Characteristics of the sward in native grass pastures either alone or associated with Arachis pintoi CIAT 17434, under intensive rotational grazing.

摘要

This study was conducted to estimate some characteristics of pasture vegetation in native grass pastures alone (G) or associated with Arachis pintoi CIAT 17434 (GA) under intensive rotation in the humid tropics of Veracruz, Mexico, five years after legume establishment. Five pasture divisions of G and three of GA were used. Samplings took place from 7/VIII/95 to 28/V/96, for a total of 27 for G and 18 for GA; the instantaneous stocking rates were 29.9+or-5.2 and 32.9+or-5.6 cows/ha/day and days of recovery were 43+or-4 and 50+or-4. There were no differences (P>0.05) between pastures for available dry matter, residual dry matter and dry matter intake, being the respective means: 29.3+or-2.0, 25.1+or-1.9 and 3.31+or-0.20 kg DM/100 kg LW. Pasture use in GA (18.5+or-1.1%) was greater (P<0.05) than that of G (14.6+or-0.9%). The CP content of leaves and stems both before and after grazing was always higher (P<0.05) in GA than in G; CP was nearly always above the critical value of 7%. The leaf and stem contents were similar (P>0.05) between pastures, giving a mean leaf:stem ratio of one. Crop growth rates were not affected (P>0.05) by pastures, with means of 37.7+or-8.1 kg DM/ha/day for the absolute and 0.0110+or-0.0002 DM/kg/ha/day for the relative. Botanical composition was dominated by grasses in G and by A. pintoi in GA. The legume benefited the protein of forage but other variables were not improved..