Publication Date
1989
Description
Brazilian milk production, for many decades, has been lower than the human demand for the product. For this reason, there must be a strong effort to improve the national dairy enterprise. Southeastern Region of the country, which includes the States of Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, responds for 3/4 of the country's milk production. The dairy husbandry is based on pastures, mainly composed of tropical grasses as Molassesgrass (Melinis minutiflora), Jaraguagrass (Hyparrhenia rufa), Guineagrass (Panicum maximum) and some species of Brachiaria, especially B. decumbens. Milk productivity is very low in the region: 720 kg/cow/lactation (270 days). Other indicators are also poor: conception rate 50 %, age at first calf 44 months, calving interval 24 months, for example. The poor quality of pastures is considered to be the main reason for these low indicators. Since the years 60, many trials have been conducted in brazilian southeastern region, searching for other pasture plants and better management methods, to improve dairy production and economics. This will probably be the only (or at least the easier) short term way to meet the needed increase in milk production in the country. This paper presents a review of the work published (some still running) concerning with these trials.
Citation
Aronovich, S; Dusi, G A.; and Valle, L.C S., "Tropical Pastures for Milk Production in Southeastern Region of Brasil" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 19.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session10/19
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Tropical Pastures for Milk Production in Southeastern Region of Brasil
Brazilian milk production, for many decades, has been lower than the human demand for the product. For this reason, there must be a strong effort to improve the national dairy enterprise. Southeastern Region of the country, which includes the States of Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, responds for 3/4 of the country's milk production. The dairy husbandry is based on pastures, mainly composed of tropical grasses as Molassesgrass (Melinis minutiflora), Jaraguagrass (Hyparrhenia rufa), Guineagrass (Panicum maximum) and some species of Brachiaria, especially B. decumbens. Milk productivity is very low in the region: 720 kg/cow/lactation (270 days). Other indicators are also poor: conception rate 50 %, age at first calf 44 months, calving interval 24 months, for example. The poor quality of pastures is considered to be the main reason for these low indicators. Since the years 60, many trials have been conducted in brazilian southeastern region, searching for other pasture plants and better management methods, to improve dairy production and economics. This will probably be the only (or at least the easier) short term way to meet the needed increase in milk production in the country. This paper presents a review of the work published (some still running) concerning with these trials.
