ABSTRACT This study was performed to identify the ideal amount of concentrate required for a diet based on cactus cladodes, sugarcane, and urea used to feed heifers. Twenty Girolando heifers (160±8.39 kg) were randomly distributed into four experimental treatments with 0, 0.40, 0.80, or 1.20 kg day−1 of concentrate. The basal diet contained [on dry matter (DM) basis] 38.1% sugarcane, 56.5% cactus cladodes [ Opuntia stricta (Haw). Haw.], 0.5% common salt, 1.1% mineral mixture, and 3.8% urea plus ammonium sulfate. […]

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate milk production and ingestive behavior of Holstein cows and the structural characteristics of Mulato II, a hybrid Brachiaria grass CIAT 36087 (B. ruziziensis × B. decumbens × B. brizantha), and Marandu (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) pastures under rotational stocking. The experiment was conducted from December 2011 to April 2012 after 10 months of adaptation to the grazing management objectives (25 cm pre-grazing height and 15-20 cm post-grazing height). An area of […]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the inclusion of Fabaceae Flemingia macrophylla (Willd.) Kuntze ex Merr. in the diet of lactating dairy goats arranged in a 5 × 5 Latin square. The diets were composed of 40% of concentrate and 60% of roughage, and the dietary treatments were defined by the level of Flemingia hay inclusion (0%, 8%, 16%, 24%, and 32% in the diet dry matter) replacing Cynodon dactyloncv. Tifton 85 hay. The diets were isonitrogenous, with […]

This paper aims to discuss the scientific progress obtained in the past ten years in genetics and plant breeding, soil fertility and plant nutrition and the importance of target sward conditions for planning, controlling and recommending management grazing of tropical grasses. In addition, progress in crop-livestock integration systems and management alternatives for mitigation of greenhouse gas emission by beef cattle production systems, two very important areas related to sustainable production systems, will also be discussed.

The effects of protein supplementation on degradability of dry mattter (DM), crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were evaluated in beef cattle grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv Marandu. It was used four Nelore steers (395 ± 9 kg) fitted with ruminal cannula to evaluate kinetics and degradability of the liquid phase and of the particles. Forage samples were collected in other two steers with esophageal cannula. Supplements with 50, 40, and 30% of crude […]

An nutritional analysis of stargrass cv. Africana fed dairy cattle under rotational grazing was evaluated in this research. Ten Holstein-Zebu crossbred cows were managed in 2 ha covered with the grass and divided in 11 paddocks /ha with three grazing days 30 days of resting period. During the experimental period the animals were milked twice a day for 16 days and were feed two kg of concentrate. Representative samples of the pasture consumed (extrusa) were taken and determined the nutritional […]

Qualitative assessment of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum. cv. Napier) and mombaçagrass (Panicum maximum, cv. Mombaça) pastures under rotational stocking was performed using the esophageal extrusa technique. Samples of esophageal extrusa were taken at the third, second and first days of the grazing period. The following analyses were determined: DM, CP, EE, OM, lignin (LIG), NDF, ADF, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), lag time and degradation rate of carbohydrates, and fractions of the carbohydrates and nitrogenous compounds. The average composition […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate weight gain of beef steers grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu and receiving one out of three different supplementation strategies during the rainy season of 2003 and the dry and rainy seasons of 2004. Twenty-four crossbreed steers averaging 230 kg of initial body weight were assigned to one of the following supplementation strategies: daily supplementation (DS), supplementation in alternated days (AD), or supplementation from Monday to Friday (MF) in a completely randomized design […]

The objective this work was to evaluate the effect of protein supplements with three degradability levels (high-70%, medium-50% and low-30%) at three levels (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kg/day) on the ruminal pH, N-NH3 and DM, CP, NDF degradability of forage fed steers grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv. Maradu, during the dry season. The experiment design was a randomized complete block with three replications (grazing periods) and the supplement treatments were arranged in a factorial 3×3. Ten rumen-fistuled steers with 354 kg […]

The purpose of this work was to characterize morphologically seventeen previously selected pigeon-pea lines that went, after selection, through processes of self pollination, selection and multiplication, to obtain pure lines. It also had the objectives of checking the efficiency of the descriptors and describing its vegetative cycle. It was possible to perform the description and to conclude that the seventeen lines have distinct characteristics and can easily be identified by these traits. The used descriptors could properly perform this task […]