Determining the pre-grazing sward height of Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus - Hochst. ex Chiov.) for optimizing nutrient intake rate of dairy heifers.
[en] Understanding the grazing process and animal response to sward structures (e.g., sward height) is key to setting targets for efficient grazing management. We hypothesized that the short-term intake rate (STIR) of dry matter (DM) and digestible organic matter (OM) by dairy heifers is maximized with Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus-Hochst. ex Chiov.) of intermediate sward heights. The treatments consisted of five pre-grazing sward heights (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 cm) randomly assigned to two of ten paddocks. The experimental design included two measurements of each paddock at different periods and times of day. Three Holstein heifers (440 ± 42 kg body weight) were used to determine the STIR, which was estimated using the double-weighing technique with correction for insensible weight losses. The bite mass (BM), bite rate (BR), sward structural characteristics, and nutritional value of herbage samples were assessed. The data were analyzed using mixed models with a factorial arrangement of five sward heights, two times of day, and two evaluation periods. The sward height of Kikuyu grass that maximized both STIRs was approximately 20 cm. The STIR of the DM was 30% and 15% lower than the maximum in the shortest and tallest swards tested, respectively. In swards shorter than 20 cm, the STIR was lower because the BM decreased with sward height, whereas in those greater than 20 cm, the lower BM and STIR of DM was explained by a decrease in bulk density and bite volume. The top stratum was composed mainly of highly digestible leaf blades with similar nutrient content across sward heights; therefore the STIR of digestible OM was also maximized at 20 cm. Hence, the optimal pre-grazing sward height of Kikuyu grass should be managed at 20 cm under rotational stocking systems to maximize nutrient intake rate of dairy heifers.
Disciplines :
Animal production & animal husbandry Agriculture & agronomy
Author, co-author :
Marín Gómez, Alejandra ; Grazing Ecology Research Group, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil ; Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
Laca, Emilio A; Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
Baldissera, Tiago Celso ; Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina (Epagri), Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Pinto, Cassiano Eduardo; Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina (Epagri), Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Garagorry, Fábio Cervo; Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina (Epagri), Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Zubieta, Angel S; Grazing Ecology Research Group, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Bremm, Carolina ; Grazing Ecology Research Group, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Bindelle, Jérôme ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Ingénierie des productions animales et nutrition
Carvalho, Paulo César de Faccio; Grazing Ecology Research Group, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Language :
English
Title :
Determining the pre-grazing sward height of Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus - Hochst. ex Chiov.) for optimizing nutrient intake rate of dairy heifers.
This research was funded by COLCIENCIAS under the "National Doctorate" scholarship, convocation number 647, awarded to AMG, and CNPq, MDA/CNPq Edital 38/2014 (Proceso CNPq 472977/2014-8), awarded to CB. This study also was supported by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) as part of the LivestockPlus project and the Climate, Food and Farming (CLIFF) Network grant from the CGIAR Research Program (CRP) on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), awarded to AMG. For details, please visit https://ccafs.cgiar. org/donors (accessed on 30 May 2022).
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