Growth performance and carcass traits of steers finished on three different systems including legume-grass pasture and grain diets.

Inclusion of legume in grass pastures optimizes protein values of the forage and promotes improved digestibility. Therefore, we hypothesized that finishing steers on a novel combination of legumes and grass pasture would produce carcasses with acceptable traits when compared to carcasses from steers finished in feedlot systems. In this study, we evaluated the effects of finishing steers on three systems including: grazing legume-grass pasture containing oats, ryegrass, white and red clover (PAST), grazing PAST plus supplementation with whole corn grain (14 g/kg BW (SUPP)), and on a feedlot-confined system with concentrate only (28 g/kg BW, consisting of 850 g/kg of whole corn grain and 150 g/kg of protein-mineral-vitamin supplement (GRAIN)) on growth performance of steers, carcass traits and digestive disorders. Eighteen steers were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments and finished for 91 days. Data regarding pasture and growth performance were collected during three different periods (0 to 28, 29 to 56 and 57 to 91 days). Subsequently, steers were harvested to evaluate carcass traits, presence of rumenitis, abomasitis and liver abscesses. The legume-grass pasture provided more than 19% dry matter of protein. In addition, pasture of paddocks where steers were assigned to SUPP and PAST treatments showed similar nutritional quality. When compared to PAST, finishing on SUPP increased total weight gain per hectare, stocking rate, daily and total weight gains. The increase of weight gain was high to GRAIN than SUPP and PAST. Steers finished on GRAIN had high hot carcass weight, fat thickness and marbling score when compared to PAST. However, these attributes did not differ between GRAIN and SUPP. Abomasum lesions were more prevalent in steers finished on GRAIN when compared to PAST. Results of this research showed that it is possible to produce carcasses with desirable market weight and fat thickness by finishing steers on legume-grass pasture containing oats, ryegrass, white and red clover. Moreover, supplementing steers with corn when grazing on legume-grass pasture produced similar carcass traits when compared to beef fed corn only.

Composição química da forragem e do ensilado de azevém anual em função de diferentes tempos de secagem e estádios fenológicos / Chemical composition of annual ryegrass forage and silage for different drying times and phenological phases

O objetivo do presente estudo foi determinar como o tempo de secagem e o estádio fenológico da planta influenciam na composição química e qualidade da silagem de azevém (Lolium multiflorum, Lam.). O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso, com seis tratamentos (vegetativo: cortar e ensilar; cortar + pré-secagem de 4 horas e ensilar; cortar + pré-secagem de 7 horas e ensilar; pré-florescimento: ensilagem, cortar e ensilar e pré-secagem de 4 horas; florescimento: cortar e ensilar) e quatro repetições, com quatro meses de conservação da silagem. Foram determinados: desaparecimento de massa após o corte, rendimento de massa seca, proteína bruta e frações fibrosas. Além disso, foram determinados na silagem: pH, lipídios totais, nitrogênio insolúvel em detergente neutro e ácido. O manejo empregado auxilia na desidratação da forragem, com perda na quantidade de nitrogênio no vegetativo. No pré-florescimento, essa perda não ocorre. O avanço do ciclo da forrageira ocasiona diminuição na quantidade de nutrientes na biomassa, entretanto a produção de forragem é aumentada. A silagem apresentou composição bromatológica semelhante à observada na massa verde de azevém, o que demonstra a eficiência do método de conservação. A ensilagem em estádios mais avançados é aconselhada quando se busca maior quantidade de biomassa ensilada, porém com qualidade inferior.(AU)

The aim was how to define the effect of pre-drying time and the plant phase's influence on chemical composition and quality of ryegrass silage. The experimental design was randomized blocks with six treatments (Vegetative: Cut and ensiled; cut + pre-drying 4 hours and ensiled and; cut + pre-drying of 7 hours and ensiled; Pre-flowering: Silage cutting and ensiled and pre-drying 4 hours Flowering:. cut and ensiled) and four repetitions. The silage was stowed for four months. It were determined the mass disappearance after cutting, dry matter yield, crude protein and fiber fractions. Moreover, it was determined on silage pH, total lipids and insoluble protein content. The management used aids in dehydration of fodder, resulting in losses on the amount of nitrogen on vegetative phase. For pre-flowering, this loss has not occur. The advance of fodder cycle causes a decrease in the amount of nutrients in biomass, but fodder yield increased. Ryegrass silage presented chemical composition similar to that observed on green mass of ryegrass, evinced the efficiency of fodder conservation method. The silage in more advanced phases is advised when seeking greater amount of ensiled biomass, but lower quality.(AU)

Utilização da biomassa remanescente de pastagens de estação fria para produção de forragem conservada / Use of remaining biomass of cold season pastures for conserved forage production

Esta pesquisa foi conduzida com o objetivo de avaliar a utilização da biomassa remanescente de pastagens de estação fria para produção de silagem e feno. As espécies testadas foram: aveia preta cv. Agro Zebu, azevém anual cv. Comum e trigo cv. BRS Tarumã. As forrageiras foram pastejadas por vacas em lactação da raça Holandesa, sob método de pastejo de lotação rotacionada. A silagem e o feno foram elaborados da biomassa remanescente das pastagens, 20 dias após o final do período de pastejo. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente ao acaso, em arranjo fatorial 3x2, com três repetições. Foram avaliados o rendimento de forragem, a composição botânica e a estrutural da forragem conservada, os parâmetros fermentativos da silagem e o valor nutritivo da silagem e do feno. O rendimento de forragem foi similar entre as espécies, e o material ensilado apresentou pequenos percentuais de lâminas foliares e grãos. A silagem apresentou características fermentativas desejáveis. A ensilagem apresentou menores perdas de componentes solúveis e proporcionou uma forragem com valor nutritivo mais elevado em relação à fenação, sendo a forma mais indicada para conservar a biomassa remanescente de pastagens de estação fria.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the use of cool season pastures' remaining biomass as conserved forage. The tested species were: Agro Zebu black oat, Common ryegrass and BRS Tarumã wheat. The pastures were grazed by Holstein dairy cows, in the rotating stocking grazing method. Hay and silage were done from the stubble of pasture, twenty days after the end of the grazing period. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 3 x 2 factorial scheme, with tree replicates. Forage yield, structural and botanical composition of preserved forage, fermentative parameters and nutritive value of silage and hay were evaluated. Forage yield was similar among species, and ensiled material has small percentuals of leaf blades and grains. The silage presents desirables fermentation parameters. The silage had lower losses of soluble components, provides forage with a higher nutritional value compared to hay, and is the most appropriate way to conserve cool season remaining biomass.