Performance of beef cattle grazing Tanzania grass fertilized with nitrogen or intercropped with Stylo

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the dry mass of forage and leaf blade dry mass, average daily gain, stocking rate and live weight gain in Tanzania grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) from November/2008 to July/2009, on continuous stocking. The experimental design was a split-plot arrangement in a randomized blocks design, with three replications and four treatments: Tanzania + Campo Grande Stylo; Tanzania + 75kg/ha of N; Tanzania + 150kg/ha of N and Tanzania + 225kg/ha of N, subplots were the seasons of the year: Spring, Summer and Autumn. The forage dry mass and leaf blade dry mass was higher in Summer compared to Spring and Autumn. The treatment with 225kg of N presented higher dry mass of forage and leaf blade dry mass in Summer and Autumn. It was obtained the higher average daily gain in the Summer. In the Spring and Summer no differences were observed for average daily gain, but in the Autumn the treatment with 225kg/ha of N was the best. The stocking rate was similar in Summer and Autumn, but lower in Spring. The treatment with 225kg of N presented the higher stocking rate in Spring and Summer. The treatment with 225kg of N presented the higher live weight gain in Autumn, with the treatment with 150kg of N neighbor in Spring and Summer. The availability of forage dry mass and animal performance provided for the Stylo can substitute the nitrogen fertilization until 75kg/ha of N.