Nitrogen Fertilization and Stocking Rate Affect Stargrass Pasture and Cattle Performance

Garay, Alfonso Hernández; Sollenberger, Lynn E.; McDonald, Declan; Ruegsegger, G.J.; Kalmbacher, R. S.; Mislevy, P.

doi:10.2135/cropsci2004.1348

Cited by 52 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…According to Milford and Minson (1965), Lippke (1980) and Boval et al (2007), the digestible DMI of tropical grasses and animal gain correlated more with the intake of DM than with its digestibility. More recently, considering a wide range of forage mass or allowance, a high proportion of variation in ADG (60% to 90%) was explained by the forage quantity and its relationships with animal performance, whereas several measures of forage nutritive value were not significant (Garay et al, 2004;Sollenberger and Vanzant, 2011). The difficulties involved in measuring intake of grass under grazing conditions, as recently reviewed by Cottle et al (2013), might explain these contradictory results, as very few studies have been conducted under real grazing conditions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A meta-analysis of nutrient intake, feed efficiency and performance in cattle grazing on tropical grasslands

Boval

Edouard²,

Sauvant³

2015

Animal

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It is essential to quantify the potential of tropical grasslands to allow significant feed efficiency for grazing livestock in controlled conditions such as at pasture. We conducted a quantitative analysis of published studies reporting the experimental results of average daily gains (ADG) and diet characteristics obtained specifically under grazing conditions (17 publications and 41 experiments), which have been less studied compared with controlled conditions in stalls. The database was analyzed to determine the average and range of values obtained for ADG (g/kg BW), dry matter digestibility, intake (DMI) and digestible DMI (DDMI, g/kg BW) and feed conversion efficiencies (FCE), as well as to predict the response of these parameters to the main strategies investigated in the literature -that is, mainly the stocking rate (SR) and the concentrate intake (CI). The ADG reached 1.2 kg BW per day and was directly linked to DDMI (ADG = − 1.63 + 0.42 DDMI −0.0084 DDMI 2 , n = 90, r.m.s.e = 0.584, R 2 = 0.93). The DDMI, which was representative of the nutrient input, was driven mainly by DMI rather than dry matter digestibility, whereas these two parameters did not correlate (r = 0.068, P = 0.56). The average global FCE (0.11 g ADG/g DDMI) showed a greater association with the metabolic FCE (0.17 g ADG/g DMI) than the digestive FCE (0.62). The CI (g DM/kg BW) increased ADG (ADG = 2376 + CI 56.1, n = 16, r.m.s.e. = 441, R 2 = 0.95). The SR expressed as kg BW/ha decreased the individual ADG by 1.19 g/kg BW per additional ton of BW/ha, whereas the global ADG calculated per ha increased by 0.57 per additional ton BW/ha. When the SR was expressed as kg BW/ton DM and per ha rather than as kg BW/ha, the impact on the individual ADG decreased by 0.18 or 0.86 g per additional ton BW/ha, depending on the initial BW of the cattle. These results provide a better view of the potential performance and feeding of cattle in tropical grasslands. The results provide an improved quantification of the relationships between diet and performance, as well as the overall quantitative impact of SR and supplementation.Keywords: grasslands, intake, digestibility, average daily gain, feed conversion efficiency ImplicationThe 41 studies compiled in this meta-analysis highlight that satisfactory average daily gain (ADG) is possible in tropical pastures. The feed conversion efficiencies calculated showed that natural grassland had great potential for animal feeding, which is primarily associated with dry matter intake rather than digestibility. The stocking rate managed as kg BW per ha, studied extensively in the literature, could efficiently increase ADG per ha. The main expected implications of this quantitative analysis of the literature are a better understanding of what governs grazing livestock performance and appropriate management strategies, which prioritize consumption of the forage rather than its digestibility.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A meta-analysis of nutrient intake, feed efficiency and performance in cattle grazing on tropical grasslands

Boval

Edouard²,

Sauvant³

2015

Animal

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“…Bransby et al (1988) proposed that the function describing the relationship between SR and animal performance is unique for each forage type. Hernández Garay et al (2004) reported a quadratic decrease in average daily gain (ADG) of weanling bulls grazing stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst) pastures. Hernández Garay et al (2004) reported a quadratic decrease in average daily gain (ADG) of weanling bulls grazing stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst) pastures.…”

Section: Forage Species and Stocking Rate Eff Ects On Animal Performamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2B). Hernández Garay et al (2004) studied the eff ect of stocking rate on weanling bulls grazing stargrass. Understocked pastures accumulate excess forage that is unutilized and often lower in nutritive value, resulting in low gain per unit land area (Mott and Lucas, 1952).…”

Section: Herbage Allowance and Animal Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

Forage Species and Stocking Rate Effects on Animal Performance and Herbage Responses of ‘Mulato’ and Bahiagrass Pastures

et al. 2010

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RESEARCHB ahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) is the main forage used for the beef cattle industry in Florida because of its reliability and persistence under adverse climatic conditions and management practices. It is the most widely planted warm-season grass in Florida, covering approximately 1 million ha. Nonetheless, overdependence on bahiagrass pastures has made the industry vulnerable to potential losses from pests and diseases. During 1996 through 2000, >150,000 ha of bahiagrass pastures were damaged by mole crickets (Scapteriscus spp.) in Florida (Adjei et al., 2001). Damage to bahiagrass pastures by mole cricket stimulated a search for other grasses adapted to the Florida environment.Brachiariagrasses are the most widely grown forages in tropical America, occupying >80 million ha (Boddey et al., 2004). Brachiaria species are popular among producers because they show rapid regrowth and good persistence under close or frequent defoliation (Rika et al., 1991). 'Mulato' is the fi rst hybrid in the Brachiaria genus and results from crossing ruzigrass (Brachiaria ruziziensis Germain & Evrard, clone 44-6) and palisadegrass [Brachiaria brizantha (A. ABSTRACTBahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) is the most used forage for beef cattle (Bos sp.) in Florida; however, damage to bahiagrass pastures by mole cricket (Scapteriscus spp.) stimulated a search for other adapted grasses. The objective of this study was to test the effect of different stocking rates (SRs) on animal performance and herbage characteristics of 'Mulato' (Brachiaria sp.) and bahiagrass pastures. The experiment was conducted in Ona, FL, from May to September, 2007 and 2008. Treatments were three SRs (4, 8, and 12 heifers ha −1 ) and two forage species (Mulato and 'Pensacola' bahiagrass). There was a linear decrease in herbage mass (from 5.9 to 3.2 Mg ha −1 ) and herbage allowance (from 2.8 to 0.6 kg dry matter kg −1 liveweight) with increasing SR. Mulato had greater in vitro digestible organic matter concentration than bahiagrass (675 vs. 534 g kg −1 ) but similar crude protein concentration (130 g kg −1 ). There was a linear decrease in average daily gain (from 0.49 to 0.22 kg d −1 ) and a quadratic response of liveweight gain ha −1 as SR increased (190, 353, and 217 kg ha −1 for SRs of 4, 8, and 12 heifers ha −1 , respectively). Mulato has potential to be an alternative forage to bahiagrass for beef cattle producers in Florida.

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“…Em relação à adubação, é inegável que a maioria das espécies forrageiras exibe elevada resposta produtiva frente à melhoria da disponibilidade de nutrientes. A deficiência de nitrogênio (N) limita o rendimento forrageiro, principalmente em gramíneas, -base da produção de pastagens no Brasil (SOARES & RESTLE, 2002;GARAY et al, 2004). A adubação nitrogenada, além de aumentar o rendimento de forragem, pode melhorar o desempenho de culturas semeadas em sucessão, devido ao aproveitamento de N residual, como observado em trabalho desenvolvido por ASSMANN et al (2003).…”

Section: Fundamentos Do Sistema Ilpunclassified

Integração lavoura-pecuária: intensificação de uso de áreas agrícolas

et al. 2009

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Nitrogen Fertilization and Stocking Rate Affect Stargrass Pasture and Cattle Performance

Cited by 52 publications

References 12 publications

A meta-analysis of nutrient intake, feed efficiency and performance in cattle grazing on tropical grasslands

A meta-analysis of nutrient intake, feed efficiency and performance in cattle grazing on tropical grasslands

Forage Species and Stocking Rate Effects on Animal Performance and Herbage Responses of ‘Mulato’ and Bahiagrass Pastures

Integração lavoura-pecuária: intensificação de uso de áreas agrícolas

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