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An understanding of the processes involved in grazing behaviour is a prerequisite for the design of efficient grassland management systems. The purpose of managing the grazing process is to identify sward structures that can maximize animal forage daily intake and optimize grazing time. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of different grazing management strategies on foraging behaviour and herbage intake by sheep grazing Italian ryegrass under rotational stocking. The experiment was carried out in 2015 in southern Brazil. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with two grazing management strategies and four replicates. The grazing management treatments were a traditional rotational stocking (RT), with pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 25 and 5 cm, respectively, and a ‘Rotatinuous’ stocking (RN) with pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 18 and 11 cm, respectively. Male sheep with an average live weight of 32 ± 2.3 kg were used. As intended, the pre- and post-grazing sward heights were according to the treatments. The pre-grazing leaf/stem ratio of the Italian ryegrass pasture did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05) (~2.87), but the post-grazing leaf/stem ratio was greater (P < 0.001) in the RN than in the RT treatment (1.59 and 0.76, respectively). The percentage of the non-grazed area was greater (P < 0.01) in post-grazing for RN compared with RT treatment, with an average of 29.7% and 3.49%, respectively. Herbage nutritive value was greater for the RN than for the RT treatment, with greater CP and lower ADF and NDF contents. The total time spent grazing, ruminating and resting did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05), with averages of 439, 167 and 85 min, respectively. The bite rate, feeding stations per min and steps per min by sheep were greater (P < 0.05) in the RN than in the RT treatment. The grazing time per hour and the bite rate were greater (P < 0.05) in the afternoon than in the morning in both treatments. The daily herbage

An understanding of the processes involved in grazing behaviour is a prerequisite for the design of efficient grassland management systems. The purpose of managing the grazing process is to identify sward structures that can maximize animal forage daily intake and optimize grazing time. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of different grazing management strategies on foraging behaviour and herbage intake by sheep grazing Italian ryegrass under rotational stocking. The experiment was carried out in 2015 in southern Brazil. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with two grazing management strategies and four replicates. The grazing management treatments were a traditional rotational stocking (RT), with pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 25 and 5 cm, respectively, and a ‘Rotatinuous’ stocking (RN) with pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 18 and 11 cm, respectively. Male sheep with an average live weight of 32 ± 2.3 kg were used. As intended, the pre- and post-grazing sward heights were according to the treatments. The pre-grazing leaf/stem ratio of the Italian ryegrass pasture did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05) (~2.87), but the post-grazing leaf/stem ratio was greater (P < 0.001) in the RN than in the RT treatment (1.59 and 0.76, respectively). The percentage of the non-grazed area was greater (P < 0.01) in post-grazing for RN compared with RT treatment, with an average of 29.7% and 3.49%, respectively. Herbage nutritive value was greater for the RN than for the RT treatment, with greater CP and lower ADF and NDF contents. The total time spent grazing, ruminating and resting did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05), with averages of 439, 167 and 85 min, respectively. The bite rate, feeding stations per min and steps per min by sheep were greater (P < 0.05) in the RN than in the RT treatment. The grazing time per hour and the bite rate were greater (P < 0.05) in the afternoon than in the morning in both treatments. The daily herbage

Deficiência ou toxidez de boro (B) tem sido frequentemente mencionada em culturas de interesse agronômico. Neste experimento objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos de duas épocas (03 de março e na antese) e de quatro doses de aplicação foliar de B (Bórax) (equivalente a zero; 2,0; 4,0 e 6,0 kg ha-1) sobre os componentes da produtividade e da qualidade de sementes, na produtividade de sementes e sobre relações componentes-produtividade em capim-mombaça (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Mombaça). O experimento foi conduzido a campo. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial (2x4), com quatro repetições. Épocas e doses de B não tiveram efeito sobre a massa individual de perfilhos vegetativo e de perfilho com panícula e sobre os números de perfilhos vegetativos, com panícula e total. Houve interação significativa para a aplicação de B em 03 de março para os números de sementes aparentes e puras, panícula-1 e área-1, para a massa de mil sementes puras, produtividade de sementes aparentes, produtividade de sementes puras, índice de colheita e para a produtividade de sementes puras viáveis. As épocas e as doses de B não afetaram a pureza física e a germinação de sementes. Correlação significativa e alta foi obtida entre os números de sementes aparentes e puras por área e o índice de colheita com as produtividades de sementes aparentes e puras. Dose foliar de B de 4,0 kg ha-1 pode ser indicada para ser aplicada em 03 de março em culturas de sementes de capim-mombaça., Boron (B) deficiency has been frequentely mentioned in crops of economic interest. This experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of two times (March 3 2008 and at anthesis) and four doses of foliar application of B (equivalent to 0, 2, 4 and 6 kg ha-1) in Mombaça grass (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Mombaça) on components of seed yield and quality, seed yield, and relationships among yield-components. The experimental design was a randomized block design in a factorial design (2x4), with four replications. The experiment was conducted in the field. The times and doses of B application had no effect on the mass of tillers vegetative and tillers with panicle, and numbers of vegetative tillers, tillers with panicle and total tillers. The interaction was significant in March 3, for the number of seeds apparent and pure, panicle-1 and area-1, apparent seed yield, pure seed yield, harvest index, germinable seed yield, and for a one thousand seeds pure. The times and doses of B did not affect the physical purity and seed germination. A high correlation was obtained between the number of apparent and pure seeds per area and harvest index, with apparent seed yield and with pure seed yield. Levels of foliar B fertilization of 4.0 kg ha-1 can be recommended to be applied in seed crops of Mombaça grass.