Pastures are the most practical and cost-effective way to feed cattle and are the basis of livestock production in Central Brazil. Grass–legume intercropping is essential for increasing production in sustainable animal-feeding systems. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the productive and nutritional characteristics of Brachiaria brizantha (A.Rich.) Stapf (palisade grass) cultivars intercropped with Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande (multiline 80% S. capitata and 20% S. macrocephala) in different forage systems, in different seasons of the year, over a 2-year period. A randomised block experimental design was used, with three replicates. The treatments consisted of the following seven forage systems: Piata palisade grass, Paiaguas palisade grass, Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande, row intercropping of Piata palisade grass and Stylosanthes, mixed intercropping of Piata palisade grass and Stylosanthes, row intercropping of Paiaguas palisade grass and Stylosanthes, and mixed intercropping of Paiaguas palisade grass and Stylosanthes. Evaluations were performed in each season of the year (winter, spring, summer, autumn) on the same plots over the 2-year period. Piata and Paiaguas palisade grass behaved similarly in all forage systems, indicating that both can be intercropped with Stylosanthes. Grass–legume intercropping had a positive effect on the productive and nutritional characteristics of the forage plants, increasing dry matter production, crude protein concentrations and in vitro dry matter digestibility, and decreasing the fibre fractions. Row intercropping was more efficient at maintaining high proportions of legume plants in the system, resulting in greater forage production and quality.

There is increasing global concern with environmental food production and sustainability to maintain high carbon stocks in soil biomass. The biomass produced in crop-livestock integration system increases soil organic matter, acts in nutrient cycling, improves the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of soil and increases grain production. Moreover, this soil management system mitigates greenhouse effect and preserves the environment. However, in the Savannah of Central Brazil region, an efficient mulching production of biomass is one of the factors limit sustainability of direct seeding of soybean, mainly due to accelerated decomposition of crop residues. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate biomass dynamics of pearl millet and Paiaguas palisadegrass in different forage systems and sowing periods on soybean yield. The experiment followed a randomized block design with a 5 x 2 factorial arrangement and three replications, under five forage systems (monocropped pearl millet, monocropped Paiaguas palisadegrass, pearl millet intercropped in rows with Paiaguas palisadegrass, pearl millet intercropped between rows of Paiaguas palisadegrass and pearl millet oversown and intercropped with Paiaguas palisadegrass) at two sowing periods (February and March). The results showed that Paiaguas palisadegrass in a monocropped system generated the highest biomass production and lowest carbon/nitrogen ratio. The highest carbon/nitrogen ratio and cumulative biomass loss occurred with millet in monocropped and intercropped with oversown Paiaguas palisadegrass in which biomass production was reduced by plant competition. Paiaguas forage systems in palisadegrass monocropped and intercropping on and between rows supported higher yield of soybean. The second sowing periods resulted in higher production of remaining biomass and grain yield, in all forage systems. Intercropping in crop-livestock integration systems showed a promising cultivation technique to maintain a sustainable stock of soil carbon.

The cultivation of sorghum for silage production has gained more space each year because of its satisfactory nutritional characteristics, resistance to water deficit and adaptability to various types of soil. Thus, the use of sorghum silage has been an alternative for periods of low forage production, providing quality food for ruminants. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the fermentation parameters and quality of sweet and biomass sorghum silages added with doses of vinasse. The experiment was a 2 x 5 factorial completely randomized design with three replications of two sorghum species (sweet and biomass) and five doses of vinasse applied to the soil: 0; 50; 100; 150 and 200 m3 ha-1, totaling 30 experimental silos. For silage, sorghum species were harvested in the 105-day cycle, with 30.5 and 32.3 g kg-1 dry matter, for biomass and sweet sorghum, respectively. The results showed that the biomass sorghum silage showed higher dry mass production. However, the sweet sorghum silage presented a lower buffering capacity, NH3-N, and higher concentration of lactic acid. Doses of vinasse increased the content of crude protein, in vitro digestibility of dry matter and ether extract and reduced fiber fractions in both sorghum species, showing that both species can be used for silage production. Vinasse is a promising alternative to organic fertilizer, since the use of 200 m3 ha-1 positively influenced the fermentation parameters and nutritional value of the sorghum silages.