Effect of nitrogen application rate on yield, forage quality, and animal performance in a tropical pasture

Autor(es)

Delevatti, Lutti M. ^[1] ; Cardoso, Abmael S. ^[1] ; Barbero, Rondineli P. ^[2] ; Leite, Rhaony G. ^[1] ; Romanzini, Elieder P. ^[3] ; Ruggieri, Ana C. ^[1] ; Reis, Ricardo A. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zootecnia, Fac Ciencias Agr & Vet, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP - Brazil

^[2] UFRRJ Univ Fed Rural Rio de Janeiro, Dept Prod Anim, Inst Zootecnia, BR-23897000 Seropedica, RJ - Brazil

^[3] UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Ciencias Exatas, Fac Ciencias Agr & Vet, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 9, MAY 20 2019.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

A three-year-long field experiment was conducted in a continuous grazing system with a variable stocking rate to evaluate effects of increasing nitrogen levels in Marandu grass (Brachiaria brizantha Hochst ex A. Rich Stapf ``marandu{''}) on herbage mass, forage accumulation rate (FAR), forage quality, stocking rate (SR), average daily gain (ADG), gain per hectare (GPH), and gain per kg of applied N. The experimental design was completely randomized with four treatments (control without application of N, and 90, 180, and 270 kg N ha(-1) year(-1)) and three replicates (paddocks per treatment); nitrogen was applied in the form of urea. Herbage mass, crude protein (CP), FAR, SR, GPH, and the nitrogen nutrition index increased with increasing nitrogen level (P < 0.05), whereas the neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre, and nitrogen usage efficiency decreased with increasing nitrogen level (P < 0.01). Crude protein was higher than 12% and NDF lower than 60% in all treatments. Nitrogen application rate affected ADG (P < 0.05) but did not fit any equation. The highest ADG was 90 kg N ha(-1 )year(-1) (985 g animal(-1) day(-1)). Increasing the nitrogen level is a promising way to improve Marandu grass production, nutritive value, and animal production. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/11274-5 - Decomposição de serrapilheira e emissão de gases de efeito estufa em pastos de Brachiaria adubados com doses crescentes de nitrogênio
• Beneficiário: Abmael da Silva Cardoso
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 15/16631-5 - Estratégias de manejo para redução de impactos ambientais em sistemas de produção de bovinos de corte
• Beneficiário: Ricardo Andrade Reis
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa de Pesquisa sobre Mudanças Climáticas Globais - Temático