Low-Intensity, High-Frequency Grazing Strategy Increases Herbage Production and Beef Cattle Performance on Sorghum Pastures
We assessed the effects of high-intensity and low-frequency (HILF) vs. low-intensity and high-frequency (LIHF) grazing on herbage production and performance of beef cattle grazing sorghum pastures. The experimental design was a complete randomized block with two treatments and four replicates (paddo...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/1/13 |
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| author | Thales Baggio Portugal Leonardo Silvestri Szymczak Anibal de Moraes Lidiane Fonseca Jean Carlos Mezzalira Jean Víctor Savian Angel Sánchez Zubieta Carolina Bremm Paulo César de Faccio Carvalho Alda Lúcia Gomes Monteiro |
| author_facet | Thales Baggio Portugal Leonardo Silvestri Szymczak Anibal de Moraes Lidiane Fonseca Jean Carlos Mezzalira Jean Víctor Savian Angel Sánchez Zubieta Carolina Bremm Paulo César de Faccio Carvalho Alda Lúcia Gomes Monteiro |
| author_sort | Thales Baggio Portugal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We assessed the effects of high-intensity and low-frequency (HILF) vs. low-intensity and high-frequency (LIHF) grazing on herbage production and performance of beef cattle grazing sorghum pastures. The experimental design was a complete randomized block with two treatments and four replicates (paddocks), carried out in 2014/15. The management target of 50 and 30 cm for pre- and post-grazing, respectively, a LIHF grazing management strategy oriented to maximize beef cattle herbage intake per unit time, was compared with a HILF grazing management strategy of 80 and 20 cm for pre- and post-grazing, respectively, aiming to maximize herbage accumulation and harvest efficiency. Sixteen Brangus steers of 15-month-old and 265 ± 21 kg of live weight (LW) were randomly distributed to paddocks (experimental units). The LIHF resulted in shorter rest periods when compared with the HILF. The greater leaf lamina mass in LIHF allowed greater sward light interception at post-grazing, resulting in greater total herbage production than HILF (7581 and 4154 kg DM/ha, respectively). The average daily gain (ADG) of steers was greater for the LIHF than for the HILF treatment (0.950 and 0.702 kg/animal, respectively); however, even with a greater stocking rate in the HILF, there was no difference for LW gain per ha, with an average of 4 kg LW/ha/day. Our findings demonstrated that the LIHF strategy that is based on offering to the animals an optimal sward structure to favor the maximum herbage intake rate fosters greater herbage production, harvesting efficiency, and ADG without compromising LW gain per area of beef steers, despite the lower herbage harvested per stocking cycle. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:52:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8c82fddddaa242bcaca4aecfb6272fd6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:52:19Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-8c82fddddaa242bcaca4aecfb6272fd62023-11-23T11:04:25ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-12-011211310.3390/ani12010013Low-Intensity, High-Frequency Grazing Strategy Increases Herbage Production and Beef Cattle Performance on Sorghum PasturesThales Baggio Portugal0Leonardo Silvestri Szymczak1Anibal de Moraes2Lidiane Fonseca3Jean Carlos Mezzalira4Jean Víctor Savian5Angel Sánchez Zubieta6Carolina Bremm7Paulo César de Faccio Carvalho8Alda Lúcia Gomes Monteiro9Department of Crop Production and Protection, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 80035-050, BrazilDepartment of Crop Production and Protection, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 80035-050, BrazilDepartment of Crop Production and Protection, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 80035-050, BrazilCONSIPA—Consulting on Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems, Ponta Grossa 84015-500, BrazilCONSIPA—Consulting on Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems, Ponta Grossa 84015-500, BrazilPrograma Pasturas y Forrajes, Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA), Estación Experimental INIA Treinta y Tres, Ruta 8 km 281, Treinta y Tres 33000, UruguayGrazing Ecology Research Group, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91540-000, BrazilGrazing Ecology Research Group, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91540-000, BrazilGrazing Ecology Research Group, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91540-000, BrazilDepartment of Crop Production and Protection, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 80035-050, BrazilWe assessed the effects of high-intensity and low-frequency (HILF) vs. low-intensity and high-frequency (LIHF) grazing on herbage production and performance of beef cattle grazing sorghum pastures. The experimental design was a complete randomized block with two treatments and four replicates (paddocks), carried out in 2014/15. The management target of 50 and 30 cm for pre- and post-grazing, respectively, a LIHF grazing management strategy oriented to maximize beef cattle herbage intake per unit time, was compared with a HILF grazing management strategy of 80 and 20 cm for pre- and post-grazing, respectively, aiming to maximize herbage accumulation and harvest efficiency. Sixteen Brangus steers of 15-month-old and 265 ± 21 kg of live weight (LW) were randomly distributed to paddocks (experimental units). The LIHF resulted in shorter rest periods when compared with the HILF. The greater leaf lamina mass in LIHF allowed greater sward light interception at post-grazing, resulting in greater total herbage production than HILF (7581 and 4154 kg DM/ha, respectively). The average daily gain (ADG) of steers was greater for the LIHF than for the HILF treatment (0.950 and 0.702 kg/animal, respectively); however, even with a greater stocking rate in the HILF, there was no difference for LW gain per ha, with an average of 4 kg LW/ha/day. Our findings demonstrated that the LIHF strategy that is based on offering to the animals an optimal sward structure to favor the maximum herbage intake rate fosters greater herbage production, harvesting efficiency, and ADG without compromising LW gain per area of beef steers, despite the lower herbage harvested per stocking cycle.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/1/13optimal sward structuregrazing managementrotational stockingsward defoliation |
| spellingShingle | Thales Baggio Portugal Leonardo Silvestri Szymczak Anibal de Moraes Lidiane Fonseca Jean Carlos Mezzalira Jean Víctor Savian Angel Sánchez Zubieta Carolina Bremm Paulo César de Faccio Carvalho Alda Lúcia Gomes Monteiro Low-Intensity, High-Frequency Grazing Strategy Increases Herbage Production and Beef Cattle Performance on Sorghum Pastures Animals optimal sward structure grazing management rotational stocking sward defoliation |
| title | Low-Intensity, High-Frequency Grazing Strategy Increases Herbage Production and Beef Cattle Performance on Sorghum Pastures |
| title_full | Low-Intensity, High-Frequency Grazing Strategy Increases Herbage Production and Beef Cattle Performance on Sorghum Pastures |
| title_fullStr | Low-Intensity, High-Frequency Grazing Strategy Increases Herbage Production and Beef Cattle Performance on Sorghum Pastures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low-Intensity, High-Frequency Grazing Strategy Increases Herbage Production and Beef Cattle Performance on Sorghum Pastures |
| title_short | Low-Intensity, High-Frequency Grazing Strategy Increases Herbage Production and Beef Cattle Performance on Sorghum Pastures |
| title_sort | low intensity high frequency grazing strategy increases herbage production and beef cattle performance on sorghum pastures |
| topic | optimal sward structure grazing management rotational stocking sward defoliation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/1/13 |
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