Sward structure and forage intake rate of elephant grass cv. Napier subjected to strategies of intermittent stocking management
Eliana Vera Geremia A * , Adenilson José Paiva
B , Lilian Elgalise Techio Pereira C , Marília Barbosa Chiavegato D and Sila Carneiro da Silva E *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Cargill Animal Nutrition, CEP 99470-000 Não Me Toque, RS, Brazil.
B Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, BR465 Highway, Km 07, CEP 23890-000 Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
C Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (FZEA), University of São Paulo, Avenue Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, C.P. 23, CEP 13635-900 Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
D Department of Animal Science, College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1044, USA.
E Department of Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Avenue Pádua Dias, 11, CEP 13418-900 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
* Correspondence to: eliana_verageremia@cargill.com, siladasilva@usp.br
Handling Editor: Mary-Jane Rogers
Crop & Pasture Science 73(6) 692-703 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP21570
Submitted: 3 July 2021 Accepted: 22 December 2021 Published: 3 March 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Context: Grazing management strategies affect sward structure, changing patterns of foraging and intake, and consequently animal performance.
Aims: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between sward structure and forage intake rate by cattle grazing elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) cv. Napier subjected to strategies of rotational stocking management.
Methods: The experiment was conducted in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, from January 2011 to April 2012. Treatments corresponded to all combinations between two post-grazing conditions (post-grazing heights of 35 and 45 cm) and two pre-grazing conditions (95% and maximum canopy light interception during regrowth; LI). The response variables evaluated at both pre- and post-grazing conditions were: (1) vertical distribution of morphological components; (2) bite rate; (3) bite mass; (4) intake rate; and (5) forage nutritive value (morphological and chemical composition of oesophageal extrusa samples).
Key results: Bite mass was smaller and bite rate was greater for LI95% swards at pre- and post-grazing, resulting in greater rate of forage intake. The post-grazing height targets affected the morphological and the chemical composition of the forage consumed.
Conclusions: In general, pastures managed with targets LI95% (pre-grazing) and 45 cm (post-grazing height) resulted in greater leaf percentage and nutritive value of the consumed forage.
Implications: Adequate grazing management strategies allow for high residual leaf area in pastures, ensuring rapid recovery after grazing. For grazing elephant grass cv. Napier, this corresponded to the combination between the LI95% pre-grazing target and the 45 cm post-grazing height.
Keywords: canopy structures, forage utilization, grazing management, ingestive behaviour, light interception, morphological composition, nutritive value, Pennisetum purpureum.
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