Track 1-02: Development and Impact of Sown Tropical Species
Description
Brazil has the competitive advantage of a very dynamic and cost-effective animal production system on pastures over other countries. The pursuit of more productive forages that will result in higher quality beef at a lower cost is justified. As Brachiaria is the most important forage genus utilised in Brazil, an intense search for new cultivars amongst collected and introduced ecotypes from Africa is underway. Following agronomic evaluation of this material in plots, 8 Brachiaria ecotypes were pre-selected. As part of Embrapa`s process of cultivar development, B. brizantha cv. Xaraés, characterised by high productivity (liveweight gain/area), was released in 2003, followed in 2007 by cv. Piatã, characterised by high nutritive value and consequently high animal performance (Euclides et al. 2009). From the 8 ecotypes pre-selected, one presented good traits for surviving dry periods (Euclides et al. 2001), which is the main constraint to herbage production under tropical and subtropical conditions. This study aimed to evaluate this ecotype under grazing conditions.
Included in
Animal Performance and Productivity of a New Cultivar of Brachiaria brizantha
Brazil has the competitive advantage of a very dynamic and cost-effective animal production system on pastures over other countries. The pursuit of more productive forages that will result in higher quality beef at a lower cost is justified. As Brachiaria is the most important forage genus utilised in Brazil, an intense search for new cultivars amongst collected and introduced ecotypes from Africa is underway. Following agronomic evaluation of this material in plots, 8 Brachiaria ecotypes were pre-selected. As part of Embrapa`s process of cultivar development, B. brizantha cv. Xaraés, characterised by high productivity (liveweight gain/area), was released in 2003, followed in 2007 by cv. Piatã, characterised by high nutritive value and consequently high animal performance (Euclides et al. 2009). From the 8 ecotypes pre-selected, one presented good traits for surviving dry periods (Euclides et al. 2001), which is the main constraint to herbage production under tropical and subtropical conditions. This study aimed to evaluate this ecotype under grazing conditions.
