Defoliation heights for palisade grass cv. Marandu in silvopastoral system / [Alturas de desfolhação para capim-marandu em sistema silvipastoril]

The objective was to test the response of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu in monoculture and in silvopastoral system (SPS), at two distances from the trees, and define the best defoliation height for SPS. Four intermittent defoliation heights (25, 35, 45 and 55cm) and two distances from tree lines (2.5 and 5.0m) were evaluated in the SPS with a control defoliated with 25cm in full sun. The experiment was performed in a randomized block design with 3 replicates in a 4 × 2 + 1 split plot scheme. The control had higher forage accumulation (46.9kg/ha. day) than the SPS (31.1kg/ha. day). The bulk density was also higher in the control (0.89mg/cm³) than in SPS (0.48mg/cm³). The percentage of leaves (78.06%) and leaf/stem ratio (6.04) did not differ among the treatments. In the SPS, there was an increase of 31.07% in forage accumulation from 25 to 55cm. The forage accumulation and bulk density of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu in monoculture is greater than in the SPS regardless of the management goal and the distance from trees. The goal of 55cm in the SPS presented greater forage accumulation.(AU)

O objetivo foi testar a resposta de pastos de Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu em monocultivo e em sistema silvipastoril (SSP), a diferentes distâncias das árvores, bem como definir qual altura de desfolhação é a mais indicada para manejo em SPS. Foram avaliadas quatro alturas de desfolhação intermitente (25, 35, 45 e 55cm) e duas distâncias das linhas de árvores (2,5 e 5,0m), no SPS, e uma testemunha desfolhada com 25cm, em pleno sol. O delineamento foi em blocos ao acaso, com três repetições, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas 4 × 2 + 1. O controle apresentou maior acúmulo de forragem (46,9kg/ha.dia) que a média do SSP (31,1kg/ha.dia). A densidade volumétrica da forragem do controle (0,89mg/cm³) foi maior que a do SSP (0,48mg/cm³). A porcentagem de folhas (78,06%) e a relação folha/colmo (6,04) não diferiram entre os tratamentos. O aumento das alturas de 25 para 55cm no SSP resultou em aumento de 31,07% no acúmulo de forragem. O acúmulo e a densidade volumétrica da forragem são maiores no monocultivo, independentemente da meta de manejo e da distância das árvores no sistema silvipastoril. A meta de 55cm no silvipastoril apresenta maior acúmulo de forragem.(AU)

Nutritional evaluation of young bulls on tropical pasture receiving supplements with different protein:carbohydrate ratios.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the nutritional parameters of young bulls supplemented with different ratios of protein: carbohydrate on tropical pastures from 4 until 18 months old. Fifty-five non-castrated beef calves (138.3±3.4 kg, 90 to 150 d of age) were used. The calves (young bulls) were subjected to a 430-d experimental period encompassing 4 seasons. The treatments were as follows: control, only mineral mixture; HPHC, high protein and high carbohydrate supplement; HPLC, high protein and low carbohydrate supplement; LPHC, low protein and high carbohydrate supplement; and LPLC, low protein and low carbohydrate supplement. The amount of supplement was adjusted every 28 d. Dry matter (DM) intake was higher in the dry-to-rainy transition and rainy seasons for all nutritional plans. Non-supplemented animals had lower intakes of DM and total digestible nutrients (TDN) than supplemented young bulls in all seasons. Although differences in DM intake were not observed between supplemented animals, the supplements with high carbohydrate (HPHC and LPHC) had lower forage intake during suckling (rainy-to-dry transition season) and in the rainy season. However, the HPHC treatment animals had higher intake and digestibility of neutral detergent fiber. It can be concluded that supplementation with high protein levels (supplying 50% of the crude protein requirement) provide the best nutritional parameters for grazing young bulls in most seasons, increasing intake and digestibility of diet, and these effects are more intense when associated with high carbohydrate levels level (supplying 30% TDN requirement).