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The pasture is the main input for the beef and dairy cattle. Therefore, you should have good productivity, quality, palatability and longevity. For this to happen, some procedures or low-cost techniques should be adopted, or even no increase in costs.
For each fenced area or farm area, there is a more adapted and productive specie.
When choosing this specie, the following should be noted:
• Area diagnosis: accomplished through chemical and physical soil analysis, soil type, climate, topography, pests, invasive, physical or mechanical impediments, history of the area and others.
• Associated with the diagnosis, it should also be considered the desired productivity, technological level to be adopted, the purpose of production and the time of usage of the species.
Eliminate high sized regrowth of cerrado, shrubs, bushes, stumps, sticks or branches.
Build terraces or contour when the area demonstrates susceptibility or risk of erosion or even runoff of rainwater.
When the soil analysis indicates the need for limestone use, this should be applied with an advance of 60-90 days before the application of phosphate fertilizer; the amount to be used will also depend on the forage species, and the desired level of productivity. Consult an engineer-agronomist.
This must be done in order to provide a good germination and establishment of pasture. The intensity and equipment to be used for soil preparation will depend on the type, quantity and weed species and the fodder to be implanted.
The pasture should be seen as a culture that will produce for many years. Therefore, soil preparation should be equal or better than the one used for planting soybeans, cotton, corn and others, that is, few clods, level and free soil of weeds, with little straw. In areas that are experiencing a high amount of straw, perform soil preparation at least 120 days before planting during the rainy season, for the occurrence of decomposition it without interfering in the pasture germination.
In areas that present a high infestation of invasive or other forage, making the preparation of the stepped land to enhance germination and eliminating them, delaying the planting of forage.
Avoid excessive soil preparation (spraying), especially in mixed and sandy soils.
Apply the recommended amounts of these nutrients when the soil analysis indicates shortcomings, taking into account the results of soil analysis, the requirement of each species and the desired level of productivity. They can be applied before planting or cover, except to the reactive rock phosphate, that when recommended, should always be before planting and incorporated.
Characteristics of the main forage plants
| Specie | Fertility requirement | Tolerance | Planting depth (cm) | PB* percentage | VC/ha | |||||
| Planting conditions | ||||||||||
| Cold weather | Drought | Humidity | Little buzzer | Excellent | Medium | Bad | ||||
| Brachiaria brizantha CV. Marandu | Medium to High |
Medium | Medium | Low | tough | 2-4 | Medium | 280 | 400 | 500 |
| Brachiaria decumbens CV. Basilisk |
Medium a Low | Medium | Good | Low | Susceptível | 2-4 | Medium | 180 | 280 | 380 |
| Brachiaria dictyoneura CV. Llanero |
Low | Medium | Good | Medium | Tolerante | 1-3 | Medium a Low | 250 | 350 | 450 |
| Brachiaria humidicola CV. Humidícola | Low | Medium | Good | High | tough | 1-3 | Low | 250 | 350 | 450 |
| Panicum maximum CV. Mombaça | High | Medium | Medium | Low | Tolerante | 0,5-2,5 | High | 160 | 300 | 400 |
| Panicum maximum CV. Tanzânia | High | Medium | Medium | Low | Tolerante | 0,5-2,5 | High | 160 | 300 | 400 |
| Panicum maximum CV. Massai | Medium a High | Good | Medium a Good | Low | Tolerante | 0,5-2,5 | Medium a High | 160 | 300 | 400 |
| Paspalum atratum CV. Pojuca |
Medium a High | Medium | Medium | High | tough | 1-3 | Medium a Low | 200 | 300 | 400 |
| Andropogon gayanus CV. Baeti | Low | High | High | Medium | tough | 0,5-1 | Medium | 250 | 350 | 450 |
| Pennisetum glaucum CV. Milheto | Medium a Low | Low | High | Low | tough | 1-4 | High | line 12kg/ha haul 16kg/ha | 16kg/ha 20kg/ha | 20kg/ha 24kg/ha |
| Eleusime corocama CV. Pé-de-Galinha | Low | Medium | High | Low | tough | 0,5-2 | High | 8kg/ha | 10kg/ha | 12kg/ha |
| Paspalum saurae CV. Pensacola |
Medium a High | Good | Good | Low | Tolerante | 0,5-2 | Medium | 1600 | 1900 | 2000 |
| Specie | Fertility requirement | Tolerance | Planting depth (cm) | VC/ha | ||||
| Planting conditions | ||||||||
| Cold weather | Drought | Humidity | Excellent | Medium | Bad | |||
| Calopogônio | Low to Medium and High | Low | High | Medium | 1,0-3,0 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Estilosantes Campo Grade | Low | High | 0,5-2,0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Leucena | High | Medium | High | Low | 1,0-4,0 | 32 | 35 | 40 |
| Guande | Low, Medium and High | Medium | High | Low | 2,0-4,0 | 25 | 35 | 40 |
| Arachis Pintoi | Low to Medium | Medium | Medium | 2,0-4,0 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| Mucuna-preta | Low to Medium | Medium | High | Low | 3,0-5,0 | 50 | 60 | 70 |
*Protein content: As for the quality of pastures in terms of protein and digestibility, there is a daily variation depending on the species, time of year, stage of development, part of the plant and soil fertility level. The protein content may vary from 5% to 24% and the digestibility from 45% to 75%.
** Planting conditions: Regarding soil preparation, potential invasive, equipment to its use, planting time, weather conditions, topography (susceptibility to erosion) and fodder use objectives.
Obs: In the case of air planting, the recommended amount of seed per hectare should be increased by 50%. When the planting is to very sandy soils, an increase in the recommended depth may be used.
For most forage, plantingperiod it is very wide in almost all the national territory, starting with the first rains in September until March. The best period is from November to January.
Haul planting:
The cultivation can be carried out by throwing on the ground with a properly prepared mild, partially or fully closed grid to incorporate the seeds from 0,5 to 4 cm deep, except for estilosantes or Andropogon. Soon after the last harrowing (leveling), apply the seed and pass the iron road roller or tire, with greater weight in the sandy soil; average, in mixed and take in the clay.
Not pass the roll excess moisture with land so that the land does not stick to the roll.
Planting with seeder:
Should follow the same requirements of planting the haul, with spacing 13-40 cm, depending on the equipment and fodder species with depth of 0.5 to 4 cm and can carry out the same operation, the fertilization of pastures or consortium with other species. If the planter has no compaction system, pass the road roller. Should follow the same requirements of planting the haul, with spacing 13-40 cm, depending on the equipment and fodder species with depth of 0.5 to 4 cm and can carry out the same operation, the fertilization of pastures or consortium with other species. If the planter has no compaction system, pass the road roller. Great condition for planting: Only well prepared, with good moisture, low incidence of weeds, pests or other forage, planting from November to January, using proper equipment, the recommended depth of sowing, and roller compactor.
Direct plantation (Tillage):
• Requirements: requires the same conditions of grain tillage, that is, with good ground cover, with uniform straw without chemical and physical limitations, without erosion, compaction, hikers, termites, stumps, weeds not controlled by herbicide and other ;
• Where and when to use: on farms that have adequate machinery and equipment; in areas with high infestation of invasive; when a rapid formation of pasture and planting off-season is required. After drying, is carried out by planting rows spaced 13-40 cm, by placing 10% to 20% more seed than the traditional system.
The most important pests in the formation of pastures are caterpillars, subterranean termites and ants. Every time the level of infestation is significant it should be controlled with pesticides specific to each type of pest, with the dosages recommended by a technician. Failure to control these pests can harm the formation and persistence of the pasture.
In areas with high infestation of annual and perennial weeds, it should be adopted wherever possible, mechanical, cultural and chemical control.
• Mechanical - preparing the ground staggered to reduce the soil seed bank.
• Cultural - in areas with infestations of invasive, increasing by 50% the recommended amount of seeds.
• Chemical - after germination of the pasture and there is high infestation of invasive broadleaf, in patches, in part or in whole area, control using herbicides 2,4-D base. Apply when the weeds reach 2 to 6 leaves.
For medium grasses good productivity, nitrogen is very important, especially in low organic matter soils. All nutrientes being corrected, nitrogen is what provides the greatest increase in productivity. For the formation of pasture, nitrogen application is recommended 30-40 days after emergence or after management training (first grazing), in order to assist in the formation of good pasture. The applied dose will depend on the analysis of soil, grass species and desired productivity.
This management, also called uniform grazing, aims to contribute to good pasture establishment. At first, you should start grazing 60-100 days after emergence of the pasture, or before the inflorescence of the issue (seed), provided that the planting is done at the recommended age for each region. Should be used, preferably, young animals with high stocking, a short time (10 to 30 days). The advantages of this management are:
• Avoid layering.
• Decrease the competition eliminating excess plants.
• Remove most apical bud, thus reducing the production of seed and translocation of these nutrients for stimulating the release of new roots and tillers.
• Anticipate the use of fodder, taking advantage of the nutritional self-worth with good meat production / hectare.
• Provide the fastest and perfect ground cover.
The main advantages of a good pasture formation not saving seeds are:• Good coverage area by avoiding compaction and soil erosion.
• Increased competition from invasive, eliminating the mechanical and chemical control, higher cost.
• Soil water retention Increase, therefore there will be less effect of dry spells or drought on growth of pasture.
• More efficient use and less loss of nutrients.
• Increased productivity and quality of forage.
• Increased soil microorganisms.
• Increased meat production / hectare, at lower cost.
• Production of a sustainable animal husbandry.
• Property Valuation.
It can be:
Continuous: the animal is always in the same space or grazing.
Alternate: the animal uses two greenhouses alternately with 28-36 days of grazing, and the same rest period.
Rotated: the animal uses 3-40 pickets or winter pastures with grazing period 1-15 days with rest period 24-39 days depending on the forage species, fertilization or level of natural soil fertility, time of year , animal type, and other production system. The size and number of pickets depend exclusively on the production of forage potential, grazing intensity and number of animals.
Between grazing systems, the "rotated" is the best; however, it requires a higher level of knowledge, dedication and control of the production system.
Tanzânia and Mombaça – 40 to 50 cm
Marandú and Andropógon – 30 cm
Decumbens – 20 cm
Humidícola and Dictioneura – 15 cm
Tifton – 15 cm
Avoid the most of overgrazing by adjusting the stocking rate depending on the availability or supply of forage. This technique is very low cost or even no cost on the property.
One of the main causes of degradation of pastures is the reduction of soil fertility, due to the nutrients lost in the production process, which can reach more than 40% of all nutrients ingested by the animal grazing, especially nitrogen and phosphorus.
The amount of maintenance fertilizer used annually, is directly related to the pasture productivity. In general, it is recommended to return to the pastures 20% of annual gross revenue.
The use of maintenance fertilization is extremely economical since it is chosen the sort of proper fodder to the climate and soil conditions as well formed and managed.
For good productivity of meat and milk it is important to use pastures with animals of good genetics without health and reproductive problems. Therefore, one must discard all unproductive or lower animals from the farm, so they do not eliminate or reduce the profitability of the production system.
The objective of this work is to help the farmer. When in doubt, consult a technician.