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The objective of this study was to compare structural, morphological and bromatological characteristics of forage as well as performance of Caracu beef cattle (200 ± 9 kg of initial body weight) supplemented with a multi-mineral mixture (0.25% of body weight) on deferred pastures of Brachiaria brizantha ?Marandu? and Brachiaria decumbens ?Basilisk? under continuous grazing. After the pasture was grazed to 10 cm of height, in March 2014, both grasses were left to rest and subjected to a 126-day deferment period. The experimental period lasted from July to October 2014; the sward characteristics and the animal?s weight were evaluated every 28 days. The highest forage mass was recorded in ?Marandu? grass, whereas the highest leaves percentage and lowest dead material percentage were observed in ?Basilisk? pastures. Similarly, the highest crude protein content (8.1 vs. 7.0 ± 0.2%), in vitro organic matter digestibility (57.7 vs. 53.9 ± 0.4%), lowest neutral detergent fiber content (69.2 vs. 72.7 ± 0.4%), and; consequently, the highest average daily gain (680 vs. 530 ± 0.04g animal-1) were recorded for ?Basilisk? pastures. ?Marandu? and ?Basilisk? deferment was associated with a multi-mineral mixture supplementation as a management alternative for rearing beef cattle during the drought periods. Because of the duration of the pasture recovery period in this study, B. decumbens pastures were more likely to achieve the highest animal performance.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar as características estruturais, morfológicas e bromatológicas da forragem e o desempenho de bovinos de corte, da raça Caracu (200±9kg de peso inicial), suplementados com mistura mineral múltipla (0,25% do peso corporal) em pastos diferidos de Brachiaria brizantha, cv. ?Marandu?, e Brachiaria decumbens, cv. ?Basilisk?, sob pastejo contínuo. Após o rebaixamento dos pastos a 10cm de altura, realizado em março de 2014 por meio de pastejo, ambas as espécies foram vedadas e diferidas por 126 dias. O período experimental foi de julho a outubro de 2014, e as avaliações das características do pasto e as pesagens dos animais foram realizadas a cada 28 dias. A maior massa de forragem foi registrada em pastos de ?Marandu?. A maior porcentagem de folhas e a menor de material morto foram observadas para a ?Basilisk?. Os maiores teores de proteína bruta (8,1 vs 7,0 ± 0,2%), digestibilidade in vitro da matéria orgânica (57,7 vs 53, 9 ± 0,4%), os menores teores de fibra em detergente neutro (69,2 vs 72,7 ± 0,4%) e, consequentemente, o maior ganho médio diário (680 vs 530 ± 0,04g animal-1) foram registrados para a cv. ?Basilisk?. O diferimento de pastagens de ?Marandu? ou ?Basilisk? associado à suplementação com mistura mineral múltipla figura como alternativa de manejo para recria de bovinos de corte durante o período seco. Para a duração do período de vedação utilizada, pastos de B. decumbens são mais indicados para alcançar o maior desempenho animal.

The objective of this study was to compare structural, morphological and bromatological characteristics of forage as well as performance of Caracu beef cattle (200 ± 9 kg of initial body weight) supplemented with a multi-mineral mixture (0.25% of body weight) on deferred pastures of Brachiaria brizantha 'Marandu' and Brachiaria decumbens 'Basilisk' under continuous grazing. After the pasture was grazed to 10 cm of height, in March 2014, both grasses were left to rest and subjected to a 126-day deferment period. The experimental period lasted from July to October 2014; the sward characteristics and the animal's weight were evaluated every 28 days. The highest forage mass was recorded in 'Marandu' grass, whereas the highest leaves percentage and lowest dead material percentage were observed in 'Basilisk' pastures. Similarly, the highest crude protein content (8.1 vs. 7.0 ± 0.2%), in vitro organic matter digestibility (57.7 vs. 53.9 ± 0.4%), lowest neutral detergent fiber content (69.2 vs. 72.7 ± 0.4%), and; consequently, the highest average daily gain (680 vs. 530 ± 0.04g animal-1) were recorded for 'Basilisk' pastures. 'Marandu' and 'Basilisk' deferment was associated with a multi-mineral mixture supplementation as a management alternative for rearing beef cattle during the drought periods. Because of the duration of the pasture recovery period in this study, B. decumbens pastures were more likely to achieve the highest animal performance.