Productive and nutritive traits of Piatã palisadegrass after thinning the forest component of a silvopastoral system in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Silvopastoral systems (SPSs) are sustainable alternatives for pasture intensification. Management practices such as thinning are options to diminish competition for resources between pasture and trees, ensuring appropriate forage production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the productive and nutritive traits of Piatã palisadegrass (Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Piatã) after thinning the forest component of a SPS. Forage production and nutritive value, along with microclimate variables were assessed in a SPS and in an intensive system (INT) in São Carlos-SP, Brazil, from 2016 to 2018. The INT was a full sun pasture of Piatã palisadegrass, while the SPS was established with Piatã palisadegrass shaded by eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urograndis clone GG100) spaced 15 × 2 m but thinned to 15 × 4 m before the onset of the experiment. In the SPS, measurements were made under the tree row (SPS_1), 3.75-m (SPS_2), 7.5-m (SPS_3) and 11.25-m (SPS_4) distant from the North row. Forage accumulation in the two systems were similar, whereas the pre-grazing forage mass in most of the SPS positions were smaller than that of the INT during the autumn of 2017 and summer of 2018. Crude protein (CP) content was greater in the SPS than in the INT in most positions and seasons. Forage production was favoured by the thinning of the trees mainly in the seasons close to the event, while forage CP was consistently greater in the understory pasture. Thinning of trees in SPSs can be adopted to provide forage production similar to intensive pastures with higher protein content.

Differences in the Behavioral Parameters of Young Zebu and Composite Bulls Kept on Non-Forested or in Integrated Crop–Livestock–Forestry Systems

“…The trees were, on average, 34.9 m tall and 38.1 cm in diameter at 1.30 m from the ground, resulting in an average reduction in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) of 51%. PAR was recorded continuously at a height of 70 cm above ground level using SQ-301 linear quantum sensors (Apogee, Logan, UT, USA) in the FS and ICLF systems, and the reduction in radiation was obtained from the ratio between PAR ICLF/PAR FS [ 33 ].…”

Effects of tree arrangements of silvopasture system on behaviour and performance of cattle – a systematic review

“…This highlights the importance of the adequate choice of tree species, plant density, tree arrangement, and management. Management practices like pruning and thinning can be used to allow more light input to improve the growth of trees and pastures (Brunetti et al, 2022;. Furthermore, it allows wind movement (Oliveira et al, 2021), which helps the thermal exchange of animals (Fournel et al, 2017).…”

Understanding the impacts of intensity and harvest frequency on Tithonia diversifolia for use in tropical silvopastoral systems

“…Several advantages have been documented concerning the adoption of SPS in comparison to extensive grazing systems based on forage monocultures, emerging as a promising strategy to mitigate the environmental impact of livestock farming and enhance the resilience of tropical pasture systems towards climate uctuations. These bene ts include improvements in soil physical, chemical, and biological properties (Santos et al 2022), soil organic carbon storage (Resende et al 2020; Filho et al 2024), as well as similar total forage accumulation and greater nutritive value (Gomes et al 2022;Brunetti et al 2022), protein supply during the dry season (Ovani et al 2023), weed reduction (Munaro et al 2023), shaded pasture for animals (Reis et al 2021), promotion of animal welfare (Cândido et al 2023), improved animal performance (Oliveira et al 2022), greenhouse gas emission mitigation (Monteiro et al 2024) and, consequently, provision of ecosystem services (Schmitt Filho et al 2023). These bene ts depend on the characteristics or application of each chosen tree or shrub resource.…”