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Our objective was to measure chemical composition and anatomy of 5 Megathyrsus maximus (syn. Panicum maximum) genotypes, when grown in combination with eucalypts in a silvopastoral system. Cultivars Massai, Mombaça, BRS Tamani, Tanzânia and intraspecific hybrid accession PM44 were evaluated in full sun and a silvopastoral system at 5 different distances from eucalyptus tree rows. The experimental design was a randomized block in split plot with 2 replications. Plots corresponded with genotypes and subplots with sampling points within the system. Total forage and leaf biomass as well as nutritive value und tissue proportions were evaluated. Our results showed a decrease in biomass as radiation incidence decreased. Forage biomass was greatest in BRS Tamani and Mombaça and lowest in PM44. There was a significant interaction between sampling points and genotype for nutritive value variables, such as crude protein, in vitro digestibility of organic matter, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin-S, while tissue proportions were not affected by the interaction between sampling points and genotypes. Genotype had more pronounced effects on chemical composition and anatomical characteristics than did sampling points. The leaves of Mombaça were the longest and had greatest total cross-sectional area, and this genotype showed greater proportions of sclerenchyma and vascular tissues than other cultivars and the lowest proportion of mesophyll. The greatest proportion of parenchyma bundle sheaths was also found in Mombaça leaves. Genotypes PM44 and Tanzânia had the lowest proportions of sclerenchyma, and PM44 and BRS Tamani had the lowest proportions of vascular tissues. On the other hand, PM44 and Tanzânia had the greatest proportions of mesophyll. BRS Tamani was comparable with the most used cultivars, Mombaça and Tanzânia, and had forage quality slightly superior to that of Mombaça. Tropical grasses growing under shade can potentially produce less forage but with better nutritive value, in terms of chemical composition and tissue proportions, than grasses grown under full sun. However, as the degree of shading in silvopastoral systems does not occur uniformly across the whole area, the improved nutritive value would not be uniform and may not be very prominent overall.

Os sistemas silvipastoris são uma modalidade dos sistemas agroflorestais, onde a produção animal, forrageira e arbórea encontra-se em consórcio na mesma área, no mesmo tempo. Objetivo-se com este trabalho esclarecer as interações entre os fatores biótipos e abiótipos em sistemas silvipastoris. A maior parte da produção da pecuária bovina no Brasil baseia-se na utilização de pastagens. No Brasil, há mais de 100 milhões de hectares com pastagens cultivadas, cerca de 80% dessas pastagens encontram-se em algum grau de degradação. Uma alternativa para a recuperação dessas pastagens de forma sustentável é o uso de sistemas silvipastoris. Entretanto os sistemas sombreados são muito dinâmicos e podem modificar a estrutura do pasto de forma significativa quanto a quantidade e a qualidade da forrageira produzida com reflexos na produção animal, principalmente em razão da competição por luz, água e nutrientes. Made available in DSpace on 2020-01-08T00:42:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sistemassilvipastorisumaabordagemsobreainteracao.pdf: 300577 bytes, checksum: 3836ed964007f91440885160a39d7733 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019

Some events in recent years have weakened consumers’ trust regarding food safety in a number of countries, including bird flu, hormones and residue of veterinary medicine in meat and, more recently, Operation Weak Flesh. COVID-19 also led to a focus on the urgent need to seek strict production standards that ensure food safety. In this scenario of uncertainty, traceability and certification could be useful tools to improve the perception of trust and safety in production processes. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyze the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the purchase intention of certified beef. A quantitative study was conducted with 862 Brazilian consumers. The data were treated using structural equation modeling. The results show that the level of subjective knowledge of certification is related to the importance attributed to traceability and purchase intention. The concern towards legality of slaughterhouses and to traceability was shown to be related to purchase intention. Furthermore, the higher the level of concern over COVID-19, the more important the influence of traceability becomes with regard to meat purchase intention.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the agronomic characteristics, chemical composition and in vitro gas production of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) cultivars used in ruminant feed. The experimental design was a randomized block containing seven treatments and three replications totaling 21 plots. The cultivars RB835436, RB925211, RB925345, RB937570, RB945961, RB955970 e SP91-1049 was evaluated for dry matter, dry matter yield, stalk percentage, stalk tons per hectare, plant height, stalk diameter, number of tillers per linear meter, mass per stem, soluble solids content (BRIX), NDF/BRIX ratio and tons of sucrose/ha, total digestible nutrients, digestible energy, metabolizable energy, net energy and in vitro digestibility of organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent, of digestion and In vitro gas production of non-fibrous carbohydrates, latency time, digestion rate and gas production of fibrous carbohydrates, and in vitro digestibility of organic matter. There was a significant difference between the cultivars regarding the neutral detergent fiber content, in vitro digestibility of organic matter, total digestible nutrients, digestible energy, net energy, degradation rates of fibrous and non-fibrous carbohydrates and latency period. There was a negative correlation between stem percentage and NDF/BRIX and positive correlation between in vitro digestibility of organic matter and total digestible nutrients. The results were submitted to analysis of variance and mean test by Scott-Knott and Pearson's correlation analysis. The statistical program used was SAEG 2000. The RB835486 variety was superior to the other cultivars, as it presented 93.28% of stem, 57.5% of in vitro digestibility of organic matter, NDF / BRIX ratio of 2.68, 43.78% NDF, latency period 2.86h and fibrous carbohydrate degradation rate of 2.26% per hour. Therefore, this cultivar was better indicated for animal feeding between May and July in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Objetivou-se, neste estudo, avaliar diferentes sistemas de recuperação e/ou renovação de pastagens sobre o desempenho de novilhos da raça Nelore. Foi adotado o delineamento em blocos casualizados com os quatro tratamentos em esquema de parcela subdividida, com quatro repetições. No qual o tratamento principal foram os sistemas de recuperação de pastagem (sete tratamentos) e tratamento secundário (tempo). Os tratamentos foram denominados: Recuperação de pastagem através da aplicação de calcário e adubação superficial a lanço sem incorporação; II- Recuperação de pastagens por meio de subsolagem mais a aplicação de calcário e adubação a lanço sem incorporação; III - Plantio direto de Stylozantes guianensis cv. Campo grande com Brachiaria brizantha; IV - Renovação de pastagens através da implantação do arroz (Oriza sativa L.) e braquiária (B. brizantha); V - Renovação de pastagens através cultivo convencional de soja e posterior implantação de pastagem pelo sistema de plantio direto com B. Brizantha. Para avaliar a produção por animal e por área, os bovinos foram pesados a cada 60 dias, após o jejum prévio de 18 horas. Para o sistema de recuperação de pastagem através da aplicação de calcário e adubação superficial a lanço sem incorporação promoveu maior capacidade de suporte da braquiária e maior ganho de peso dos animais.

SUMMARY This study aimed to evaluate the pasture productive and nutritional characteristics of Brachiaria brizantha cv. BRS Piatã in integrated systems with different densities of trees. Considering as plot the systems: integrated crop-livestock-forest with rows of trees (eucalyptus) spaced at 14 m and 357 trees ha-1 (ICLF-14m), ICLF with rows of trees spaced at 22 m and 227 trees ha-1 (ICLF-22m) and the integrated crop-livestock (ICL) with five remaining native trees ha-1; period of the year as subplots, and sampling points as subsubplots (A, B C, D, and E) arranged perpendicular to trees alleys. It was evaluated the production of forage and leaf blade dry mass, leaf:stem ratio, soil coverage, radiation photosynthetically active interception, canopy height, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), in vitro digestibility of organic matter (IVDOM) of the leaf blade, and stem associated with the leaf sheath. There was a significant difference (P

One of the challenges for cattle management under extensive grazing systems is understanding how time spent in different individual activities is affected by factors like microclimate and forage quality and availability. The goal of this study is to understand how different tree densities and grazing management can influence the daytime behaviour of Nellore heifers (Bos indicus) kept in silvopastoral systems over a period of 12 months, covering one dry and one rainy season in Central Brazil. Eighty heifers were distributed between three silvopastoral systems with 357, 227 and 5 trees/ha, respectively, each divided into four 1.5 ha paddocks, grazing Piata grass with low (27 ± 4.6 cm) or high (39 ± 5.8 cm) sward heights, and with constant microclimate monitoring. Temperatures recorded were similar between seasons, characterizing an atypical dry period. The use of shade for grazing occurs preferably in the afternoon (72.0 min) and rumination in the morning (47.5 min). The effect of period of the day (P

The objective was to evaluate the animal thermal comfort indices from two integrated crop-livestock-forestry (ICLF) systems. For this, temperature–humidity index (THI), black globe temperature and humidity index (BGHI), and the radiant thermal load (RTL) were assessed. Two ICLF (ICLF-1 and ICLF-2) systems and one control system were established. On the ICLF systems, the arboreal component was the eucalyptus tree (Eucalyptus grandis × Eucalyptus urophylla; H13 clone), planted in simple wide-spaced rows. The ICLF-1 system had a tree spacing of 14 × 2 m with 357 trees per hectare, and the ICLF-2 had a tree spacing of 22 × 2 m with 227 trees per hectare. The control system had five scattered native trees per hectare, pertaining to Gochnatia and Dipteryx species. The forage component in all three systems was piata-grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. BRS Piata). The experimental design was a randomized block in a sub-subplot design scheme with four replications. The presence of shade provided by the trees offered better conditions of animal comfort when compared with the condition of full sun. The ICLF-1 system, with higher tree density, provided better indicators for thermal comfort, THI, BGHI, and RTL when compared with the condition of full sun, while ICLF-2 was no different than ICLF-1 for BGHI.

Agrosilvopastoral system is a type of production that involves the soil-forage-animal interface, both of which are benefited by the system. Hence, the present study evaluated the effects of agrosilvopastoral system on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics from pasture, and the animal performance during the feeding period of Nellore heifers. The treatments included: Soil-forage-animal – 357 eucalyptus trees per hectare (LFA14x2m); Soil-forage-animal – 227 eucalyptus trees per hectare (LFA22x2m); and Soil-animal – Five native trees remaining per hectare (CON). The forage used was Brachiaria brizantha cv. BRS Piatã and having as trees planted the Eucalyptus urograndis clones H 13. Treatment effects (P 0.05) for average daily gain, while in November period, LFA14x2m treatment showed the lowest value (P 0,05) para la ganancia diaria promedio, mientras que, en noviembre, el tratamiento LFA14x2m tuvo el valor más bajo (P0,05) para ganho médio diário, enquanto no período de novembro, o tratamento LFA14x2m apresentou o menor valor (P

There is a concern about the growing population and limitation in natural resources which are taking the population to direct its agricultural systems into a more productive and efficient activity, looking to avoid a negative impact on the surrounding environment. The industry energy expended to produce nitrogen (N)-fertilizer is considered an indirect consumption of energy in agriculture, which is higher with an increasing forage yield. Nitrogen is the key nutrient associated with high-yielding production in forage grass and grain crops. The aim of this chapter is to introduce the best management practices (BMPs) for N-fertilizer application in forage grasses to improve N-use efficiency, since the most economical way to feed livestock is forage plants where its potential biomass production is not well explored. The BMPs basically follow three management practices: (1) soil nutrient availability and forage requirement, (2) fertilizer application, and (3) decrease in nutrient losses from soil. In order to take a decision on applying N-fertilizer to accomplish forage grasses production with social, economic, and environmental benefits, the N-fertilizer use in forage grasses is going to follow the ?Right rate, Right source, Right place, and Right time (4R) nutrient stewardship.? The application of the 4R?s nutrients stewardship is directly associated with economic, social, and environmental impact. The capacity of the 4R?s implementation worldwide turns into a best guide to improve the striving of better N-use efficiency in forage grass. The 4R?s are interrelated; thus, the recommendation of N-fertilizer rates cannot be prescribed without the combination of the 4R?s where a whole system to be followed should be considered to decide about N-fertilizer in pasture. Consequently, any decision in one of the 4R?s is going to affect the expected N-fertilizer results and dry matter production.

Os sistemas de integração lavoura-pecuária-floresta são sustentáveis e a escolha do sistema adequado à determinada localidade depende das condições edafo-climáticas e da existência de infraestrutura para suprimento de insumos, armazenagem e escoamento da produção. A produtividade e a rentabilidade são três vezes maiores para a pecuária de corte e de 10 a 30% para as lavouras de grãos em relação aos sistemas tradicionais de produção. Por outro lado, observa-se nos sistemas mais complexos (com uso de componente arbóreo) o aumento do bem-estar animal e a mitigação de gases de efeito estufa.

The aim of this study was to model the individual height and volume of eucalyptus wood in two integrated crop-livestock-forest systems (ICLF1 and ICLF2) in Campo Grande, a city in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Classic nonlinear growth models were adjusted for height (Logistic, Gompertz, Richards, Weibull, Van Bertalanffy, Brody, Mitscherlich, and Chapman and Richards) and volume (Shumacher-hall nonlinear, Takata, Honner, Logistic, Gompertz, and Weibull) in two structural arrangements: ICLF1, with a spacing of 14 x 2 m and density of 357 trees ha-1, and ICLF2, with a spacing of 22 x 2 m and density of 227 trees ha-1. Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) measurements were performed in 100% of trees, with measurements of the total height of some individuals and a rigorous scaling procedure in diameter classes. According to the calculated value of Student's t-test, there was no significant evidence that DBH and the average height of the trees were different between ICLF1 and ICLF2. Based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC), the corrected Akaike information criterion (AICC) and the Bayesian information criterion (BIC), the Richards model was selected to estimate heights and the Takata model was selected to estimate the volume.

Our objective was to evaluate production, nutritive value and carrying capacity of piatã grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. BRS Piatã), and performance of Nellore heifers in agrosilvopastoral systems (ASPS) with three eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urograndis) tree densities, during winter, spring, summer, and fall. Three integrated systems were evaluated: ASPS-1 (357 trees ha(-1)), ASPS-2 (227 trees ha(-1)), and CON (5 trees ha(-1)). In each system, two sward heights were evaluated: short and tall. A total of 80 11-month-old Nellore heifers were randomly allocated in a randomized split-plot block, 3 × 2 factorial. Greater dry matter availability was observed on CON pastures during the fall season. Greater percentage of leaf lamina was detected on ASPS-1 with short sward height and greater during summer, compared with other seasons. A greater forage production was observed between tree rows and for tall sward height. Spring was the season with less forage nutritive value. Average daily gain was greater during summer and fall. Gain per hectare and stocking rate were greater on CON system and on ASPS-2. Pastures with short sward height had greater gain per hectare and stocking rate. Agrosilvopastoral systems with intermediate tree density seem to be a good choice for producers willing to diversify their revenue sources without decreasing animal production.

Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar a produtividade e o valor nutritivo das gramíneas forrageiras tropicais: Brachiaria brizantha cvs. Piatã, Xaraés e Marandu, Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça e B. ruziziensis cv. Kennedy, em sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária (ILP), na segunda safra, buscando novas alternativas de produção de forragem para alimentação animal no outono-inverno. Utilizou-se delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso em esquema de parcelas subsubdivididas, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos das parcelas corresponderam às cinco forrageiras, às subparcelas corrresponderam a três sistemas de cultivo (monocultivo, consórcio com milho sem supressão e consórcio com milho com supressão), e às sub-subparcelas, quatro intervalos de corte das forrageiras (50, 90, 125 e 195 dias após a emergência, DAE). O experimento foi conduzido no período de fevereiro a setembro de 2014. As produtividades de matéria seca, obtidas aos 195 DAE, referentes aos três sistemas de cultivo (monocultivo, consórcio sem supressão e com supressão), foram de 18,45; 7,15 e 3,05 t ha-1, respectivamente, e os teores de proteína bruta da lâmina foliar das forrageiras decresceram linearmente entre os intervalos de corte, de 50 a 195 DAE, de 19,95 % para 9,70%. O cultivo de forrageiras tropicais em sistemas integrados na segunda safra produz forragem de alta qualidade e quantidade para o outono-inverno. As gramíneas tropicais Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça e Brachiaria brizantha cvs. Xaraés e Piatã apresentaram maior produtividade de folhas e proteína bruta, em comparação às demais forrageiras em estudo. Em termos de valor nutritivo, Brachiaria ruziziensis cv. Kennedy foi superior aos capins Mombaça e Xaraés, porém apresentou menores produtividades de matéria seca total, folha e proteína bruta. De maneira geral, os capins Xaraés, Piatã e Mombaça são os mais indicados para o cultivo na segunda safra em sistema de ILP visando a produção de forragem para alimentação animal.

Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de períodos de pré-emurchecimento das gramíneas Estrela- Africana-Branca [Cynodon plectostachyus (K. Schum.) Pilg.] e Tifton 85 (Cynodon sp.) sobre algumas características de suas silagens. Utilizou-se delineamento inteiramente casualizado com dez tratamentos e três repetições. Os tratamentos foram dispostos em esquema fatorial 2x5, sendo duas gramíneas (Estrela-Africana-Branca e Tifton 85) e cinco períodos de pré-emurchecimento da forragem (0, 1, 2, 3 e 4 h). As gramíneas foram cortadas aos 50 dias de rebrotação e permaneceram ensiladas por 55 dias em silos experimentais. O pré-emurchecimento promoveu aumento no teor de matéria seca da forragem cortada e da silagem das gramíneas Tifton 85 e Estrela Africana Branca. Houve diminuição nos teores de N-amoniacal (N-NH3/N-total) da silagem do capim-estrela-africana-branca, a uma taxa de 1,66 unidade percentual por hora de pré-emurchecimento, mas não houve alteração nessa variável da silagem do capim-tifton 85. A silagem do capim-tifton 85 apresentou maior recuperação de matéria seca, maior teor de FDN e menor teor de proteína bruta do que a silagem do capim-estrela-africana-branca. O pH e o teor de FDA das silagens não foram influenciados pelo pré-emurchecimento. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of periods of pre-wilting of stargrass [Cynodon plectostachyus (K. Schum.) Pilg.] and Tifton 85 bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.) on some characteristics of their silage. Arandomized design with ten treatments and three replications was used. The treatments were arranged in a 2x5 factorial, two grasses (stargrass and Tifton 85) and five periods of pre-wilting of forage (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h). The grasses were harvested at 50 days regrowth and stored for 55 days in experimental silos. The pre-wilting caused an increase in dry matter content of forage and silage of both, Tifton 85 and stargrass. There was a decrease in the levels of ammonia-N (N-NH3/N-total) of the stargrass silage at a rate of 1.66 percentage unit per hour of pre-wilting, but there was no change in this variable of Tifton 85 silage. The Tifton 85 silage presented higher dry matter recovery and content of NDF and lower protein content than the silage stargrass. The pH and ADF content of the silage were not affected by pre-wilting.

The objective of this paper was to perform a microclimate evaluation and determine the indexes of thermal comfort indexes, in sun and shade, in integrated crop-livestock-forest systems with different arrangements of eucalyptus and native trees, in the Brazilian Midwest. The experiment was conducted at Embrapa Beef Cattle in Campo Grande, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, from July to September 2013. The evaluations were conducted on four consecutive days, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., local time (GMT -4:00), with 1 hour intervals, recording the microclimate parameters: air temperature (°C), black globe temperature (°C), wet bulb temperature (°C), relative humidity (%), and wind speed (m.s-1), for the subsequent calculation of the Temperature and Humidity Index, the Black Globe Temperature and Humidity Index, and the Radiant Thermal Load. The largest changes in microclimate parameters were found in the full sun, between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m., in less dense eucalyptus system, followed by the scattered native trees system, resulting in a maximum Temperature and Humidity Index of 81, Black Globe Temperature and Humidity Index of 88 and Radiant Thermal Load of 794 W m-2. Therefore, it is observed that with the presence of trees in pastures were possible reductions of up to 3.7 % in Temperature and Humidity Index, 10.2 % in the Black Globe Temperature and Humidity Index, and 28.3 % of the Radiant Thermal Load in the shade. Thus, one can conclude that the presence of trees and their arrangement in the systems provide better microclimate conditions and animal thermal comfort in pastures.

Três cultivares de Panicum maximum Jacq. submetidas a pastejo rotativo foram avaliadas ao longo do ano quanto aos componentes do comportamento ingestivo (tamanho de bocados, tempo de pastejo e taxa de bocados). Os tratamentos constituíram em: 1) cv. Tanzânia + 50 kg/ha de N, 2) cv. Tanzânia + 100 kg/ha de N, 3) cv. Mombaça + 50 kg/ha de N, e 4) cv. Massai + 50 kg/ha de N. Os valores do tamanho de bocados foram provavelmente superestimados, mas valores abaixo de 0,300 g MS/bocado foram observados, considerado crítico, no período seco. Houve tendência a menores bocados na cv. Massai no período seco, provavelmente em função da distribuição de folhas e material morto ao longo do perfil do relvado. Não houve diferenças no tempo de pastejo entre tratamentos e entre épocas de avaliação, mas o padrão de distribuição do tempo gasto pastejando ao longo do dia modificou nas diferentes épocas. Poucas diferenças nas taxas de bocado foram observadas entre cultivares, e no decorrer do período de ocupação dos piquetes, as taxas de bocado tenderam a aumentar. Entre os componentes do comportamento ingestivo observou-se apenas correlação negativa entre tempo de pastejo e tamanho de bocados (r = –0,45). Three varieties of Panicum maximum Jacq. were evaluated by measuring ingestive behavior components (bite size, grazing time, and rate of eating) for one year under rotational grazing. The treatments were: 1) v. Tanzânia + 50 kg N/ha, 2) v. Tanzânia + 100 kg N/ha, 3) v. Mombaça + 50 kg N/ha, and 4) v. Massai + 50 kg N/ha. The values for bite size were probably overestimated, even so, values lower than 300 g DM/bite size were observed, a critical consideration, in the dry period. There was a tendency for smaller size bites with v. Massai during the dry period, probably due to distribution of leaves and dead material present in the pasture. There were no differences in time of pasturing among treatments and between seasons of evaluation, but the standard of distribution for time spent grazing along with the day was modified by the different seasons. Few differences in rate of eating were observed among the varieties. The rate of eating tended to increase with the length of time in the plots. Among the components of ingestive behavior the only significant correlation observed was between time of pasturing and bite size (r = -0.45).

Foram avaliados o consumo, a composição botânica e o valor nutritivo da dieta de bovinos em pastagens de Brachiaria decumbens e Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão e de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu e Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão, submetidas a três taxas de lotação. Adotou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos completos casualizados com os tratamentos no esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com duas repetições. Os tratamentos das parcelas constituíram um fatorial 2x3, sendo duas gramíneas (B. decumbens e B. brizantha cv. Marandu) em consorciação com S. guianensis cv. Mineirão e três taxas de lotação (0,8; 1,2 e 1,6 UA/ha), e as subparcelas, os meses de amostragem (julho e outubro de 1998, correspondendo à época seca; janeiro e abril de 1999, correspondendo à época das águas). Foram utilizados bezerros Nelore, desmamados, com peso vivo médio de 138 kg, no início do experimento. Não foi observado efeito da taxa de lotação sobre as variáveis estudadas. O consumo diário de MS foi maior em pastagens com B. brizantha, em outubro (no final da seca) e em abril (no final das águas), entretanto, dietas de melhor valor nutritivo foram obtidas em pastagens com B. decumbens. As dietas foram constituídas por mais de 80% de folhas de gramínea, enquanto a participação da leguminosa nas dietas foi de apenas 2,1%, com um índice de seleção de 0,08, indicando pouca aceitação deste componente da MS disponível pelos animais em pastejo. The effects of three stocking rates on intake, botanical composition, and nutritive value of the diet of cattle on pastures of Brachiaria decumbens with Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Minerão and B. brizantha cv. Marandu with S. guianensis cv. Mineirão were evaluated. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with two field replications. The treatments were arranged as a 2 x 3 factorial with 2 grasses (B. decumbens and B. brizantha cv. Marandu) in association with S. guianensis cv. Minerão, three stocking rates (0.8, 1.2, and 1.6 AU/ha), and two sampling periods (July and October 1998, corresponding to the early and late dry season; and January and April 1999, corresponding to the mid and late rainy season). Weaned Nellore steers with an average initial weight 138 kg were used. There was no effect of stocking rate on the variables studied. Daily consumption of forage dry matter was higher on pastures with B. brizantha in October (late dry season) and in April (late rainy season). However, it was observed diets with higher nutritive value in B. decumbens pastures. More than 80% of the diet was composed of live grass leaves while legumes represented 2.1% of the diet, with a selection index of 0.08, indicating low contribution of this forage component to the grazing animals.

The influence of cutting age on production and nutritive value of piata grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. BRS Piata) and hybrid sorghum (Sorghum spp. cv. BRS 801) under an integrated crop- livestock system was evaluated. The trial was carried out at the Embrapa Beef Cattle (2027 S; 5437 W) in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, between April and October 2009. Experimental design consisted of randomized blocks with four replicates. Treatments were distributed across a split-plot design, which included three production systems (single piata grass; single hybrid sorghum; mixed cultivation of sorghum and piata grass). Half-plots consisted of three forage ages at harvest (with 70, 90 and 110 days after seeding). Variables included agronomical characteristics, productivity and nutrition value. Regardless of the evaluated systems, cutting age affected agronomical characteristics and in vitro digestibility of organic matter (IVDOM). Production was highest (4,048 kg ha -1 ) within the integrated system. Regardless of cutting age, monoculture sorghum had the highest crude protein level. Results showed that integrated sorghum and piata grasses were an asset for forage productivity. Forages had higher values in crude protein and in in vitro digestibility of organic matter on the 70 th day after seeding.

O experimento foi conduzido em Cáceres, Estado do Mato Grosso, com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito de doses de nitrogênio sobre a produção de forragem e a composição química do capim-tifton 85 (Cynodon spp.). Utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos completos casualizados com cinco tratamentos (0, 60, 120, 180 e 240 kg ha-1 de N) e quatro repetições, em parcelas de 4,0 x 5,0 m. Foram realizados quatro cortes a intervalos de 30 dias, na altura de 5 cm do nível do solo, sendo as doses de N parceladas em quatro aplicações após cada corte, sob a forma de ureia, em cobertura. Foi observado, para cada kg ha-1 de N aplicado, aumento, na produção de matéria seca total de 22,67 kg ha-1, na produção de lâmina foliar verde de 11,37 kg ha-1, na altura do relvado de 0,052 cm e no teor de proteína bruta da forragem de 0,00955 dag kg-1, e diminuição no teor de FDN de 0,0142 dag kg-1. Observou-se aumento na extração de N a uma taxa de 0,537 kg kg-1 de N e diminuição acentuada da eficiência de utilização do N a partir da dose estimada de 155 kg ha-1 de N. The experiment was carried out in Cáceres, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, aiming to evaluate the effect of nitrogen (N) on forage production and chemical composition of Tifton 85 bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.). A randomized complete block design was used, with five treatments (0, 60, 120, 180 and 240 kg ha-1) and four replications in 4.0 x 5.0 m plots. Four cuts were made at intervals of 30 days, at the height of 5 cm above ground level. N was applied after each cut, in the form of urea. For each kg ha-1 of N applied, we observed increases of 22.67 kg ha-1 in the production of total dry mass, 11.37 kg ha-1 in the production of green leaf blade, 0.052 cm in sward height, and 0.00955 dag kg-1 in crude protein content, and a reduction of 0.0142 dag kg-1 in NDF content. There was an increase in the extraction of N at a rate of 0.537 kg kg-1 of N, and sharp decline in the efficiency of N utilization from the estimated dose of 155 kg ha-1 of N.

No primeiro experimento, foram avaliados 60 novilhos de corte da raça Canchim (composto 5/8 Charolês x 3/8 Zebu) distribuídos em 5 tratamentos representados pelo tipo de sistema de criação em pastagem (EXT = Extensivo; INT = Intensivo; ILP = Integração lavoura-pecuária; ILPF = Integração lavoura pecuária-floresta; IPF = Integração pecuária-floresta), com peso inicial 255 ± 7kg. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho, características de carcaça, a produtividade animal por área, e relacioná-los a emissão de metano entérico de novilhos de corte em diferentes sistemas de produção em pastagem. O experimento foi executado na Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos/SP, avaliando as quatro estações do ano, pelo período de dois anos consecutivos. O segundo experimento foi realizado na instituição Rothamsted Research - North Wyke localizada em Okehampton no sul da Inglaterra, onde foram avaliados 60 bovinos de corte (novilhos e novilhas, de uma raça estabilizada composta por Hereford, Red Angus, Simental e Gelbvie), com peso inicial de 476 ± 51 kg, distribuídos em dois tipos de sistemas de criação a pasto (adubado e consorciado) que corresponderam aos tratamentos. Este trabalho teve como objetivo testar a hipótese de que o gado criado em diferentes tipos de pastagem de gramíneas C3 (adubada ou consociada) pode expressar diferente desempenho e emissões de CH4 ruminal. Os animais foram acompanhados por 5 períodos para determinação do desempenho produtivo, estimativa do consumo e emissão de CH4 entérico. Os dados em ambos experimentos foram analisados utilizando o SAS 9.4 (SAS Inst, Inc., Cary, NC). Após verificada a normalidade dos resíduos pelo teste Shapiro-Wilk, os dados foram análisados seguindo o procedimento para modelos mistos. As médias foram separadas pelo teste Tukey e os efeitos foram considerados significativos quando p0,05) diferente entre os sistemas (EXT = 1,6; INT = 0,6; ILP = 0,8; ILPF = 1,1; IPF = 0,7). Foi observada interação sistema*estação para as variáveis taxa de lotação (UA/ha), ganho médio diário (GMD), e a emissão de metano estimada em relação ao GMD. Ainda, a intensidade de emissão de CH4 calculada em relação a produção de carcaça (kg CH4/kg de carcaça eq.) também foi significativamente diferente (p