Stocking rate and nitrogen or legumes on beef steers live weight gain from Guinea grass pastures

Abstract

Beef production on three Guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq) pastures were studied: grass alone without nitrogen fertilizer, grass/perennial soybean (Glycine wightii Willd) and centro (Centrosema pubescens Benth) mixture and grass with nitrogen (100 kg N/ha/year). Two stocking rates (1.5 and 2.0 steers/ha) were used. Animals used were mate cross-bred steers of 200-250 kg live weight and 9-12 month old. No significant differences were observed between daily weight gain during the rainy season, considering both stocking rates. In the dry season, however, daily weight gain were higher at 1.5 steers/ha stocking rate. The best pasture to beef production was grass/legume mixture specially in the dry season. However, no difference was observed between final live weight gains per hectare of steers grazing grass/legume mixture and pasture receiving nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen fertilization may be associated to a stocking rate higher than 2.0 steers/ha in order to better the available forage.