Nutritive value, milk yield and greenhouse gas emissions in elephant grass cv. Cameroon subjected to strategies of rotational grazing by dairy cows

• Grant number: 16/22040-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: May 01, 2017 - April 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Pastures and Forage Crops
• Principal Investigator: Sila Carneiro da Silva
• Grantee: Sila Carneiro da Silva
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alexandre Berndt ; Camila Delveaux Araujo Batalha ; Flávio Augusto Portela Santos ; Guilhermo Francklin de Souza Congio ; Marilia Barbosa Chiavegato ; Patrícia Perondi Anchão Oliveira ; Rosa Toyoko Shiraishi Frighetto

Abstract

The utilization of pastures is known as an important piece of Brazilian animal production systems. However, the low efficiency of grazing management places Brazil as a great contributor of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Production of high quality forage, through increased soluble carbohydrate levels or digestibility, is considered an alternative to reduce emissions of enteric methane (CH4). Grazing management has been considered the most viable option to achieve production systems that could contribute to climate change mitigation and increase productivity. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of different rotational grazing strategies of elephant grass cv. Cameroon on animal productivity and performance and emissions of enteric CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2O) from pasture soils. The study is divided into two experiments. The objective of experiment 1 is to assess the effects of two grazing strategies (grazing target of 95% and maximum light interception during regrowth; LI) on milk yield and quality, enteric CH4 and N2O emissions and animal performance. Experiment 2 will evaluate the effects of time of day (morning or afternoon) on forage quality and its consequences for milk production and quality, enteric CH4 and N2O emissions, and animal performance, when the most adequate grazing strategy found on experiment 1 is implemented. The most important result of this study is the identification of appropriate grazing strategies (95% or maximum LI), and time of day of pasture allowance (morning or afternoon) that can contribute to mitigation of climate change. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CONGIO, GUILHERMO F. S.; BATALHA, CAMILA D. A.; CHIAVEGATO, MARILIA B.; BERNDT, ALEXANDRE; OLIVEIRA, PATRICIA P. A.; FRIGHETTO, ROSA T. S.; MAXWELL, THOMAS M. R.; GREGORINI, PABLO; DA SILVA, SILA C.. Strategic grazing management towards sustainable intensification at tropical pasture-based dairy systems. Science of The Total Environment, v. 636, p. 872-880, SEP 15 2018. (14/20182-9, 16/22040-2)

ARAUJO BATALHA, CAMILA DELVEAUX; SOUZA CONGIO, GUILHERMO FRANCKLIN DE; PORTELA SANTOS, FLAVIO AUGUSTO; DA SILVA, SILA CARNEIRO. Strategic grazing management decreases nitrogen excretion intensity of dairy cows. Scientia Agricola, v. 79, n. 2, 2022. (16/22040-2)

ARAUJO BATALHA, CAMILA DELVEAUX; DE SOUZA CONGIO, GUILHERMO FRANKLIN; CHIAVEGATO, MARILIA BARBOSA; BERNDT, ALEXANDRE; SHIRAISHI FRIGHETTO, ROSA TOYOKO; PORTELA SANTOS, FLAVIO AUGUSTO; DA SILVA, SILA CARNEIRO. Effect of timing of paddock allocation in tropical grass on performance, nitrogen excretion, and enteric methane emissions from dairy cows. ANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, v. 93, n. 1, p. 9-pg., 2022-01-01. (16/22040-2, 14/20182-9)

CONGIO, GUILHERMO F. S.; CHIAVEGATO, MARILIA B.; BATALHA, CAMILA D. A.; OLIVEIRA, PATRICIA P. A.; MAXWELL, THOMAS M. R.; GREGORINI, PABLO; DA SILVA, SILA C.. Strategic grazing management and nitrous oxide fluxes from pasture soils in tropical dairy systems. Science of The Total Environment, v. 676, p. 493-500, AUG 1 2019. (14/20182-9, 16/22040-2)