Forage mass and stocking rate of elephant grass pastures managed under agroecological and conventional systems

AUTOR(ES)

Olivo, Clair Jorge, Agnolin, Carlos Alberto, Aguirre, Priscila Flôres, Bem, Cláudia Marques de, Araújo, Tiago Luís da Ros de, Diehl, Michelle Schalemberg, Meinerz, Gilmar Roberto

FONTE

R. Bras. Zootec.

DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2014-06

RESUMO

The objective was to evaluate elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) pastures, under the agroecological and conventional systems, as forage mass and stocking rate. In the agroecological system, the elephant grass was established in rows spaced by 3.0 m from each other. During the cool season ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) was established between these rows, which allowed the development of spontaneous growth species during the warm season. In the conventional system the elephant grass was established singularly in rows spaced 1.4 m from each other. Organic and chemical fertilizers were applied at 150 kg of N/ha/year with in the pastures under agroecological and conventional systems, respectively. Lactating Holstein cows which received 5.0 kg/day supplementary concentrate feed were used for evaluation. The experimental design was completely randomized, with two treatments (agroecological and conventional systems) two replications (paddocks) and independent evaluations (grazing cycles). The pastures were used during the whole year for the agroecological system and for 195 days in the conventional year. The average values of forage mass were 3.5 and 4.2 t/ha and the stocking rates were 2.08 and 3.23 AU/ha for the respective systems. The results suggest that the use of the elephant grass under the agroecological system allows for best distribution of forage and stocking rate to be more uniform throughout the year than the use of elephant grass in conventional system.

Documentos Relacionados

• Productivity and nutritive value of elephant grass pastures under organic and conventional production systems
• Dynamics of production and forage utilization on elephant grass pastures managed with different post-grazing heights
• Structural characteristics and forage mass of Tifton 85 pastures managed under three post-grazing residual leaf areas
• Avaliação de clones de capim-elefante manejados sob lotação rotacionada.
• Sward structure and livestock performance in guinea grass cv: Tanzania pastures managed by rotational stocking strategies