Publication Date
1997
Description
The main objective of this study was to evaluate a Brachiaria decumbens pasture, instead of a common rangeland, for zebu beef heifers during the dry season of the year as a means of anticipating the first calving age from four to three years of age, and so improve the production rate of the herd. Daily liveweight gains (DLWG) were analyzed for the effects of year and three stocking rates during the dry season (SR1=1.5; SR2=2.0 and SR3=2.5 head/ha). The main effect on heifers DLWG was the year (P<0.01), but SR was also important (P<0.05), mainly during the last half of the dry season when pastures are under severe constraints such as soil moisture deficit and low temperatures. The lowest SR presented the highest DLWG (0.204a, 0.174ab and 0.145b kg/head, respectively for SR1, SR2 and SR3), during the dry season. If climatic conditions are not exceptionally bad, heifer first calving occurs at 37 months of age when reared on B. decumbens.
Citation
Cardoso, E G.; Seiffert, N F.; Marques da Silva, J; Euclides, V.P. B.; and Vieira, J M., "Strategic Use of Brachiaria decumbens Pasture to Beef Heifers During Dry Season" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 47.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session29/47
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Strategic Use of Brachiaria decumbens Pasture to Beef Heifers During Dry Season
The main objective of this study was to evaluate a Brachiaria decumbens pasture, instead of a common rangeland, for zebu beef heifers during the dry season of the year as a means of anticipating the first calving age from four to three years of age, and so improve the production rate of the herd. Daily liveweight gains (DLWG) were analyzed for the effects of year and three stocking rates during the dry season (SR1=1.5; SR2=2.0 and SR3=2.5 head/ha). The main effect on heifers DLWG was the year (P<0.01), but SR was also important (P<0.05), mainly during the last half of the dry season when pastures are under severe constraints such as soil moisture deficit and low temperatures. The lowest SR presented the highest DLWG (0.204a, 0.174ab and 0.145b kg/head, respectively for SR1, SR2 and SR3), during the dry season. If climatic conditions are not exceptionally bad, heifer first calving occurs at 37 months of age when reared on B. decumbens.
