Adriana Frizzo

Leaf Traits as Functional Descriptors of the Intensity of Continuous Grazing in Native Grasslands in the South of Brazil

Abstract Plant functional types (PFT) have been used to describe the response of native vegetation to environmental factors (i.e., fertility) and to livestock disturbance, but rarely under conditions of continuous grazing. In this work we investigate whether the long-term response of grassland communities submitted to a gradient of continuous grazing pressure can be described with such an approach. After 15 yr of differentiation of the grazing pressure applied to native grasslands we measured leaf dry-matter content (LDMC) and specific leaf area (SLA) of Poaceae populations of the communities. A grazing pressure gradient was created by levels of daily forage allowance: 4, 8, 12, and 16 kg of dry matter per day per 100 kg of animal live weight, monitored monthly. PFTs were defined by numerical analysis, where an algorithm finds the optimal trait subset based on the agreement between matrices of species × traits, paddocks × grass biomass, and environmental variables (levels of forage allowance and soil characteristics). The results show that it is possible to describe a gradient of grazing pressure by means of LDMC and/or SLA measured only on the Poacea contributing at least 80% of the total Poaceae biomass. Four PFTs were differentiated by these leaf traits. PFTs having low LDMC and high SLA are characteristic of high intensity of use and are made up largely of stoloniferous C4 species typical of rapid resource capture strategies. Conversely, PFTs characterized by high LDMC and low SLA include species that are representative of low grazing pressure. Variations in the aggregate value of traits are due to changes in the species proportions and not to leaf-size adaptation as hypothesized. We conclude than in the absence of a gradient of fertility, plants with strategies of resource capture tend to be more represented under high grazing pressures. This situation results in a loss of functional diversity, but in particular a reduction in forage availability, which is incompatible with high animal production.

Produção animal e de forragem em pastagem nativa submetida a distintas ofertas de forragem

This trial was conducted in natural pasture area of the Agronomic Experimental Station of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (Porto Alegre-RS), from 10/25/2000 to 09/13/2001, with the objective of evaluating the treatments: 8%, 12%, 16% of dry matter allowance (DMA) over the year, 8% of DMA at spring and 12% at summer, autumn and winter (8-12%); 12% of DMA at spring and 8% at summer, autumn and winter (12-8%) e 16% of DMA at spring and 12% at summer, autumn and winter (16-12%), using steers on continuous grazing with variable stocking rate. The experimental design used was blocks randomised with two replications. The biggest average daily weight gain over the year (0.466 kg/an/day) was obtained in the increased DMA treatment. This treatment, also, was the only management the animals increased weight at winter. The animal production/ha was smaller in the 16% and 16-12% treatments. The DMA changing over the seasons, as a procedure to manipulate the vegetation structure and composition to increase forage production and average daily weight gain was efficient, and its effect upon the forage and animal production go on all the seasons.

Suplementação energética na recria de bezerras de corte mantidas em pastagem de inverno

This work was carried outo to evaluate the effect of levels of energetic supplementation in productive and reproductive performance of sixty-four Charolais heifers and their crosses with Nellore, mantained in cultivated pasture of black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb) plus Italian ryegrass (Lulium mulktiflorum Lam.). The treatments considered supplementation of 0; 0.7 and 1.4% of the live weight (LW)/day of rice bran associated with citric pulp, in the proportion of 1:1. A continuous grazing system with variable stocking rate was used, to maintain 1500 kg/ha of DM in herbage mass in all treatments. The following parameters were evaluated: average daily gain, stocking rate, live weight gain, body condition, pelvic area, weight at puberty and age at puberty, hip height and estimated intake of DM. The supplementation increased average daily gain, stocking rate and live weight gain. Heifers kept only on pasture had lower body conditions and showed lower heat percentage than heifers supplemented with 0.7 and 1.4% of LW/day with no differences (P>0.05) between the 0.7 and 1.4% levels. The percentage of heifers showing heat until 16 months of age was 9.1; 68.7 and 70.6%, respectively. The supplementations levels did not affect pelvic area, age at puberty and hip height. The estimated intake of DM was lower for the level of 1.4 % LW/day.

Produção de forragem e retorno econômico da pastagem de aveia e azevém sob pastejo com bezerras de corte submetidas a níveis de suplementação energética

It was evaluated the forage production from black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb) plus italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam) mixture under grazing with beef heifers of Charolais breed and their crosses with Nellore submitted to following treatments: 0, 0.7, and 1.4% live weight/day of supplementation of rice bran plus citrus pulp (1:1). Daily dry matter accumulation rate (TA), botanical composition, forage losses and economic return of the different levels of supplementation were evaluated. The treatments with supplementation increased TA, however, the supplement level of 1,4% did not differ from the 0% level. Forage mass losses represented 2.61, 1.91, and 1.41% of the live weight/day for 0, 0.7, and 1.4% supplementation levels, respectively. The total costs (C) were 289.49, 477.17, and 749.49 R

Produções primária e secundária de uma pastagem natural da Depressão Central do Rio Grande do Sul submetida a diversas ofertas de fitomassa aérea total

/ha. The gross incomes (GI) were of 551.46, 723.29, and 872.56 R

Desempenho de bezerros de corte alimentados com diferentes fontes protéicas associadas à silagem de sorgo colhida em duas alturas de corte

/ha. The net incomes were 261.49, 255.15, and 122.62 R

Avaliação das Farinhas de Peixe e Pena, no Confinamento de Bezerros Leiteiros Desmamados, Através de Dietas Calculadas em Termos de Proteína Bruta ou de Proteína Metabolizável

/ha. The GI/C ratio were 1.90, 1.54, and 1.16 for the treatments 0, 0.7 and 1.4% LW/day, respectively.

Alternativas de utilização da pastagem hibernal para recria de bezerras de corte

This study tested the influence of different forage allowances during the growing season on vegetation dynamics and animal performance. Treatments consisted of different herbage allowances (kg DM/100 kg liveweight/day, expressed in %) and different combinations of herbage allowances in sequence: 4.0%, 8.0%, 12.0%, and 16.0% herbage DM allowance during the entire year; 8.0% herbage allowance in Spring and 12.0% in Summer/Autumn; 12.0% herbage allowance in Spring and 8.0% in Summer/Autumn; 16.0% herbage allowance in Spring and 12.0% in Summer/Autumn. The grazing method was continuous stocking with variable stocking rate, and the experimental animals were yearling crossbred steers. A randomized complete block design was used, with two replications. Data are presented from the 2001/2002 growing season regarding pasture production, animal daily gain, and animal gain/ha. Results showed that 4.0% of herbage allowance decreased animal performance. The 8.0% herbage allowance in Spring and 12.0% in Summer/Autumn treatment promoted higher animal performance, indicating that this type of management may be interesting to manipulate sward structure, resulting in a better forage quality at the onset of Autumn/Winter season.

Comportamento ingestivo de novilhos em pastagem nativa no Rio Grande do Sul

Three protein sources (urea - U; feather meal - Fm; soybean meal - Sm) associated to two sorghum silage (sorghum at high cutting - SHC; and sorghum at low cutting - SLC) were evaluated by measuring beef calf performance, confined for 84 days. Thirty-six crossbred (Charoles/RedAngus/Nelore) castrated calves, with five months of age and average weight alive on the 146.44 kg, were used. Average daily weight gain (DWG); the dry matter intake expressed in kg/day (DMI), percentage live weight (DMILW) and percentage of metabolic weight (DMIMW) and the feed : gain ratio (FGR) were evaluated. The treatments followed a 3x2 factorial in a completely randomized design. There was significant effect in the interaction silage versus protein source for variable DWG, with the higher DWG for SHCFm (1.61 kg/animal/day) versus SLCSm (1.32 kg/animal/day). The other parameters did not differ when the interaction or separately the silage or protein source was analyzed. The sorghum silage high cutting height promoted numerically higher DWG and DMI.

Parâmetros produtivos de uma pastagem temperada submetida a alternativas de utilização

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar tres fontes proteicas - o farelo de soja e as farinhas de peixe e de pena - e dois metodos de calculo de racoes - o calculado em termos de proteina bruta (PB), segundo recomendacoes do NRC (1988), e o proposto pelo AFRC (1993), calculado em termos de proteina metabolizavel (PM) - atraves do desempenho de bezerros leiteiros. Os animais foram confinados e submetidos a cinco dietas, que variavam apenas as fontes proteicas em sua composicao, assim discriminadas: FS- Farelo de Soja, FPx- Farinha de Peixe, FPn- Farinha de Pena, FPxU- Farinha de Peixe e Ureia, e FPnU- Farinha de Pena e Ureia. Forneceu-se uma dieta completa, composta de 40% de silagem de sorgo e 60% de concentrado, na MS. Todos os tratamentos possuiam cerca de 2,56 Mcal/kg MS de energia metabolizavel, sendo os tratamentos FS, FPx e FPn calculados pelo sistema de PB, possuindo 18% de PB, e os tratamentos FPxU e FPnU, calculados pelo sistema de PM, possuindo 16,3% de PB e uma mesma quantidade de proteina metabolizavel que o tratamento FS, com 112,0 gramas de PM/dia. Individualmente, os tratamentos nao apresentaram diferencas significativas (P>0,05) no peso vivo final, no ganho de peso diario e no consumo de materia seca, havendo diferencas apenas na conversao alimentar. A melhor conversao alimentar ocorreu no tratamento FPx, e a pior, no tratamento FPnU. Concluiu-se que o metodo de calculo utilizando PM proporcionou resultados semelhantes aos do metodo de PB. Os tratamentos com farinha de peixe proporcionaram maiores ganhos de peso, menores consumos e melhor conversao alimentar que os tratamentos com farinha de pena, permanecendo o tratamento farelo de soja com o ganho de peso intermediario.