Title: Morphological and chemical composition in elephant dwarf grass swards (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) submitted to strategies of intermittent stocking.

 

Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the combination of pre-grazing heights and severities of defoliation in morphological and chemical composition of dwarf elephant grass swards cv. Pioneiro (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) submitted to grazing by cattle. The hypothesis tested was that different pre-grazing heights, associated with the same severity of defoliation, changes morphological and chemical composition of pastures under rotational grazing. Treatments consisted of two pre-grazing heights (90 and 120 cm) and two severities defoliation (removal of 50 or 70% of pre-grazing height). The experimental was conducted according a complete a randomized block design arranged in a factorial arrangement (2x2) with three replications, totaling 12 experimental units (approximately 600 m²). The data were collected from January to June 2011. The variables analyzed were: morphological composition, herbage mass and density of leaves, stems, weeds and dead material and chemical composition (MS, MM, CP, NDF, ADF, lignin and PIDA) of grazing stratum. The forage samples were performed on pre-and post-grazing through rectangular samplers of 1 m2 arranged in three points representing the average condition of the sward observed in the plot, with the cut made at grazing stratum and then close to the ground . To better characterize the grazing stratum, it was divided in its full height in two, with the upper half called stratum 1 and stratum 2 the lower one. Statistical analyzes were performed using the MIXED procedure of SAS ® statistical package (Statistical Analysis System) version 8.0 for Windows ®. For comparison of means between treatments it was used "pdiff", with a significance level of 5%. Generally, only the combination 120/70 had changed their morphological composition in relation to the other treatments (90/50, 90/70 and 120/50), but these differences were not statistically significant (P> 0.05). However, evaluations of these differences changed directly NDF and ADF values and indirectly the CP values (67, 35 and 9%, for the treatment 120/70 versus 63, 33 and 13% for the others), and that in the latter case (PB), treatment 120/70 reduced the overall mean of pre-grazing height of 120 cm and severity 70%. The lignin contents were higher in pre-grazing height of 120 cm (3.5%) comparing to the height of 90 cm (3.0%) and the PIDA did not changed among treatments, while maintaining a constant ratio of 10% of CP. The higher frequency of grazing had a higher accumulation of leaves and total forage. Thus, the conclusions were: 1) in moderate grazing severity, the chemical composition is not changed by grazing frequency, 2) despite a similar chemical composition between treatments 90/50 and 90/70, the latter should be recommended with caution, since pseudostems represents a great part of the offered material, which is a physical barrier to the grazing, 3) differences in performance under these conditions should be exclusively to variations in the structure presented to the animal.

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Keywords: Vertical distribution; elephant grass; chemical composition; frequency; severity; grazing.

 

Author: Daniel Schmitt

Leader: André Fischer Sbrissia

Dissertation (Masters in Animal Science)

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Title: Tissue turnover in elephant grass swards submitted to intermittent defoliation.

 

Abstract: The morphogenetic and structural characteristics of forage plants, as well as the processes of growth and senescence of tissues can change according to the management strategies used. Therefore, the aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of frequency and severity of grazing on them in pastures of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Pioneiro, under intermittent defoliation. The experiment was conducted at dairy cattle sector belonging to the Department of Animal Production and Food Science of Santa Catarina State University (CAV-UDESC), between January and June 2011. A total of 12 experimental units, with a paddock of approximately 723 m2, 11 paddocks with approximately 560 m2 and a “lung” area of approximately 803 m². The treatments consisted of two grazing frequencies (pre-grazing sward heights of 90 and 120 cm) and two defoliation severities (50 and 70% of the initial height). The experiment was carried out according a complete randomized block design in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement with three replications. Statistical analyzes were performed using the MIXED procedure of SAS statistical package (Statistical Analysis System) version 9.2. Means were compared using the "pdiff" statement, with a significance level of 5%. The following variables were evaluated every third of regrowth using the technique of marked tillers: leaf appearance rate (LAR), leaf elongation rate (LER), leaf senescence rate (LSR), stem elongation rate more pseudostem (SER), number of live leaves per tiller (LLT) and expanding leaves (NEL), average length of stem (stem+pseudostem), basal, aerial and connecting tillers population density. In treatments conducted at 90 cm early in the regrowth there was a higher LSR and SER especially when combined with the 70% of defoliation. At the second stratum of regrowth there was a decrease on LER, LAR and aerial tiller density and it was more pronounced when combined with defoliation of 70%. In treatments using 120 cm pre-grazing there was the higher leaf senescence and stem elongation rates. The morphogenetic and structural characteristics have a strong influence of grazing strategies adopted. The results suggests that elephant grass swards, cv. Pioneiro, should not be grazed higher than 75-80 cm and defoliated to 50% of pre-grazing height.

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Keywords: Pennisetum purpureum; Growth; Senescence; Morphogenesis; Regrowth; Frequencies and severities of grazing.

 

Author: Giselle Regina Rodolfo

Leader: André Fischer Sbrissia

Dissertation (Masters in Animal Science)

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Title: Fatty acids profile in elephant grass swards subjected to grazing heights and severities of defoliation.

 

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the fatty acid profile and morphological composition of dwarf elephant grass pastures cv. Pioneiro (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) submitted to intervals of regrowth and severities of grazing. The experiment was conducted according a complete randomized block design with three replicates in a 2x2 factorial arrangement corresponding to the combination between two grazing height (90 or 120 cm) and two defoliation severities (50 or 70% of removal of initial grazing height) , resulting in treatment 90/50, 90/70, 120/50 and 120/70. The grazing stratum was divided into two parts, the strata 1 and 2, which corresponded to upper and lower half above the stubble, respectively. The average heights of all paddocks were within the established target, with the exception of postgrazing heights with 70%. The stratum samples were separated into leaves, stem and dead material and submitted to gas chromatography to determine the fatty acid profile. Besides, it was collected samples of expanding and mature leaves and stems in order to determine the relative concentration of these in those structures. The predominant fatty acids were C18: 3, C18: 2 and C16: 0, totaling approximately 94% of TFA in which the C18:3 stands out with 58%. There was no relationship between leaf mass and concentration of C18: 2 and C18: 3, but there was a straight relationship between proportion of leaves and the concentration of these fatty acids. The difference between the concentrations of C18: 3 in works with tropical forages can be explained by the methods of samples collecting and / or the difference between the climate regions. The lack of significant difference (P <0.05) in fatty acid profile between the severities of grazing treatments can be explained by a similar proportion of leaves in the grazing stratum between severities. It was observed that the highest levels of C18: 3 and gross fat were related to the greater proportion of leaves and higher levels of C16: 0, C18: 1 and C18: 2 were observed in the opposite conditions. Treatment 90/50 seems to be the most appropriate when attempting to provide larger amount of leaf and C18: 3 to the grazing animals. The presence of C18: 3, C18: 2 and SFA are associated with distinct morphological structures and there was no difference in the concentrations of these fatty acids from expanding leaves and mature leaves. The management used in the elephant grass cultivar Pioneer did not lead to significant changes in fatty acid profile, but the upper strata and a sward height of 90 cm provided a higher concentration of linolenic acids.

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Keywords: Grazing management. Pennisetum purpureum Schum. Fatty acid. Tropical forage. Linolenic acid.

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Author: Kamila Maciel Dias

Leader: André Fischer Sbrissia

Dissertation (Masters in Animal Science)