Características estruturais de gramíneas e desempenho animal em pastagens sob lotação intermitente e adubação nitrogenada no agreste semiárido de Pernambuco

Abstract

In the Agreste of Pernambuco, Brazil, although many forage species are used in the pastures formation, such as pangola grass (Digitaria pentzi Stent.), sabi grass [Urochloa mosambicensis (Hackel) Dandy] and the capim-de-raiz (Chloris orthonoton Doell), there are few studies on the growth and productive responses in these plants when managed under grazing. Such studies are of great importance because it represents the starting point for understanding the responses of these plants, as well as its adaptive mechanisms, the management of pasture and semiarid environment. The objective of this study was evaluate the structural characteristics and animal performance on pasture deferred formed by grass aforementioned under nitrogen fertilization (0, 80 and 100 kg / ha) and managed under intermittent grazing in semiarid Agreste of Pernambuco. The grazing cycle was 42 days, with 14 days of grazing and 28 days of rest. The animals used in the experiment were sheep with average live weight of 25 kg. The experimental design was randomized block with split plots. In the pre-grazing, the capim-de-raiz presented had higher total forage density (102.30 kg DM/cm/ha) than the sabi grass (73.86 kg DM/cm/ha). For total forage mass and leaf blades mass, the sabi grass had lower forage and leaf blades mass (4257.67 and 1572.00 kg DM/ha) than the pangola grass (6185.48 and 2371.57 kg DM/ha) and capim-de-raiz (6153.92 and 2181.50 kg DM/ha). Regarding the effect of N levels on the structural characteristics of the pre-grazing, it was found that nitrogen fertilization of 80 kg/ha/year resulted in a smaller pasture height, greater total forage and leaf blades mass, as well as higher total forage density. In the post-grazing, forage density was higher for the pangola grass (97.89 kg DM/cm/ha), while the level of 160 kg N/ha/year provided less forage density when compared to the absence of nitrogen fertilization. As for animal performance, the pangola grass provided greater weight gain per animal and per hectare, with averages of 0.19 kg LW/animal/day and 8.3 kg LW/ha/day, respectively. The pangola grass showed better structural characteristics under grazing and provided greater animal performance when compared to capim-corrente and capim-de-raiz. Nitrogen fertilization with 80 kg/ha/year provided favorable structural characteristics in grasses. Although affect the structural characteristics of grasses under grazing, nitrogen fertilization did not affect animal performance.