as low input systems of animal production in Brazil. However, little information exists regarding the influence of grazing management practices on sward structure and the carry-over effects on animal responses. The present experiment was planned to evaluate animal behaviour, herbage intake (HI) and nutritive value, herbage accumulation and body weight gain (BWG) of beef cattle heifers grazing marandu palisade grass subjected to intensities of continuous stocking management. Treatments corresponded to four sward surface heights (SSH: 100, 200, 300 and 400 mm) and were allocated to experimental units (1200 m2 paddocks) according to a randomized complete block design with four replications. Herbage accumulation rate (HAR) varied with season of the year and SSH, with highest and lowest values recorded during summer and winter, respectively. During the summer, herbage accumulation was larger on swards managed at 200, 300 and 400 mm, with the opposite occurring during winter/early spring. Stocking rate (SR) and number of grazing days (GD) followed a similar seasonal pattern of variation, with values decreasing as SSH increased. Crude protein (CP) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of hand-plucked herbage decreased as SSH increased from 100 to 400 mm, while the inverse happened with BWG (from 0·190 to 0·930 kg/day, respectively). Bite mass (BM) increased and rate of biting and grazing time (GT) decreased as SSH increased, with daily HI being larger on tall (300 and 400 mm) relative to short (100 and 200 mm) swards. Grazing management affected the nutritive value and the amount of herbage consumed, particularly through changes in BM. However, variations in intake were relatively more important than variations in nutritive value in influencing animal performance, highlighting the importance of providing favourable harvest conditions for grazing animals by establishing adequate sward targets for management.

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar metas de manejo para capim-marandu (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu) submetido a pastejo rotativo e a doses de nitrogênio, de janeiro de 2009 a abril de 2010. Os tratamentos consistiram da combinação de duas frequências de pastejo (altura pré-pastejo de 25 e 35 cm) e de duas doses de fertilizante nitrogenado (50 e 200 kg ha -1 por ano) em delineamento de blocos ao acaso com arranjo fatorial 2x2 e quatro repetições. A altura de pós-pastejo estipulada foi de 15 cm. Maiores valores de ganho de peso médio por animal por dia (0,629 e 0,511 kg dia -1 ) e por hectare (886 e 674 kg ha -1 ), bem como de taxa de lotação (3,13 e 2,85 UA ha -1 ), foram observados nos pastos manejados com altura pré-pastejo de 25 cm. A aplicação de 200 kg ha -1 de N resultou em aumentos na percentagem de folhas na massa de forragem pós-pastejo, nas taxas de acúmulo de forragem, na taxa de lotação e no ganho de peso por área. A mais adequada estratégia de manejo corresponde à altura pré-pastejo de 25 cm, independentemente da dose de nitrogênio utilizada.Termos para indexação: Urochloa brizantha, altura do dossel, altura pré-pastejo, altura pós-pastejo, manejo do pastejo, taxa de lotação. Weight gain and animal productivity on Marandu palisade grass under rotational stocking and nitrogen fertilizationAbstract -The objective of this work was to assess management targets for marandu palisade grass (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu) subjected to rotational stocking and to nitrogen fertilization rates, from January 2009 to April 2010. Treatments consisted of a combination of two grazing frequencies (pre-grazing heights of 25 and 35 cm) and two levels of nitrogen application (50 and 200 kg ha -1 per year). in a completely randomized block design, in a 2x2 factorial arrangement, with four replicates. The established post-grazing height was 15 cm. Greater values of daily weight gain per animal per day (0.629 and 0.511 kg day -1 ), weight gain per hectare (886 and 674 kg ha -1 ), and stocking rate (3.13 and 2.85 AU ha -1 ) were found for pre-grazing height of 25 cm. The application of 200 kg ha -1 of N increased the percentage of leaves in post-grazing forage mass, forage accumulation rate, stocking rate, as well as weight gain per hectare. The best grazing strategy corresponds to the pre-grazing height of 25 cm, regardless of the nitrogen application.

ABSTRACT. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate tiller population density and the dynamics of the tillering process in marandu palisade grass subjected to strategies of rotational stocking management and nitrogen fertilization. Treatments corresponded to combinations between two targets of pre-grazing conditions (sward surface height of 25 and 35 cm) and two rates of nitrogen application (50 and 200 kg ha ), and were allocated to experimental units according to a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement in a randomised complete block design, with four replications. The following response variables were studied: initial (TPDi), intermediate (TPDm) and final (TPDf) tiller population density as well as the rates of tiller appearance (TAR) and death (TDR) and the tiller population stability index (SI). TPDi was similar to all treatments, with differences in tiller population density becoming more pronounced as the experiment progressed, resulting in larger TPDf on swards managed at 25 cm pre-grazing height. Tiller death was larger on swards managed at 35 cm, with differences in tiller appearance being recorded only from February 2010 onwards. Stability of tiller population was higher on swards managed at 25 cm pre-grazing height. Overall, there was no effect of nitrogen on the studied variables, and the most adequate grazing strategy corresponded to the pre-grazing height of 25 cm, regardless of the nitrogen application rate used.Keywords: management targets, nitrogen fertilizer, tiller population, grazing management, stability of plant communities.Densidade populacional e dinâmica do perfilhamento em capim-marandu submetido a estratégias de pastejo rotativo e adubação nitrogenada RESUMO. O objetivo deste experimento foi avaliar a densidade populacional e a dinâmica do perfilhamento em capim-marandu submetido a estratégias de pastejo rotativo e adubação nitrogenada. Os tratamentos corresponderam à combinação de duas metas de altura pré-pastejo (25 e 35 cm) e duas doses de aplicação de nitrogênio (50 e 200 kg ha -1 ano -1 ) em arranjo fatorial 2 x 2 alocadas às unidades experimentais segundo delineamento de blocos completos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Foram avaliadas a densidade populacional de perfilhos inicial (DPPi), intermediária (DPPm) e final (DPPf), as taxas de aparecimento (TAP), morte (TMP) e o índice de estabilidade (IE) da população de perfilhos. A DPPi foi semelhante para todos os tratamentos, com diferenças se acentuando ao longo da estação de crescimento, resultando em maior DPPf nos pastos manejados a 25 cm de altura pré-pastejo. A mortalidade de perfilhos foi maior nos pastos manejados a 35 cm, com diferenças em aparecimento sendo registradas somente a partir de fevereiro de 2010. Pastos manejados a 25 cm apresentaram maior estabilidade da população de perfilhos. Não houve efeito do nitrogênio nas variáveis analisadas, sendo que a melhor estratégia de manejo correspondeu à altura pré-pastejo de 25 cm, independente da dose de nitrogênio utilizada.Palavras-chave: metas de manejo, fertilizante nit...

This study consisted of two experiments with the following objectives: to evaluate the effects of tannins from the tropical legume macrotiloma (Macrotyloma axillare) on total gas and methane (CH ) production, as well as on ruminal fermentation parameters by performing an in vitro bioassay, with samples incubated with and without polyethylene glycol (PEG) in a semi-automatic system; and secondly in a 17 day in vivo experiment, to determine apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dietary nutrients and ruminal fermentation parameters of 12 intact 8- to 9-month-old Santa Inês (averaging 24.95 ± 1.8 kg body weight) ewes fed tropical grass hay supplemented with macrotiloma hay. The ewes were divided into two treatment groups depending on their diet: chopped aruana grass hay (Panicum maximum cv. Aruana) (control-CON); and aruana grass hay supplemented with chopped macrotiloma hay (macrotiloma-MAC). The animals were kept for 5 consecutive days in metabolic cages for the ATTD assay, and at the end of this period, samples of rumen fluid were collected from each ewe to determine ammoniacal nitrogen (NH -N) and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, and protozoa count. For the in vitro assay, a decrease in total gas and CH production was observed for samples incubated without PEG (p < .05). No differences were observed for the other parameters evaluated (p > .05). In the in vivo experiment, increased intake and ATTD of crude protein were observed for the animals fed MAC when compared to CON (p < .05). For rumen fermentation parameters, increased NH -N, total SCFA and isobutyrate concentrations, as well as reduced protozoa count were observed for MAC when compared to CON (p < .05). The results observed here indicated the potential of macrotiloma for use as a ruminant feed, and antimethanogenic potential of this plant was noted.

ABSTRACT

Few grass genotypes with high yield potential are used as fodder in Brazil, making it necessary to develop new cultivars. In this study, we compared tiller density, forage mass, and agronomic traits across 12 Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) genotypes under free-growth and conventional cutting systems at the Agência Paulista de Técnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA), Andradina, São Paulo, Brazil. The experimental design of the two trials was three replicates of a randomized complete block, each experimental unit consisting of 37.5 m 2 plots with five rows spaced 1.5 m apart. We estimated tiller density 30, 60, and 150 days after planting (DAP), and 90 days after cut (DAC), and harvested the grass 150 DAP and 90 DAC for determination of forage mass and agronomic traits. In the free-growth system, forage mass was highest in genotypes CNPGL 00-155-2, CNPGL 92-41-1, CNPGL 92-51-1, and CNPGL 96-21-1 and in cultivar Guaçu. After cutting and regrowth, forage mass was highest in genotypes CNPGL 93-41-1, CNPGL 92-41-1, and CNPGL 91-11-2 and in cultivars Mineiro IPEACO, Guaçu, and Pioneiro. Stem mass was higher than leaf mass in the two trials, with leaf/stem ratio in most genotypes below 1.0. Aerial tiller density was highest for genotypes Pioneiro and CNPGL 00-155-2, and stem diameter was smallest in cv. Pioneiro in the free-growth and in the cutting and regrowth systems (9.7 and 7.62 mm, respectively). After regrowth, plant height ranged from 0.56 m in cv. Guaçu to 2.0 m in cv. Mineiro IPEACO and the mean number of internodes.stem -1 ranged from 2.1 in cv. Guaçu to 7.4 in cv. Pioneiro. Forage mass correlated positively with basal tiller density (r =0.4096) and negatively with stem diameter (r =-0.4879) in the free-growth trial, but relationships were not significant after regrowth. , com cinco linhas espaçadas de 1,5 m de distância. Foram estimamos a densidade de perfilhos aos 30, 60 e 150 dias após o plantio (DAP), e 90 dias após o corte (DAC), e colhidas a a forragem 150 DAP e 90 DAC para a determinação da massa de forragem e características agronômicas. No sistema de livre crescimento, massa de forragem foi maior nos genótipos CNPGL 00-155-2, CNPGL 92-41-1, CNPGL 92-51-1 e 96-21-1 CNPGL e no cultivar Guaçu. Após o corte e rebrota, a massa de forragem foi maior nos genótipos CNPGL 93-41-1, CNPGL 92-41-1 e 91-11-2 CNPGL e nos cultivares Mineiro IPEACO, Guaçu, e Pioneiro. A massa de colmos foi maior do que a massa foliar nos dois experimentos, com relação folha /colmo na maioria dos genótipos inferior a 1,0. Densidade de perfilhos aéreos foi maior para genótipos Pioneiro e CNPGL 00-155-2, e diâmetro do caule foi menor no cv. Pioneiro nos sistemas de crescimento livre e de corte e rebrota (9,7 e 7,62 mm, respectivamente). Depois da rebrotação, a altura da planta variou de 0,56 m na cv. Guaçu a 2,0 m na cv. Mineiro IPEACO e o número médio de internodes do colmo variou de 2,1 em cv. Guaçu para 7,4 em cv. Pioneiro. A massa de forragem foi positivamente correlacionada com a densidade de perfilhos basais (r =...

The objective of this study was to evaluate milk production and ingestive behavior of Holstein cows and the structural characteristics of Mulato II, a hybrid Brachiaria grass CIAT 36087 (B. ruziziensis × B. decumbens × B. brizantha), and Marandu (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) pastures under rotational stocking. The experiment was conducted from December 2011 to April 2012 after 10 months of adaptation to the grazing management objectives (25 cm pre-grazing height and 15-20 cm post-grazing height). An area of 4 ha was divided into 28 paddocks: 14 with Mulato II pasture and 14 with Marandu pasture. The treatments consisted of the two grasses and a completely randomized design of the grazing variables with six repetitions each (paddock of evaluation) was used. For the animal variables, a randomized matched pairs design of 20 Holstein cows forming 10 blocks of two animals with similar production each was used. The forage mass or accumulation rate did not differ between grasses. Mulato II pastures had a higher tiller population density (822 tillers m −2 ) and crude protein content (143.5 g kg −1 ) than Marandu pastures (636 tillers m −2 and 130.3 g kg −1 crude protein). Cows kept on Mulato II exhibited shorter nighttime grazing activity (234 and 246 min in summer and autumn, respectively) than animals kept on Marandu (273 and 394 min, respectively). The average milk yield during the experimental period was higher for Mulato II (15.3 kg cow −1 day −1 ) compared with Marandu (14.3 kg cow −1 day −1 ). Both grasses have potential to be used in milk production systems for the grazing management objectives evaluated.

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