Performance, nutrient use, and methanogenesis of Nellore cattle on a continuous grazing system of Urochloa brizantha and fed supplement types varying on protein and energy sources

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of seasons under a tropical climate on forage quality, as well the effect of an Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu grazing system on enteric methane (CH4) emissions from Nellore cattle in the Southeast region of Brazil. Sixteen Nellore steers (18 months old and initial weight 318.0 ± 116.59 kg of LW; final weight 469 ± 98.50 kg of LW) were used for a trial period of 10 months, with four collection periods in winter (August), spring (December), summer (February) and autumn (May). Each collection period consisted of 28 days, corresponding to the representative month of each season where the last six days were designed for methane data collection. Animals were randomly distributed within 16 experimental plots, distributed in four random blocks over four trial periods. CH4 emissions were determined using the sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer gas technique measured by gas chromatography and fluxes of CH4 calculated. The forage quality was characterized by higher CP and IVDMD and lower lignin contents in spring, differing specially from winter forage. Average CH4 emissions were between 102.49 and 220.91 g d-1 (37.4 to 80.6 kg ani-1 yr-1); 16.89 and 30.20 g kg-1 DMI; 1.35 and 2.90 Mcal ani-1 d-1; 0.18 and 0.57 g kg-1 ADG-1 and 5.05 and 8.76% of GE. Emissions in terms of CO2 equivalents were between 4.68 and 14.22 g CO2-eq-1 g-1 ADG. Variations in CH4 emissions were related to seasonal effect on the forage quality and variations in dry matter intake.

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PSXII-17 Trace minerals source influences the performance of Nellore cattle in the growing phase during the transition between dry to rainy season in Brazil

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa278.776 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽

pp. 445-446

Author(s):

Iorrano A Cidrini ◽

Josiane F Lage ◽

Igor Ferreira ◽

Karla Oliveira ◽

Laura F Prados ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rainy Season ◽

Relative Bioavailability ◽

Trace Minerals ◽

Experimental Unit ◽

Liver Concentration ◽

Nellore Cattle ◽

And Performance ◽

Urochloa Brizantha ◽

Cu And Zn ◽

Matter Basis

Abstract The relative bioavailability of trace minerals may vary between the sources and impact the animal performance. The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of TM source (Cu and Zn) on the liver concentration and performance of Nellore cattle supplemented in the growing phase during the transition between dry to rainy season. A hundred and twenty Nellore young bulls (BW = 349.72 ± 24 kg; 24 months), blocked by BW, were assigned randomly to twelve paddocks (six paddocks/treatment and 10 animals/paddock). Animals grazing Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu and supplemented at 5 g/kg BW with soybean meal, corn and mineral mix (250 g/kg of CP and 650 g/kg de NDT, natural matter basis). Supplements consisted of 40 mg Cu and 148 mg Zn/kg DM from either inorganic TM (ITM) or hydroxy TM (HTM) Intellibond® sources. Liver samples were collected at the beginning and end of the study (three animals per paddock). Animals were weighed at each period (30 days) during three periods. Period was used as a REPEATED measurement for BW and values of initial BW as independent covariates for all variables. Paddock was considered experimental unit. Data were analyzed by ANOVA using PROC MIXED, SAS 9.4. The animals supplemented with HTM had higher (+0.037 kg/day) general ADG (day 0 to 90; P = 0.012), with 0.469 and 0.506 kg/day to ITM and HTM, respectively. Final BW (day 90) from animals fed HTM was 5.13 kg higher than ITM (391.97 vs. 397.11 kg BW; P = 0.030). No differences were found in the liver concentrations of Cu and Zn between ITM or HTM (P ≥ 0.288). Cu and Zn from HTM improve the performance of animals supplemented in pasture compared to ITM sources.

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The inter-relationships of grazing method and stocking rate in the efficiency of pasture utilization by dairy cattle

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859600005888 ◽

1963 ◽

Vol 61 (2) ◽

pp. 147-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

C. P. McMeekan ◽

M. J. Walshe

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Large Scale ◽

Age Distribution ◽

Grazing Management ◽

Vanishing Point ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Continuous Grazing ◽

Grazing System ◽

Stocking Rates

1. A large-scale grazing management study comparing rotational grazing and continuous grazing with dairy cows at two stocking rates over four complete production seasons is described.2. The four treatments were: (i) controlled grazing, light stocking rate; (ii) controlled grazing, heavy stocking rate; (iii) uncontrolled grazing, light stocking rate; (iv) uncontrolled grazing, heavy stocking rate.Each treatment involved 40 cows for a first 2-year phase and 42 cows for the following 2 years. Each herd had a normal age distribution pattern and seven 2-year-old first lactation heifers (17% of total herd) were introduced each year to maintain this pattern.3. Stocking rate was the more important factor affecting the efficiency of pasture utilization as measured by per acre output of milk and butterfat. In general, high stocking was associated with higher outputs per acre despite lower yields per animal.4. Grazing method was of less importance. In general, controlled rotational grazing was superior to uncontrolled continuous grazing, both per animal and per acre, but the average influence even of these extremes of management was only half that of stocking rate.5. Significant interactions between stocking rate and grazing method existed. Under continuous grazing a point was reached where production per acre declined to the vanishing point with increased stocking rate due to excessive depression of per cow yield: this point was not reached under rotational grazing at the same high stocking levels.6. The results suggest that optimum stocking rate under rotational grazing occurs at a level some 5–10% higher than under continuous grazing. A depression of 10–12% in per cow yield, compared with more lenient grazing, corresponds with optimum stocking level irrespective of the grazing system. This estimate is suggested as a guide line in applying the principles involved.

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Levels of total nitrogen and total volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid of sheep under different grazing management systems

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea9670434 ◽

1967 ◽

Vol 7 (28) ◽

pp. 434

Author(s):

WR McManus

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Total Nitrogen ◽

Volatile Fatty Acids ◽

Rumen Fluid ◽

Subterranean Clover ◽

Grazing Management ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Continuous Grazing ◽

Grazing System ◽

Stocking Rates

Concentrations of total nitrogen and total volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid of sheep grazing improved pastures were measured for ten months in a dry year on the southern tablelands of New South Wales, and the concentrations of nitrogen and volatile fatty acids (V.F.A.) were related to season, wool production, and grazing management. The observations were made during two long-term grazing management experiments. In the first experiment four groups of breeding Merino ewes grazed a Wimmera ryegrass-subterranean clover (Lolium rigidum Gaud.-Trifolium subterraneum L.) pasture. A deferred grazing system (autumn saving) of pasture management was compared with continuous grazing at stocking rate treatments equivalent to 7.0 and 3.5 ewes to the acre. In the second experiment two groups of Merino weaners grazed a Phalaris tuberosa-subterranean clover pasture at a stocking rate equivalent to 8.6 sheep to the acre. One group received a hay supplement, the other did not. In both experiments nitrogen values were low between late autumn and mid-winter and again between late spring and summer, and high in early autumn and again in spring (P<0.05). The low levels were about 55 per cent of peak autumn and spring levels in (experiment 1) and 60 per cent of peak autumn and spring levels in (experiment 2). Total V.F.A. did not vary significantly between seasons in either experiment. At the higher stocking rate the ewes had lower levels of rumen total nitrogen than at the lower stocking rate. V.F.A. did not vary consistently between stocking rates. At both stocking rates ewes on the autumn saving system of grazing management had more nitrogen in the rumen fluid during late pregnancy and early lactation than did those on the continuous grazing system (P<0.001). After the ewes had access to the saved pasture, autumn saving resulted in a higher concentration of volatile fatty acids than continuous grazing (P< 0.05). Although feeding a hay supplement benefited the weaners the concentrations of total nitrogen in the rumen fluid of the two groups of sheep were similar. There was a fairly consistent tendency for the group receiving hay to have lower concentrations of volatile fatty acids in their rumen fluid. Possible reasons for these effects are discussed.

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Effect of grazing system on fetal development in Nellore cattle

Theriogenology ◽

10.1016/j.theriogenology.2003.07.021 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 61 (7-8) ◽

pp. 1237-1245 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M.A.C.M Bergamaschi ◽

W.R.R Vicente ◽

R.T Barbosa ◽

J.A Marques ◽

A.R Freitas

Keyword(s):

Fetal Development ◽

Grazing System ◽

Nellore Cattle

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Effects of time-controlled grazing on runoff and sediment loss

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr09032 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 47 (8) ◽

pp. 796 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Gholamreza Sanjari ◽

Bofu Yu ◽

Hossein Ghadiri ◽

Cyril A. A. Ciesiolka ◽

Calvin W. Rose

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Sediment Concentration ◽

Catchment Scale ◽

Surface Cover ◽

East Region ◽

Continuous Grazing ◽

Grazing System ◽

Sediment Loss

The time-controlled rotational grazing (TC grazing) has become popular in Australia and elsewhere in the world to provide graziers and ranchers with improved productivity over traditional practices. However, this grazing system, which involves short periods of intensive grazing, has raised concerns about sustainability and environmental impacts on water and soil resources, and ecosystem health generally. A runoff experiment at the catchment scale was established on the grazing property ‘Currajong’ in the south-east region of Queensland, Australia, to investigate the effects of continuous and TC grazing on runoff and sediment generation from 2001 to 2006. Sediment loss was reduced significantly under TC grazing compared with continuous grazing irrespective of the size of runoff events. This effect was more pronounced in the catchments with soils of gentler slopes and greater depths. The reduction in soil erosion was achieved despite the fact that the increase in ground cover under TC grazing had little effect on runoff coefficient or runoff depth. Decrease in runoff in relation to the increase in surface cover only occurred for small events, whereas for large rainfall events, runoff generated irrespective of the level of ground cover. This study showed that ground cover is a key driver in reducing sediment concentration, resulting in a significantly lower sediment loss under TC grazing. In the study area a minimum of 70% of surface cover as a threshold appeared to be needed to efficiently protect the soil surface from erosive forces of rain and runoff and to control soil erosion. The results also indicate that TC grazing has a superior capability to produce and maintain a higher level of ground cover (up to 90%) than continuous grazing (up to 65%). The long rest periods in TC grazing are seen as the major contributor to soil and pasture recovery after intensive defoliations by grazing animals, leading to an increase in above-ground organic material and thus surface cover over time.

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Body weight components of Nellore steers finished in tropical pastures

Acta Scientiarum Animal Sciences ◽

10.4025/actascianimsci.v41i1.39005 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 39005

Author(s):

Vitor Visitin Silva de Almeida ◽

Aline Cardoso Oliveira ◽

Hellenn Cardoso Oliveira ◽

Robério Rodrigues Silva ◽

Dorgival Morais de Lima Júnior

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Dry Matter ◽

The Body ◽

Dry Matter Intake ◽

Protein Supplement ◽

Initial Body Weight ◽

Tropical Pastures ◽

Nellore Cattle ◽

Urochloa Brizantha ◽

Experimental Group

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of supplementation on body weight components of Nellore cattle grazing in Urochloa brizantha. Twenty-four steers with initial body weight (BW) of 371 ± 14 kg and average age of 26 months were used. Four animals were slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment as a reference and the others were distributed in 4 treatments [0.0% (mineral salt), 0.3%, 0.6% and 0.9% supplement BW]. The slaughter of the experimental group was performed when the animals reached 450 kg and the body weight components were weighed. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and regression. The increase in supplementation level reduced (p < 0.05) pasture dry matter intake, but did not influence (p > 0.05) on empty body weight (EBW) (380.3 kg) and cold carcass weight (CCW) (247.5 kg). The weights of skin, liver, rumen and fat were not influenced (p > 0.05) by supplementation level. The animals gained, on average, 75.3 kg EBW and 50.7 kg CCW, but the treatments did not influence (p > 0.05) the gains of body weight components. The increasing of energetic-protein supplement level for Nellore steers in Urochloa brizantha pasture does not affect carcass and non-carcass components.

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Influence of different systems of grazing, type of swards and fertilizing on underground phytomass of pastures

Plant Soil and Environment ◽

10.17221/4084-pse ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 49 (No. 1) ◽

pp. 18-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

S. Hejduk ◽

F. Hrabě

Keyword(s):

Surface Layer ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Forage Yield ◽

Total Weight ◽

Mineral Fertilizers ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Continuous Grazing ◽

Grazing System ◽

Total Dry Weight

Problems concerning total dry weight and distribution of underground phytomass were studied in a pasture trial at Rapotin near &Scaron;umperk, the CzechRepublicin the period 1995–1999. The total weight of dry underground pasture phytomass (DUP) was 976 g/m2 (5-year average) in a soil layer of 0–200 mm (both live and dead roots). The DUP was significantly increased by mineral fertilizers (90 kg N/ha, 30 kg P/ha a 90 kg K/ha). The weight of DUP was not significantly influenced by a grazing system, renewal or resowing of the original grassland. In unfertilized plots, DUP weight amounted to 989 g/m2, i.e. 92 g/m2 (8.6%) less than in fertilized plots in the period 1996–1999. In the same period, under the grassland exploited by rotational grazing 1142 and under continuous grazing 1082 g/m2 DUP were determined, i.e. by 60 g/m2 (5.5%) less. The highest DUP weight in the period 1996–1999 was found in autumn 1997 (1222 g/m2) immediately before achieving the maximum forage yield in May 1998. In a layer of 0–20 mm, 54.6% of the total DUP was found. In this surface layer, significant increase in the DUP weight was found in fertilized plots. In 1999, some 88.5 and 90.2% of DUP were concentrated in unfertilized (903 g/m2) and fertilized (952 g/m2) plots, respectively in a layer of 0–100 mm.

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Effects of long-term cattle market conditions on continuous season-long and rotational grazing system revenues

The Rangeland Journal ◽

10.1071/rj20067 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 227

Author(s):

J. L. Windh ◽

J. P. Ritten ◽

J. D. Derner ◽

S. Paisley ◽

B. Lee

Keyword(s):

Rotational Grazing ◽

Market Conditions ◽

Net Returns ◽

Continuous Grazing ◽

Grazing System ◽

Grazing Systems ◽

Time Of Year ◽

One Year ◽

Cattle Market

In this study we evaluated the combination of long-term market conditions and the price slide in the cattle market on revenues associated with continuous and rotational grazing systems. A price slide is a market phenomenon in which lighter cattle sell at a higher price per unit of liveweight compared with their heavier counterparts. We used actual herd average starting and ending weights in this market analysis, and analysed the outcome using five years’ data from a continuous and rotational comparative grazing study. Despite consistently lower weight gains with rotational grazing, differences in gross revenues per steer between grazing treatments ranged from US$43.46 to minus $5.72 across the study years. We observed annual differences in the net returns across years between the two grazing systems; net returns were greater for steers in the continuous grazing treatment in three of the five years, one year with net returns that did not differ between systems, and one year in which net returns were lower with continuous grazing. These variable results showcase the complexity in having both differences in end of grazing season weight classes between the grazing systems and the differential effects of price slide among weight classes. Therefore, we argue that it may be a better management strategy for land managers to determine the optimal ending weights and the time of year to market livestock to meet the goals of an operation, rather than trying to determine which grazing system is ‘best’.

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PSXII-40 Encapsulated nitrate to beef cattle growing under grazing system supplemented during the dry-rainy season

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skz258.853 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. 430-431

Author(s):

Cibelle B Figueiredo ◽

Mauricia B Silva ◽

Juliano Fernandes ◽

Higor Rocha ◽

Alana M Calaça ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Ammonium Nitrate ◽

Experimental Period ◽

Calcium Ammonium Nitrate ◽

Transition Season ◽

Randomized Design ◽

Grazing System ◽

Nitrate Supplementation ◽

Urochloa Brizantha ◽

Supplement Intake

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of the encapsulated calcium ammonium nitrate as a partial substitute for soybean meals in the concentrate on performance and rate consumption of Nellore young bulls under grazing conditions, supplemented during the growing phase. Sixty-four Nellore young bulls (initial BW = 246.69 ± 7.43 kg) where allotted into 16 paddocks of 1.0 ha each of Urochloa brizantha, randomly assigned into one of two treatments: (CTL) supplement with 22% CP, without nitrate inclusion and; (ENP): supplement with 22% CP, with a inclusion of 50 g of encapsulated calcium ammonium nitrate to each 100 kg of body weight. The experimental period lasted 84 d, during the dry-rainy transition season. Animals were supplemented with 1.0% of BW, once a day (at 1000 h). Supplementation disappearance rate were evaluated the during continuous 24h after feeding, with intervals of 3 hours. For performance evaluation, animals were weighted every 28 days. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design, using ANOVA (α = 0.05). There were no differences in ADG (1,039 vs 1,012 kg, P < 0.4468), G:F (0.299 vs 0.331, P < 0.1435) and final BW (336.44 vs 329.86 kg, P < 0.2063). The treatments affected the rate of supplementation disappearance (P < 0.0001). Control animals consumed all supplement offered 9h after fed. On the other hand, animals from the nitrate supplementation consumed only 54.65% in the same period. The nitrate decreased the overall supplement intake (P < 0.0011) with CTL consumed 2.844 kg, while ENP consumed 2.492 kg. The inclusion of 50 g of encapsulated calcium ammonium nitrate to each 100 kg of body weight in the supplement of growing cattle under grazing conditions, on dry-rainy transition season decreases DMI and the rate of supplemental disappearance, however, this not affected the performance.

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