Time to move beef cattle to a new paddock: forage quality and grazing behaviour

Autor(es)

De Oliveira, F. C. Leite ^[1] ; Sanchez, J. M. D. ^[2] ; Vendramini, J. M. B. ^[2] ; Lima, C. G. ^[3] ; Luz, P. H. C. ^[1] ; Rocha, C. O. ^[1] ; Pereira, L. E. T. ^[1] ; Herling, V. R. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Anim Sci & Food Engn FZEA, Dept Anim Sci, BR-13635900 Pirassununga, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Florida, Range Cattle Res & Educ Ctr, Ona, FL 33865 - USA

^[3] FZEA USP, Dept Basic Sci, BR-13635900 Pirassununga, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE; v. 156, n. 10, p. 1241-1250, DEC 2018.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Differences in forage nutritive value between morning and afternoon are related to patterns of dehydration and carbohydrate accumulation throughout the day. In this way, management strategies that maximize grazing time during the afternoon could increase forage nutritive value and consequently nutrient intake. The aim of the current experiment was to evaluate the effect of the time of day (06.00 h {[}designated AM] or 15.00 h {[}PM]) that cattle are moved to a new paddock on forage nutritive value, grazing behaviour and animal performance of beef cattle on rotationally stocked Marandu palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu Syn. Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu) pastures. A spring and summer study was conducted in Pirassununga, SP, Brazil from October 2012 to March 2013 (182 days). Treatments were distributed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Herbage mass, morphological composition, herbage allowance and stocking rates were similar between treatments during spring and summer. Moving animals to a new paddock, regardless of the time of day - 06.00 h (AM) or 15.00 h (PM) - stimulated grazing, modifying the distribution of meals throughout the day. However, compensatory mechanisms among grazing time, bite rate and forage nutritive value throughout the day operated in order to generate similar performance between animals offered a new paddock in the morning or in the afternoon. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 12/03121-0 - Efeitos da variação diurna do valor nutritivo do pasto e do momento de início da desfolha no desempenho animal
• Beneficiário: Fábio Cortez Leite de Oliveira
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 12/05912-5 - Efeitos da variação diurna do valor nutritivo do pasto e do momento de início da desfolha no desempenho animal
• Beneficiário: Valdo Rodrigues Herling
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular