Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1843/56447
Type: Artigo de Periódico
Title: Forage quality and performance of sheep in Massai grass pastures managed at pre-grazing canopy heights
Authors: João Virgínio Emerenciano Neto
Gelson Dos Santos Difante
Ângela Maria Quintão Lana
Henrique Rocha de Medeiros
Emerson Moreira de Aguiar
Denise b. Montagner
Joelma da Silva Souza
Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of pasture height at pre-grazing of Massai grass on the quality of available forage, forage intake and the performance of lambs raised for meat production. The treatments consisted of four pre-grazing canopy heights (35, 40, 45 and 50 cm). Pastures were managed by the intermittent stocking method and 32 sheep were used. Dry matter intake (DMI) was estimated by Lipe® indicator. Green forage allowance was not affected by pre-grazing heights. There was no effect of heights on the chemical composition of the stem or the leaf blades, except for crude protein content of leaf blades, which showed an inverse linear effect. Grazing time had a quadratic response in function of canopy height. The minimum point was at 42.6 cm, with 502.9 min/day. DMI increased linearly with increasing pasture height. Average daily weight gain (ADG) and stocking rate (SR) responded linearly to pre-grazing heights. Weight gain per hectare was not affected by height as a result of the compensation between SR and ADG. The increase from 35 to 50 cm in Massai grass canopy height reduces its nutritional value and individual performance and increases DMI of sheep intended for meat production.
Subject: Zootecnia
Produção animal
language: eng
metadata.dc.publisher.country: Brasil
Publisher: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Publisher Initials: UFMG
metadata.dc.publisher.department: VET - DEPARTAMENTO DE ZOOTECNIA
VETER - ESCOLA DE VETERINARIA
Rights: Acesso Aberto
metadata.dc.identifier.doi: https://doi.org/10.4314/sajas.v48i6.10
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1843/56447
Issue Date: 6-Feb-2019
metadata.dc.url.externa: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajas/article/view/183150
metadata.dc.relation.ispartof: South African Journal of Animal Science
Appears in Collections:Artigo de Periódico



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