Evaluation of forage production and performance of Nellore heifers in different grazing methods and supplementation as a strategy to mitigate methane emissions

Abstract

To my co-workers, who are now my friends, Ana, Murilo and Willian, you made the walk lighter, our moments were kept in my memory.To interns Bruna, Bárbara and Júlia for their immense help. The Master's scholarship granted by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) -process number: 2019 / 11429-4. Finally, I would like to thank everyone I have not mentioned, who directly or indirectly contributed to making this dream come true. RESUMO LELIS, A. L. J. Avaliação da produção de forragem e desempenho de novilhas Nelore em diferentes métodos de pastejo e suplementação como estratégia para mitigar as emissões de metano. 2021. 65 p. Dissertação (Mestrado) -

Performance evaluation, carcass, and meat quality of Nellore heifers in different grazing systems as a methane emission mitigation strategy

“…As expected, deferred stocking grazing was able to promote higher weight gain than rotational stocking in winter, probably due to greater forage availability (Table 3). Lelis (2021) evaluating the forage production of this same study, found a higher production of dry forage mass in winter for deferred stocking grazing, with this production being 11368 kg ha -1 vs. 5807.56 kg ha -1 in the rotational stocking grazing system. The greater availability of forage in the deferred stocking grazing system at that time possibly made the animals able to select more leaves, the place on the plant that has the highest concentration of protein.…”

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“…Since grazing is continuous and defoliation happens with no pause, even with the influence with the last rain of Summer, forage quality tends to pike down in Autumn, especially because in Autumn, as observed by Lelis (2021) there is greater proportion of steams in deferred pastures.…”

“…As seasons go by and forage achieve the mature stage its nutritional values tend to pike and then decrease because of increase in undigestible components, which may be a limiting factor in terms of animal performance, culminating in loss of weight gain and decrease in the overall ruminal energetic performance (Capstaff & Miller, 2018). As observed by Lelis (2021), grazing simulation on Urochloa brizantha cv Marandu pastures had lower CP (-8.45%) and higher lignin (+80.9%) concentrations on dry season as compared to the rainy season. The author also noticed that the in vitro digestibility of the dry matter (DM) of pastures during Winter were 13.3% lower than that observed on Summer.…”

“…Alternatives have been studied for growing beef cattle in tropical grazing systems as a tool to improve performance and mitigate negative effects of seasonality (Sene et al, 2019;Rodrigues et al, 2021;Andrade et al, 2022;Black et al, 2022). The intensification of the grazing systems, for instance, by pasture management (stockpiling or rotation) and adoption of supplementation are the most palatable tools to overcome the seasonality of the tropics and ensure ideal beef cattle production (Lelis, 2021).…”