Animal perfomace and forage production in continuous stocking or Voisin rotational stocking.

Abstract

During 120 days the production of a “Panicum maximum cv. colonião” pasture and its reflex in animal performance were evaluated using two grazing methods. The experiment was compound by two treatments: Continuous Stocking (CS) and Rotational Stocking (RS), both with two repetitions. It were evaluated: pasture growth rate (kg DM/ha/day) and total dry matter production (kg DM/ha), average daily gain (g/animal/day) weight gain per area (kg/ha) and grazing pressure (kg/ha). Statistical analysis was done through the random routine tests using “MULTIV” software. The following results were observed: Average daily gain was 930g (P=0,001) for CS and 835g for RS. Grazing pressure was 560 kg/ha for CS and 844 kg/ha for RS (P=0,079) and weight gain per area wasf 179 kg/ha to CS and 220 kg/ha to RS (P=0,079). Pasture growth rate was 60 kg of DM/ha /day to CS and 95,5 kg of DM/ha/day to RS (P=0,07). DM total production was 9.149 kg/ha to CS and 11.460kg/ha to RS (P=0,07). In Continuous Stocking (CS) average daily gain was higher, while forage production and live weight gain per hectare were higher in Rotational Stocking (RS).