Crop residues from corn and cowpea as fodder for steers browsing caatinga pasture

Abstract

Zebu type steers, browsing a caatinga pasture on a 6 ha/head/year stocking rate were allocated to supplementation with crop residues, in the following treatments: T₁ = corn crop residues (CCR); T₂ = CCR + cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) fodder (CF) in the proportion 1:1; and T₃ = CF. The fodder was furnished by the onset of the animal weight losses in the dry season. A forth group of steers was kept in the same area but without any supplement. The research lasted two years (1982-83). There was no difference among treatments in fodder intake and the average was 1.44 and 2.06 kg/100 kg liveweight for 1982 and 1983, respectively. The daily weight gain (kg) for treatments T₁, T₂ and T₃ was, respectively, 0.02, 0.10 and 0.17 in 1982, and 0.07, 0.12 and 0.23 in 1983. There was difference among treatments only in 1982 and in the joint analysis of both years, with T₃ (RCF) being statistically superior (P/0,05) to T₁ (CCR), but there were no difference between these treatments and T₂ (CCR + CF). The steers not suplemented lost steadly weight in the dry season, and had to receive fodder to survive. Corn and cowpea crop residues may either reduce weight losses or permit gain of steers browsing caatinga pasture during the dry season.