Daily Forage Intake by Cattle on Natural Grassland: Response to Forage Allowance and Sward Structure

Trindade, Júlio Kuhn da; Neves, Fábio Pereira; Pinto, Cassiano Eduardo; Bremm, Carolina; Mezzalira, J. C.; Nadin, Laura; Genro, T. C. M.; Gonda, Horacio Leandro; Carvalho, P. C. F.

doi:10.1016/j.rama.2015.10.002

Cited by 44 publications

(41 citation statements)

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“…Because of vertical heterogeneity in plant‐part composition, when the canopy is grazed down there is generally a decrease in leaf proportion and an increase in stem and dead material proportions (Euclides et al., 2016; Silveira et al., 2016). These changes affect herbage nutritive value and animal performance (Trindade et al., 2016), indicating that grazing management decisions should consider the plant‐part components and their impact on forage nutritive value. Likewise, in the current study, nutritive value differed greatly from the upper to the lower stratum due to changes in the proportions of plant‐part components.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Herbage responses of Tamani and Quênia guineagrasses to grazing intensity

et al. 2020

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New forage cultivars require defoliation studies for recommending proper grazing management. Our objective was to characterize herbage accumulation (HA), plantpart composition and nutritive value of guineagrass [Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B. K. Simon & S. W. L. Jacobs] rotationally stocked under two grazing intensities. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three replicates of a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of two guineagrass cultivars ('BRS Quênia' and 'BRS Tamani') and two grazing intensities. Heavy (HGI) and lax (LGI) grazing intensities were imposed as post-grazing stubble heights: 15 and 25 cm for Tamani, and 20 and 35 cm for Quênia, respectively. The experimental period was from -grazing HM was sampled as two strata above the stubble height, each comprising 50% of the sampled height (upper and lower stratum). Total herbage accumulation was similar across years, cultivars, and intensities (16,810 kg DM ha −1 ). Quênia and Tamani had the greatest HA during summer. The leaf proportion was least in the HGI pastures. Under HGI, the lower stratum of both cultivars had the greatest stem proportion and the least nutritive value. The greatest herbage CP concentration and the least NDF, ADF, iNDF and LIG concentrations occurred in the upper stratum. Based on these results, 35 and 55 cm are recommended as target heights for initiation of grazing, and 25 and 35 cm as post-grazing stubble heights for Tamani and Quênia, respectively.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Herbage responses of Tamani and Quênia guineagrasses to grazing intensity

et al. 2020

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“…Fifteen‐month‐old Angus‐Hereford crossbreed (Bos taurus taurus) and Nellore (Bos taurus indicus) heifers (196 ± 4 kg body weight) were used. A detailed description of this protocol is provided in Da Trindade et al () (our study was conducted in only two treatments from that protocol). The treatments consisted of two forage allowances resulting in two contrasting grazing intensities: (1) severe grazing intensity, in which 4% (kg forage dry matter per 100 kg of animal's body weight per day) were assigned throughout the year and (2) moderate grazing intensity, in which 8% and then 12% were assigned during spring and the rest of the year, respectively.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Major advances have occurred in the recent years in understanding the plant–animal relationships at Campos biome (Carvalho et al ; Nabinger et al ; Cruz et al ; Da Trindade et al , ; Jaurena et al ). These works showed the benefits of moderate grazing intensity on plant diversity, functional types composition, pasture productivity, and animal performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporary grazing exclusion promotes rapid recovery of species richness and productivity in a long‐term overgrazed Campos grassland

Fedrigo

Ataíde

Filho

et al. 2017

Restoration Ecology

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Moderate grazing intensity is considered the basic requirement to enhance ecosystem function in grasslands. Yet, deterioration by overgrazing is common in many biomes, including Campos grasslands in South America. Understanding how grazing management can lead to recovery of ecosystem function is essential to design and implement effective strategies for sustainable use of this resource. In a long‐term field experiment carried out in Southern Brazil, we studied the effects of temporal grazing exclusions (spring or fall) at moderate and severe livestock grazing intensities (maintained by adjusting contrasting forage allowances) on the species richness, botanical composition, forage mass, sward height, and photosynthetic active radiation intercepted. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with three replications of grazing exclusions, applied simultaneously at moderate and severe grazing intensities. Moderate grazing intensity showed a bimodal structure of shorter and taller canopies, and high species richness. Severe grazing created a shorter and homogeneous sward structure characterized by less standing biomass and species loss. In response to grazing exclusions, sward height, standing biomass, and light interception recovered almost to the levels of moderate grazing. Further, within 2 years grass species richness increased and botanical composition changed toward grasses with erect habit prevailing in moderate grazing intensity. Our study confirms that (1) moderate grazing intensities allow the coexistence of high number of species and (2) spring grazing exclusions of long‐term overgrazed grasslands can lead to a quick start to recover the grass species richness, primary productivity, and species composition like that prevailing in well‐managed grasslands.

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“…On the other hand, we observed a typical response of declining in body weight and average daily gain during the breeding season for animals grazing native pastures where forage amount and quality are lower than in cultivated and improved pastures. Lower stocking rates allow animals to select better-quality diets, while higher stocking rates reduce vegetation abundance, constraining daily intake (Da Trindade et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct and indirect nutritional factors that determine reproductive performance of heifer and primiparous cows

Eloy

Bremm

Lobato

et al. 2020

Preprint

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23Pregnancy rate is a major determinant of population dynamics of wild ungulates 24 and of productivity of livestock systems. Allocation of feeding resources, including 25 stocking rates, prior to and during the breeding season is a crucial determinant of this vital 26 rate. Thus, quantification of effects and interaction among multiple factors that affect 27 pregnancy rate is essential for management and conservation of pasture-based systems. 28 Pregnancy rate of 2982 heifers and primiparous cows was studied as a function of animal 29 category, average daily gain during the breeding season, stocking rate, pasture type and 30 body weight at the beginning of the breeding season. Data were obtained from 43 31 experiments conducted in commercial ranches and research stations in the Pampas region 32 between 1976 and 2015. Stocking rate ranged from 200 to 464 kg live weight/ha, which 33 brackets values for most of the grazinglands in similar regions. Age at breeding was 14-34 36 months (24.6 ± 7.5 months); initial breeding weights were 129-506 kg and 194-570 35 kg for heifers and primiparous cows. Pregnancy rate was modeled with an apriori set of 36 explanatory variables where proximate variables (breed, body weight at start of breeding, 37 weight gain during breeding and category) were included first and subsequently modeled 38 as functions of other variables (pasture type, supplementation and stocking rate). This 39 modeling approach allowed detection of direct and indirect effects (through nutrition and 40 body weight) of factors that affect pregnancy rate. Taurine (Bos taurus breeds, N = 1058) 41 had higher pregnancy rate than B. Taurus x B. indicus crossbreed (N = 1924) females.42Pregnancy rate of heifers and primiparous cows grazing in natural grasslands decreased 43 with increasing stocking rate, but no effect of stocking rate was detected in cultivated and 44 improved pastures. Pregnancy rate increased with increasing average daily gain during 45 the breeding season. Use of cultivated or improved natural pastures promotes higher 3 46 pregnancy rate, as well as allows higher in stocking rate at the regional level. Body weight 47 at the start of the breeding season is the primary determinant of pregnancy rates in heifer 48 and primiparous cows. 49 50 4 70changes in economic and technological factors that affect productivity (IBGE 2020). Low 71 pregnancy rates prevent full development of the livestock sector in many regions of the 72 world, and it may be associated with poor pasture management, overstocking and lack of 73 differential nutritional management for animal categories with different requirements. 74Stocking rate is considered the most important decision in grazing management because 75 it affects the forage base, herbage allowance, intake and animal performance 76 (Sollenberger, Agouridis, Vanzant, Franzluebbers & Owens 2012). Nutritional limitation 77 during periods of high requirement can compromise development and delay puberty of 78 heifers, as well as inhibit ovulation of cows (Rocha & Lobat...

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Daily Forage Intake by Cattle on Natural Grassland: Response to Forage Allowance and Sward Structure

Cited by 44 publications

References 41 publications

Herbage responses of Tamani and Quênia guineagrasses to grazing intensity

Herbage responses of Tamani and Quênia guineagrasses to grazing intensity

Temporary grazing exclusion promotes rapid recovery of species richness and productivity in a long‐term overgrazed Campos grassland

Direct and indirect nutritional factors that determine reproductive performance of heifer and primiparous cows

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