The Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia (RBZ) is a publication dedicated to the broad field of Animal Science. We publish high-quality, original scientific research that spans across diverse areas within the discipline. The scope of RBZ encompasses a wide range of topics, including aquaculture, biometeorology and animal welfare, forage crops and grasslands, animal and forage plants breeding and genetics, animal reproduction, ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition, meat science and muscle biology, precision livestock, and animal production systems and agribusiness.
The Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia (RBZ) is a publication dedicated to the broad field of Animal Science. We publish high-quality, original scientific research that spans across diverse areas within the discipline. The scope of RBZ encompasses a wide range of topics, including aquaculture, biometeorology and animal welfare, forage crops and grasslands, animal and forage plants breeding and genetics, animal reproduction, ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition, meat science and muscle biology, precision livestock, and animal production systems and agribusiness.
The Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia (RBZ) is a publication dedicated to the broad field of Animal Science. We publish high-quality, original scientific research that spans across diverse areas within the discipline. The scope of RBZ encompasses a wide range of topics, including aquaculture, biometeorology and animal welfare, forage crops and grasslands, animal and forage plants breeding and genetics, animal reproduction, ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition, meat science and muscle biology, precision livestock, and animal production systems and agribusiness.
Evaluation of intake and weight gain of steers in rotacional grazing of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.) cv. Napier, during the rainy season
The research was conducted in the experimental farm of the EPAMIG-Leopoldina, MG, to evaluate intake of elephantgrass, the effectiveness of limiting grazing time to four daily hours for keeping intake close to maintenance level, and the weight gain of thirty-six steers during five successive periods of thirty-six days, during the rainy season. The treatments were: free access to pasture (unlimited grazing) and restricted grazing. The availability of green dry matter varied from 4.0 to 7.8 kg/100kg LW. The average daily weight gain of animals with free access to pasture was 516.5 g and their dry matter intake corresponded to 1.61 times that from the restricted grazing ones. The estimated gain per hectare was 423.5 kg, which is within the range reported for elephantgrass in Brasil. Metabolizable energy intake, per unit metabolic size, remained stable in the first three periods and increased in the last two, during which the highest weight gains of the animals. Four daily hours grazing period ensured intake close to maintenance level.
Evaluation of intake and weight gain of steers in rotacional grazing of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.) cv. Napier, during the rainy season
Erbesdobler,Eleonora D'Avila and Fontes,Carlos Augusto de Alencar and Queiroz,Domingos Sávio and Vasquez,Hernan Maldonado and Silva,Manoel Messias Pereira da and Gesualdi,Ana Cristina Ladeira de Souza and Freitas,José Antônio de. Evaluation of intake and weight gain of steers in rotacional grazing of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.) cv. Napier, during the rainy season. R. Bras. Zootec. [online]. 2002, vol.31, 5, [cited 2026-03-10], pp.2123-2128. Available from: <https://rbz.org.br/article/evaluation-of-intake-and-weight-gain-of-steers-in-rotacional-grazing-of-elephantgrass-pennisetum-purpureum-schum-cv-napier-during-the-rainy-season/>. ISSN 1516-3598. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982002000800028.
Erbesdobler,Eleonora D'Avila; Fontes,Carlos Augusto de Alencar; Queiroz,Domingos Sávio; Vasquez,Hernan Maldonado; Silva,Manoel Messias Pereira da; Gesualdi,Ana Cristina Ladeira de Souza; Freitas,José Antônio de. Evaluation of intake and weight gain of steers in rotacional grazing of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.) cv. Napier, during the rainy season. R. Bras. Zootec., v.31, 5, p. 2123-2128. Sep. 2002. Available from: <https://rbz.org.br/article/evaluation-of-intake-and-weight-gain-of-steers-in-rotacional-grazing-of-elephantgrass-pennisetum-purpureum-schum-cv-napier-during-the-rainy-season/>. acess on 10 Mar. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982002000800028.
Erbesdobler,Eleonora D'Avila, & Fontes,Carlos Augusto de Alencar, & Queiroz,Domingos Sávio, & Vasquez,Hernan Maldonado, & Silva,Manoel Messias Pereira da, & Gesualdi,Ana Cristina Ladeira de Souza, & Freitas,José Antônio de. (2002). Evaluation of intake and weight gain of steers in rotacional grazing of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.) cv. Napier, during the rainy season. R. Bras. Zootec., 31(5) , 2123-2128. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982002000800028.
ErbesdoblerEleonora D'Avila, FontesCarlos Augusto de Alencar, QueirozDomingos Sávio, VasquezHernan Maldonado, SilvaManoel Messias Pereira da, GesualdiAna Cristina Ladeira de Souza, FreitasJosé Antônio de. Evaluation of intake and weight gain of steers in rotacional grazing of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.) cv. Napier, during the rainy season. R. Bras. Zootec. [Internet]. 2002 Sep [cited 2026 Mar 10]; 31(5): 2123-2128. Available from: https://rbz.org.br/article/evaluation-of-intake-and-weight-gain-of-steers-in-rotacional-grazing-of-elephantgrass-pennisetum-purpureum-schum-cv-napier-during-the-rainy-season/. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982002000800028.
Figure 3
Ruminal disappearance of ash-free neutral detergent fiber (aNDFom) at 30 h of in situ incubation in corn husks (fresh and ensiled) treated with calcium oxide (CaO) and a mixture of corn heavy steep water and sugarcane molasses (HM).
