In ruminant-forage systems herbage allowance (HAL) has a major impact on grazing intensity and sward structure, affecting animals, plants, and ultimately, pasture yield. Data on HAL responses of tropical cultivated pastures are scarce and this information may be useful in optimizing pasture utilization. The objective of this study was to describe and contrast sward structure and herbage accumulation responses of 'Marandu' palisadegrass [Brachiaria brizantha (A.Rich.) ESTRUTURA DO DOSSEL E PRODUÇÃO DE FORRAGEM EM PASTAGENS DE CAPIM MARANDU [Brachiaria

Signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk, syn. Urochloa decumbens Stapf R.D. Webster) has been widely grown in the Brazilian tropics over the last 40 years, but management recommendations have been largely empirical and not based on canopy targets. This study was designed to characterise and explain the impact of canopy-based grazing strategies on herbage accumulation, plant-part composition, and nutritive value of signal grass. Treatments were factorial combinations of two stubble heights, 5 cm (SH5) and 10 cm (SH10), and two grazing frequencies, grazing initiated when 95% (LI95) and 100% (LI100) of incoming light was intercepted by the canopy. Rest periods were imposed during summer and autumn of both experimental years. Leaf blade accumulation was greater for LI100 than LI95 (9.5 v. 8.8 t/ha) associated with increased stem accumulation (4.6 v. 3.5 t/ha for LI100 v. LI95). The SH10 pastures produced more stem than SH5 pastures (4.4 v. 3.6 t/ha), with no difference in leaf blade accumulation. In general, SH10 pastures had more residual leaf blade mass post-graze, whereas SH5 pastures combined with higher grazing frequency (SH5-LI95) became more prostrate over time, increasing leaf blade proportion in post-graze forage. Over time, stubble height had more influence than grazing frequency on leaf blade proportion at pre-graze, and SH5 pastures had leafier canopies than SH10 pastures. Digestibility was less under LI100, especially when associated with SH5 stubble (SH5-LI100), regardless of season of the year. To provide optimal leaf blade yield and overall forage digestibility, particularly during warm, rainy seasons, defoliation of signal grass should include pre-graze height varying from 18 to 30 cm (95–100% of light interception) and mean stubble height close to 10 cm.

The narrow genetic variability of grasslands and the incidence of new biotic and abiotic stresses have motivated the selection of new Panicum maximum genotypes for use as forage for beef cattle in the Brazilian savannah. This study aimed to evaluate forage yield and nutritive value of P. maximum genotypes including 14 accessions (PM30 to PM43), four intraspecifi c hybrids (PM44 to PM47) and six cultivars (Aruana, Massai, Milênio, Mombaça, Tanzania and Vencedor), examining 24 genotypes over two years (2003 and 2004). Milênio cultivar was the genotype with the highest dry matter yield (DMY) in both years (18.4 t ha -1 and 20.9 t ha -1 , respectively) although it presented a high proportion of stems (~ 30 %). Genotypes that showed higher Leaf DMY in both years were the accession PM34 (14.7 t ha -1 ) and the hybrid PM46 (14.0 t ha -1 ), while Mombaça and Tanzania yielded 12.5 and 11.0 t ha -1 , respectively. Leaf organic matter digestibility and leaf DMY for PM40 and PM46 genotypes exceeded the mean (> 656 g kg -1and > 11.7 t ha -1 , respectively). For this reason, PM40 and PM46 can be considered promising P. maximum genotypes for use as forage for grazing systems in the Brazilian savannah. IntroductionThe neotropical savannah known as Cerrado, located in the center of the Brazilian territory, presents 49 million hectares of cultivated pastures (Sano et al., 2007). Even though they are quite well adapted to general environmental conditions, their narrow genetic variability makes these pastures vulnerable to novel biotic and abiotic stresses. Examples of this are the emergent sap-sucking insect well-known as the sugarcane spittlebug (Mahanarva spp.), and a syndrome called 'sudden death' that have reached large areas of Marandu grass (Brachiaria brizantha Hochst. ex A. Rich. Stapf.) pastures in the Northern Brazilian territory, with a complex diagnosis usually related to temporarily fl ooded areas (Auad et al., 2010;Caetano and Dias-Filho, 2008). To expand the genetic diversity with highly productive species and to decrease the susceptibility of Brazilian pastures to upcoming stresses, new grass genotypes have undergone assessment by Brazilian research institutions (Sousa et al., 2011, Pessim et al., 2010, Resende et al., 2004.As an alternative to Brachiaria spp., Guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) has been used for more intensive cattle production systems. It is recommended for regions where annual rainfall ranges from 800 to 1800 mm in well-drained soil and it requires medium to high soil fertility (Muir and Jank, 2004). Tanzania and Mombaça are the most planted Guinea grass cultivars in Brazil, both collected in Africa in the 1960s by ORSTOM (Offi ce de la Recherche Scientifi que et Technique d'OutreMer) and selected by EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) in the early 1990s. Currently, these two high-sized tufted grass cultivars are responsible for 10 % of the forage seed market in Brazil, but the incidence of the leaf fungus Bipolaris maydis (Nisik. Schoemaker) has reduced their deman...

Indirect, non-destructive methods for estimating herbage mass on pasture may help growers to better estimate herbage mass and manage the grazing process. The objective of this study was to evaluate two methods for estimating herbage mass on Marandu palisadegrass [Brachiaria brizantha (A. Rich.) Stapf] pastures, over two grazing seasons. The relationships between herbage mass and two indirect, non-destructive measurements (sward surface height -SSH and rising plate meter -RP) were analyzed via regression analysis. Mean determination coefficients (r 2 ) for the regression models were 0.82 and 0.91 for RP and SSH, respectively. Time within season influenced both slope (b) and intercept (a) of the regression models in both methods. The change in model parameters over the course of the seasons suggests the need for frequent model revision and revalidation. Key words: Brachiaria brizantha, sward surface height, herbage allowance, rising plate meter, linear regression QUANTIFICAÇÃO DA MASSA DE FORRAGEM EM PASTOS DE CAPIM MARANDU SOB LOTAÇÃO ROTATIVACOM O USO DE MÉTODOS INDIRETOSRESUMO: Métodos indiretos e não-destrutivos para a estimativa da massa de forragem no pasto podem auxiliar o manejador no estabelecimento de estratégias ótimas de pastejo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar métodos indiretos de estimativa de massa de forragem em pastos de capim Marandu [Brachiaria brizantha (A. Rich.) Stapf] sob lotação rotativa durante dois anos. Para descrever as relações entre massa de forragem e dois métodos testados (altura do dossel e disco ascendente) foram empregadas regressões lineares. As equações geradas apresentaram coeficiente de determinação médio (r 2 ) de 0,82 e 0,91 para o disco e altura, respectivamente. A época do ano exerceu influência sobre o coeficiente angular (b) e o intercepto (a) das regressões de ambos os métodos. Essa alteração dos componentes das curvas ao longo do tempo indica a necessidade de freqüente revalidação dos modelos. Palavras-chave: Brachiaria brizantha, altura de dossel, oferta de forragem, disco ascendente, regressão linear

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência de pastejo, o desaparecimento de forragem e a variabilidade espacial do dossel em pastagens de capim-marandu sob diferentes ofertas de forragem em pastejo realizado com bovinos da raça Nelore, em Pirassununga, SP. O delineamento foi em blocos completos ao acaso e os tratamentos consistiram de 5, 10, 15 e 20 kg de massa de forragem por 100 kg de peso vivo (PV) por dia (%), aplicados em lotação rotativa. A taxa de desaparecimento de forragem respondeu positivamente ao aumento da oferta de forragem, oscilando de 2,3 a 6,5 kg de forragem por 100 kg de PV por dia em 2003 Grazing efficiency on marandu palisadegrass as affected by herbage allowanceAbstract -The objective of this work was to evaluate grazing efficiency, herbage disappearance and spatial variability of the sward in Marandu palisadegrass pastures rotationally stocked by yearling Nelore heifers at four levels of herbage allowance, in Pirassununga, SP, Brazil. The experimental treatments were 5, 10, 15, and 20 kg dry matter per 100 kg live weight per day (%), in a randomised blocks design. Herbage disappearance rate increased with rising herbage allowance, and wide-ranging from 2.3 to 6.5 kg DM per 100 kg LW per day in 2003, and from 2.3 to 6.2 kg DM per 100 kg PV per day in 2004. Conversely, herbage disappearance per area differed among treatments only in 2004, and was highest at 20% of herbage allowance (44 kg ha -1 per day). Grazing efficiency decreased with rising herbage allowance, averaged 64% in 2003 and 55% in 2004 for 5% of herbage allowance. The increasing herbage allowance shows as consequence the increase herbage disappearance rate and an exponentially decrease of grazing efficiency.

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos de intensidades de pastejo e de frequências de desfolha na demografia e densidade de perfilhos de capim-braquiária (Urochloa decumbens syn. Brachiaria decumbens) sob lotação intermitente. Foram avaliados duas intensidades de pastejo (5 e 10 cm de altura pós-pastejo) e duas frequências de desfolha (período de descanso até que o dossel atingisse 95 e 100% de interceptação luminosa, IL), de agosto de 2007 a agosto de 2008. Utilizou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em arranjo fatorial com quatro repetições. Avaliaram-se as densidades populacionais e as taxas de aparecimento e sobrevivência de perfilhos basais (DPPb, TAPb e TSPb, respectivamente) e aéreos+basais (DPPab, TAPab e TSPab). As maiores TAPb e TAPab, no outono, foram obtidas nos pastos desfolhados a 10 cm. Porém, no final da primavera e no verão, a intensidade de 5 cm resultou em maiores taxas, que promoveram maior DPPb. No verão, a TSPb foi maior para pastos manejados à intensidade de 10 cm. O manejo da pastagem que resulta em maiores DPPab, TAPab e TSPab, durante as épocas de rápido crescimento dos pastos, é o de 10 cm de intensidade de pastejo e 95% de IL de frequência de desfolha.Termos para indexação: Urochloa decumbens, dossel, frequência de desfolhação, intensidade de desfolhação, interceptação luminosa. Demography and density of signalgrass tillers grazed under intermittent stock grazingAbstract -The objective of this work was to assess the effects of grazing intensities and defoliation frequencies on the demography and density of signalgrass (Urochloa decumbens syn. Brachiaria decumbens) tillers under intermittent stocking. Two grazing intensities (5 and 10 cm after-grazing stubble height) and two defoliation frequencies (rest periods determined by 95 or 100% of light interception, LI) were evaluated, from August 2007 to August 2008. It was used the completely randomized design, in factorial arrangement with four replicates. Tiller densities and appearance and survival rates of basal (TDb, ARb, SRb, respectively) and aerial+basal tillers (TDab, ARab, SRab) were evaluated. The highest ARb and ARab, in the autumn, were observed in pastures defoliated at 10 cm. Nevertheless, in the late spring and in the summer, the 5 cm intensity resulted in higher rates, which promoted higher TDb. The SRb was higher in the summer for pastures managed at 10 cm. The pasture grazing management that promotes the highest TDab, ARab and SRab, during periods of fast pasture growth, is the combination of 10 cm grazing intensity and 95% LI of defoliation frequecy.

Numa pastagem degradada de capim-Tobiatã (Panicum maximum Jacq cv. Tobiatã), em Pirassununga - SP, instalou-se um experimento para verificar os efeitos de doses e tipos de calcário com ou sem incorporação, sobre o perfilhamento, a cobertura vegetal e a produtividade da pastagem durante seis cortes no período de 1996 a 1997. A produção de matéria seca não respondeu a tipos e doses de calcário, no entanto, a prática da incorporação com grade mostrou-se efetiva e, no tocante aos cortes, houve acréscimo de produção no verão e redução no inverno. A cobertura vegetal apresentou 72,8% de ocupação para planta forrageira e indicou tendência de menores áreas de solo descoberto nos tratamentos com calcário calcinado.

SUM M ARYHerbage allowance (HA) impacts performance of grazing cattle as well as sward structure and herbage yield. The objective of the current study was to compare average daily gain (ADG) of Nellore steers on Marandu palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst ex A. Rich.) Stapf. cv. Marandu) pastures in response to HA. Treatments were applied as 5, 10, 15 and 20 kg dry matter (DM) per 100 kg live weight (LW) per day HA 5 , HA 10 , HA 15 and HA 20 ), in rotationally stocked pastures under a 35-day grazing cycle (28 days of rest and 7 days of grazing). The trial was carried out in Pirassununga, Brazil, during two summer seasons in 2003 and 2004, each divided into four grazing cycles. Individual animal (250 kg yearling steers) gain increased with HA up to HA 15 (mean = 0·69 kg/head per day) during each of four grazing cycles per year. The 2-year gain per area was greater for HA 5 and HA 10 than for HA 15 and HA 20 and average stocking rate was 9·6, 6·7, 5·4 and 4·6 head/ha for HA 5 to HA 20 , respectively. In addition to the effects of HA on ADG, changes in sward structure, especially sward height, help to explain variation in daily gain in both years. The HA 10 treatment provides higher gain per area without excessively reducing individual animal performance, and thus may be the level of choice for optimizing animal output in pasture-only systems.