Low-Intensity, High-Frequency Grazing Strategy Increases Herbage Production and Beef Cattle Performance on Sorghum Pastures.

We assessed the effects of high-intensity and low-frequency (HILF) vs. low-intensity and high-frequency (LIHF) grazing on herbage production and performance of beef cattle grazing sorghum pastures. The experimental design was a complete randomized block with two treatments and four replicates (paddocks), carried out in 2014/15. The management target of 50 and 30 cm for pre- and post-grazing, respectively, a LIHF grazing management strategy oriented to maximize beef cattle herbage intake per unit time, was compared with a HILF grazing management strategy of 80 and 20 cm for pre- and post-grazing, respectively, aiming to maximize herbage accumulation and harvest efficiency. Sixteen Brangus steers of 15-month-old and 265 ± 21 kg of live weight (LW) were randomly distributed to paddocks (experimental units). The LIHF resulted in shorter rest periods when compared with the HILF. The greater leaf lamina mass in LIHF allowed greater sward light interception at post-grazing, resulting in greater total herbage production than HILF (7581 and 4154 kg DM/ha, respectively). The average daily gain (ADG) of steers was greater for the LIHF than for the HILF treatment (0.950 and 0.702 kg/animal, respectively); however, even with a greater stocking rate in the HILF, there was no difference for LW gain per ha, with an average of 4 kg LW/ha/day. Our findings demonstrated that the LIHF strategy that is based on offering to the animals an optimal sward structure to favor the maximum herbage intake rate fosters greater herbage production, harvesting efficiency, and ADG without compromising LW gain per area of beef steers, despite the lower herbage harvested per stocking cycle.

Tall fescue sward structure affects the grazing process of sheep.

The study of factors influencing animal intake can provide a better understanding of the dynamics of the pasture ecosystem and serve as a basis for managing livestock in a more efficient way. We measured different sward surface heights of tall fescue in the process of short-term intake rate of sheep. There was a significant effect of sward surface height on herbage mass (P < 0.001), leaf lamina mass (P < 0.001), other species mass (P = 0.02), bite mass (P = 0.01) and short-term intake rate (P = 0.03) of sheep. There was a quadratic fit between time per bite and bite mass (P = 0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that the short-term intake rate and bite mass were positively correlated (r = 0.97), bite rate and total jaw movement rate were positively correlated but both were negatively correlated with time per bite. The sward surface height of tall fescue corresponding to the maximum short-term herbage intake rate was 22.3 cm. The underlying processes were driven by the bite mass, which was influenced by the leaf lamina bulk density and its consequences upon time per bite. This sward surface height can be adopted as a pre-grazing target for rotational stocking systems to optimize sheep nutrition on pastures.

Interferência de plantas daninhas no estabelecimento do trevo branco como cultura forrageira / Interference of weeds in the establishment of white clover as forage crop

A interferência das plantas daninhas é um dos principais fatores que influencia no estabelecimento das pastagens e, dentro das pastagens, o trevo branco é uma importante Fabaceae utilizada na alimentação animal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar os períodos de interferência das plantas daninhas sobre o trevo branco, o qual foi submetido a períodos de convivência e de controle do mato. Foram realizados levantamentos fitossociológicos em cada período de convivência da cultura com a comunidade infestante e aos 119 dias para os períodos de controle de convívio. Os dados de produção de matéria seca de trevo branco foram ajustados ao modelo de regressão não linear sigmoidal de Boltzmann, adotando-se um nível de redução da produtividade de 5%. Os resultados revelaram que o período anterior à interferência (PAI) foi de 20 dias após a emergência (DAE), o período total, de prevenção à interferência, foi 82DAE e o período crítico, de prevenção à interferência, foi de 62 dias. As perdas de produtividade por matocompetição podem chegar a 96%, sendo necessário o controle das plantas daninhas aos 20DAE, prolongando-se até aos 62DAE.

Interference of weeds is a major factor influencing the establishment of pastures and rangeland in the white clover is an important Fabaceae used in animal feed. The objective of this study was to determine the periods of weed interference on the white clover, which was subjected to periods living and weed control. Phytosociological surveys were conducted in each period of coexistence of culture with weeds and 119 days for the control periods of conviviality. Data on dry matter production of white clover were adjusted to model nonlinear regression sigmoidal Boltzmann, adopting a tolerance level of yield reduction of 5%. The results revealed that the period before interference was 20 days after emergence (DAE), the total period of interference prevention was 82DAE and the critical period of interference prevention were 62 days. Productivity losses by weed competition can reach 96%, requiring weed control at 20DAE, extending up to 62DAE.