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Performance Of Young Nellore Bulls Grazing Marandu Grass Pasture At Different Heights, Ricardo A. Reis, Andre L. S. Valente, Sharadinny M. C. Dos Santos, Fernando H. M. De Souza, Telma T. Berchielli, Ana C. Ruggieri, Sabrina S. Santana, Juliana M. Serra

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Brazil is one of the largest beef cattle producers in the world with approximately 200 M head. The Industry relies predominantly on warm-season grass pastures, with approximately 90% of animals finished on pastures.

One of the main factors for the intensification of animal production systems based on pasture is appropriate management. Adjustment of stocking rate to maintain optimum forage allowance is essential. Studies on forage allowance have resulted in a better understanding of the response of forage crops and animals to changes in grazing intensity.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate management strategies for beef cattle systems grazed …

Morphogenic Responses Of Two Brachiaria Genotypes In Response To Clipping Frequency, Ana Flávia G. Faria, Carlos G. S. Pedreira, Diego N. L. Pequeno, Liliane S. Silva, Damião W. Nguluve, Aliedson S. Ferreira

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Tropical grasslands represent an important resource for the Brazilian cattle industry, which is heavily dependent on grazed pastures. Total pasture area in the country totals 196 M ha (23% of the country’s land area) (FAO 2013). The genus Brachiaria represents around 85% of cultivated pastures in Brazil (Moreira et al. 2009), 40% of which are established with B. brizantha cv. Marandu (Barbosa 2006). Mulato II is a new hybrid brachiaria grass cultivar which has been developed to improve agronomic characteristics, broaden the range of adaptation, and to ensure high forage production and nutritive value. It has also been viewed …

Sward Structural Characteristics Of Perennial Peanut Genotypes As Affected By Harvest Frequency, Aliedson S. Ferreira, Carlos G. S. Pedreira, Carla M. Marassatto

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Despite the high potential of tropical forage species, herbage production, nutritive value and animal productivity in Brazilian livestock production systems are lower than what can be obtained from both a biological and operational point of view (Pedreira and Mello 2000, Da Silva and Sbrissia 2000). Even with these limitations, the livestock industry is often able to sustain high productivity levels (animal product per hectare) by using good animal genetics and supplementation. Reducing production costs, however, will likely depend on the identification and incorporation of a high-quality forage resource, in terms of both improving diet quality of grazing animals and sustaining …

Morphophysiological Adaptations Of Brachiaria Humidicola Cultivars Under Grazing, Rodrigo A. Barbosa, Pedro N. C. Amaral, André F. Sbrissia, Thiago T. Camara

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pastures of Brachiaria humidicola are broadly used in Brazil, especially in soils with low fertility and poor drain-age (Valle et al. 2010). Currently, 3 cultivars are commercially available: Tully, Llanero and BRS Tupi (available since 2012). Despite the extensive use of this species, research has focused primarily on aspects related to herbage and animal production, while only a few studies aimed at understanding morphological adaptations of the plants when subjected to grazing and contrasting environmental conditions.

Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate some morphological traits of 2 B. humidicola cultivars when continuously stocked during 2 seasons …

Effects Of Two Intake Levels Of Leucaena Leucocephala On Rumen Function Of Sheep, Marcos Barros-Rodríguez, Javier Solorio-Sánchez, Carlos Sandoval-Castro, Athol V. Klieve, Eduardo Briceño-Poot, Luis Ramírez-Avilés, Rafael Rojas-Herrera

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Ruminant production systems based on grass pastures often produce poor animal performance as expressed by growth or reproductive rates. The nutrient imbalance affecting rumen function is due to their low energy and protein intake. The incorporation of leguminous forages such as Leucaena leucocephala, in the diet of ruminants, can stimulate rumen function by providing protein-rich forage (Barros-Rodriguez et al. 2012). This increases the availability of compounds such as ammonia, amino acids and peptides as well as branched short-chain fatty acids, which are produced as a result of degradation of proteins. These substances promote fibre breakdown by acting as ruminal …

Dry Matter Intake By Beef Steers On Piatã Palisadegrass (Brachiaria Brizantha Cv. Brs Piatã) Pasture, Denise B. Montagner, Valéria P. B. Euclides, Teresa C. M. Genro, Nayana N. Nantes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Beef production in Brazil is primarily based on tropical pastures and 85% of these pastures are Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu. Such a monoculture could prove disastrous if some pest or disease emerged. With the goal of further diversifying pastures and contributing to the sustainability of the pasture production system, B. brizantha cv. BRS Piatã was released by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). Little is known about the characteristics of this cultivar in relation to grazing management and plant-animal interactions. Dry matter (DM) intake by grazing animals is influenced by the structural characteristics of tropical grasses (Stobbs 1973, 1975), and …

Agronomic Evaluation Of 324 Intraspecific Hybrids Of Brachiaria Decumbens In Brazil, Rogério G. Mateus, Sanzio C. L. Barrios, Ulisses J. De Figueiredo, Cacilda B. Valle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk is the most planted pasture grass in the tropics owing to its adaptation to poor and acid soils, typical of the tropics, plus good animal performance. This cultivar was responsible for a radical change of scenario in central Brazil in the early 1970s and is the only cultivar available commercially. Efforts to breed this species have been recent, as the successful somatic chromosome duplication of sexually reproducing diploid plants of B. decumbens was accomplished only in 2009 (Simioni and Valle 2009). Subsequently, intraspecific crosses with natural apomictic tetraploid accessions were carried out. Breeding is needed since …

Effect Of Season And Year Of Evaluation In The Selection Of Brachiaria Humidicola Hybrids, Ulisses J. De Figueiredo, José A. R. Nunes, Cacilda B. Valle, Sanzio C. L. Barrios, Geovani F. Alves

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Brachiaria humidicola is well adapted to infertile and acid soils with poor drainage or temporary flooding (Keller-Grein et al. 1996). It is widely used in Brazil in wetlands and areas of marginal land characterised by waterlogged soils. During the evaluation stages of the breeding program of this species, genotypes are generally tested using consecutive cuts within different seasons for at least 2 years. The ‘Cerrado’ region, where most animal production takes place in Brazil, has 2 well defined seasons: spring-summer with warm weather and rain; and autumn-winter with cooler, dry weather. Thus, owing to environmental variation, especially related to …

Effects Of Irrigation And Season On Performance Of Grazed Pastures Of Brachiaria Brizantha Cv. Mg5, Rita De C. R. Carvalho, Wellington W. Rocha, Bruno S. Pires, César T. Piza, Luziney D. Silva, Paulo R. V. Leite, Eliel A. Ferreira

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Brazil, livestock production is based primarily on systems with continuously grazed natural or cultivated pastures (FAO 2009). Intensifying animal breeding, handling and knowledge strategies is necessary to obtain improvements in production indices for economically feasible and sustainable grazing systems (Cedeño et al. 2003). Beef cattle breeding on irrigated pasture, like all forms of intensive grazing, requires the use of forage species with high potential for production and quality, and Brachiaria brizantha cv. MG5 is considered a good option. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of irrigation on the performance of B. brizantha cv. MG5 grazed rotationally by …

Development Of Leucaena Mimosine-Degrading Bacteria In The Rumen Of Sheep In Myanmar, Aung Aung, Moe Thida Htun, Lwin Naing Oo, Mar Mar Kyi, Tin Ngwe

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Myanmar has an agricultural base, and about 70% of people reside in rural areas. They depend for survival on agriculture and small-scale crop production, with ruminant livestock consuming fibrous agricultural residues. For optimal ruminant production, concentrates are needed as supplements to these residues. As concentrates are expensive, researchers are testing alternative protein sources like legumes, including foliage from leguminous trees such as leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala). Leucaena is the most widely used leguminous tree as a ruminant feed because it is rich in protein (~ 22%) and contains easily digestible fibre (23% neutral detergent fibre, 16.6% acid detergent fibre; …

Development, Isolation And Characterisation Of A New Non-Virulent Mimosine-Degrading Klebsiella Pneumoniae Strain From The Rumen Liquor Of German Steers By Using Ibt-Goettinger Bioreactor, Aung Aung, U. Ter Meulen, F. Gessler, H. Böhnel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The tropical legume Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) has many uses, including: a potential source of firewood and timber; for soil erosion control (Dijkman 1950); to provide shade; to enhance soil fertility; and as a nutritious forage for animal feed (Ruskin 1977). It is widely used as forage for cattle in tropical agriculture (Shelton 1998). In Myanmar, leucaena is used as a protein source in urea-molasses multi-nutrient blocks for ruminants (Ni Ni Maw et al. 2004). However, the use of leucaena as ruminant feed is not without problems, because it contains mimosine, a toxic anti-nutritional factor limiting its use as animal …

Brs Paiaguás: A New Brachiaria (Urochloa) Cultivar For Tropical Pastures In Brazil, Cacilda B. Valle, Valéria P. B. Euclides, Denise B. Montagner, José R. Valério, Celso D. Fernandes, Manuel C. M. Macedo, Jaqueline R. Verzignassi, Luis A. Machado

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Approximately half the world’s beef is produced in the tropics and subtropics, almost exclusively on pasture. While the world production of beef and veal increased 91% over the past 40 years, the increase in the tropics was 200%. Brazil has today the largest commercial cattle herd in the world (about 190 M head) and is the world's largest exporter of beef. The area of cultivated pasture increased from 30 to 100 Mha between 1970 and 1995 (IBGE 2006). This area has now stabilised or decreased despite the increase in beef production, which reflects the gain in area productivity. Part of …

Performance Of Nelore Cattle On Panicum Maximum Pastures In The Brazilian Cerrado, Giovana A. Maciel, Gustavo J. Braga, Roberto Guimarães Jr., Hélio A. De Araújo, Allan K. B. Ramos, Marcelo A. Carvalho, Lourival Vilela, Liana Jank

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

With the increased demand for meat products, associated with environmental concerns due to global climatic and land use changes, the need to efficiently use pasture and forage resources will increase (Boval and Dixon 2012). Efforts to breed and release new forage cultivars must incorporate these concerns, ensuring that introduced material is of high quality, especially under grazing (Euclides et al. 2008).

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the average daily weight gain and stocking rate of Nelore beef cattle grazing new genotypes of Panicum maximum during the rainy season in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Morphological Divergence Among Progeny Of Macroptilium Lathyroides Accessions From The Semi-Arid Region Of Pernambuco, Brazil, Mércia V. F. Dos Santos, Gabriella P. De Albuquerque, Márcio V. Da Cunha, Mário De A. Lira Jr., José C. B. Dubeux Jr., Marta G. S. Da Silva, Mário De A. Lira, Alexandre C. L. De Mello

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Macroptilium is a legume genus with approximately 20 species, usually annual or biennial, herbaceous and distributed mainly in the Americas. It is widely used as a forage resource in grasslands and usually fixes atmospheric N. Martins et al. (2001) indicated that half-sib family selection with progeny testing is the most common plant breeding method used in Brazil. In the scientific literature, however, there are few studies dedicated to Macroptilium spp.

This study evaluated morphological divergence among Macroptilium spp. progeny from accessions collected in 4 counties located in the semi-arid region of Pernambuco State, NE Brazil.

Selecting New Brachiaria Humidicola Hybrids For Western Brazilian Amazon, Giselle M. L. De Assis, Cacilda B. Valle, Carlos M. S. De Andrade, Judson F. Valentim

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Brachiaria humidicola is a perennial and stoloniferous forage grass, with excellent adaptation to infertile soils and waterlogging. Producers in northern Brazil have become interested in this species, especially after the degradation of large areas of lowly permeable soils sown with B. brizantha cv. Marandu, which is highly intolerant of soil waterlogging (Andrade and Valentim 2006). However, since only 3 cultivars of B. humidicola are registered in Brazil (Mapa 2013), there is a need to develop new cultivars adapted to the range of environmental conditions experienced. Recently, Embrapa Beef Cattle obtained intraspecific hybrids of B. humidicola that need to be evaluated …

Urinary Excretion Of Mimosine Derivatives By Cows With And Without Experience In Consumption Of Leucaena Leucocephala, N. E. Ruz-Ruiz, Eduardo G. Briceño-Poot, A. J. Ayala-Burgos, C. F. Aguilar-Pérez, Francisco J. Solorio-Sánchez, Luis Ramírez-Avilés, Juan C. Ku-Vera

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Leucaena leucocephala is a leguminous tree widely distributed in the tropical regions of the world. In Mexico, it has been incorporated into silvopastoral systems and is highly regarded, owing to its high content of crude protein. Nonetheless, L. leucocephala contains secondary metab-olites, such as mimosine, a non-protein free amino acid, which may induce toxic effects in unadapted ruminants that consume the forage (Hammond 1995). Although Synergistes jonesii, an anaerobic bacterium, has the ability to degrade 3,4-DHP and 2,3-DHP to non-toxic compounds (Allison et al. 1992), in Mexico its presence has not yet been confirmed. Recent work has suggested …

Urinary Excretion Of Mimosine Metabolites By Hair Sheep Fed Foliage Of Leucaena Leucocephala, L. M. Contreras-Hernández, N. E. Ruz-Ruiz, Eduardo G. Briceño-Poot, Luis Ramírez-Avilés, A. J. Ayala-Burgos, C. F. Pérez-Aguilar, Francisco J. Solorio-Sánchez, Juan C. Ku-Vera

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Leucaena leucocephala is an adapted legume widely distributed in the tropical regions of Mexico. The high crude protein content of leucaena leaves renders it appropriate for ruminant feeding under commercial conditions. However, the foliage contains the non-protein amino acid mimosine, which, if consumed in high amounts, may induce toxicity in animals which have not previously consumed the legume or without microorganisms capable of degrading mimosine and its derivatives 2,3-DHP (dihydroxypyridine) and 3,4-DHP (Hammond 1995, Palmer et al. 2010, Dalzell et al. 2012). Barros-Rodríguez et al. (2012) found that dry matter intake and weight gain were reduced when …

Animal Production From New Panicum Maximum Genotypes In The Amazon Biome, Brazil, Carlos M. S. De Andrade, Luis H. E. Farinatti, Hemython L. B. Do Nascimento, Andressa De Q. Abreu, Liana Jank, Giselle M. L. De Assis

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Panicum maximum breeding program coordinated by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation - Embrapa has been evaluating and selecting genotypes under different soil and climatic conditions, with the objective to release new cultivars adapted to the diverse regions of Brazil. For the Amazon biome, small-plot experiments carried out in Acre between 2003 and 2005 allowed the selection of some promising genotypes (Valentim and Andrade 2005; Valentim et al. 2006; Andrade and Valentim 2009), with higher potential for forage growth than cultivars on the market. The objective of this work was to compare 2 new P. maximum genotypes with cv. …

ProgardesTm: A Legume For Tropical/Subtropical Semi-Arid Clay Soils, Christopher Gardiner, Nick Kempe, Iain Hannah, Jim Mcdonald

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The range of available sown pasture legumes for the vast heavy clay soil regions of northern Australia has long been regarded as being deficient (Burt 1993; Jones and Clem 1997; Pengelly and Conway 2000). Indeed immense areas of northern Australia’s semi-arid clay soil regions have no sown pasture legume with proven adaptation and persistence through the long annual dry seasons (Gardiner and Swan 2008). The genus Desmanthus is a Mimosaceae legume containing some 24 species which are native to the Americas and range from being herbaceous to suffruticose in habit (Luckow 1993). Desmanthus is one of the very few legumes …

Status Of Animal Feed Resources In Rwanda, M. Mutimura, A. B. Lussa, J. Mutabazi, C. B. Myambi, R. A. Cyamweshi, C. Ebong

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Animal feed resources remain a major constraint for livestock development in tropical Africa. In Rwanda, grazing lands are shrinking sharply because crop cultivation is progressively encroaching on grazing areas with increasing human pressure (Mutimura and Everson 2011). Therefore, over 60% of households cultivating less than 0.7 ha, and owning livestock, practise zero-grazing, where farmers cut-and-carry forage and crop residues to feed animals that are kept exclusively under sheds (MINAGRI 2009). In general, the main feed for dairy cattle under a zero-grazing system is Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum). For more than a decade, efforts to improve the feed resource …

Effect Of Cutting Interval On Yield And Quality Of Three Brachiaria Hybrids In Thailand, Michael D. Hare, Supaphan Phengphet, Theerachai Songsiri, Naddakorn Sutin, Eduardo Stern

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In field trials in Thailand, Brachiaria hybrid cv. Mulato II produced significantly more green leaf, particularly during the dry season, than other brachiaria grasses (Hare et al. 2009). Cultivar Cayman produced more dry matter (DM) than Mulato II in one out of 3 wet seasons, and line BRO2/1794 produced similar DM yields to Mulato II (Pi-zarro et al. 2013).

The objective of this field study was to determine the effects of varying cutting intervals on growth and forage quality of hybrid brachiaria grasses in Thailand on infertile soils.

Leucaena Toxicity: A New Perspective On The Most Widely Used Forage Tree Legume, Michael J. Halliday, Jagadish Padmanabha, Chris S. Mcsweeney, Graham L. Kerven, H. Max Shelton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The tree legume Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) is a high quality ruminant feed, vitally important for livestock production in the tropics despite the presence of mimosine in the leaves. This toxic non-protein amino acid has the potential to limit productivity and adversely affect the health of animals. The discovery and subsequent distribution in Australia of the ruminal bacterium Synergistes jonesii as an oral inoculum was shown in the 1980s to overcome these toxic effects. However, recent surveys of the status of toxicity worldwide; improved understanding of the chemistry and mode of action of the toxins; new techniques for molecular sequencing; and …

Global Impacts From Improved Tropical Forages: A Meta-Analysis Revealing Overlooked Benefits And Costs, Evolving Values And New Priorities, Douglas S. White, Michael Peters, Peter Horne

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The wider use and improved performance of planted tropical forages can substantially change social, economic and environmental landscapes. By reviewing impact-related studies published in the past two decades, this paper shows how evolving development priorities have influenced the types of impacts being documented. A meta-analysis was used to examine 98 studies according to: (1) breadth of reported effects, as related to development goals of social equity, economic growth and environmental sustainability; (2) extent of effects, ranging from intermediate to longer-term impacts; and (3) measurement precision (identification, description and quantification). Impacts have been assessed for fewer than half of the documented …

Response Of Axonopus Catarinensis And Arachis Pintoi To Shade Conditions, A. N. A. Pachas, E. J. Jacobo, M. C. Goldfarb, S. M. Lacorte

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the north-east of Argentina, there are more than 100,000 hectares of silvopastoral systems where trees, forages and livestock are combined with the goal to diversify income, reduce financial risk, obtain more profit and enhance environmental benefit (Cubbage et al. 2013). The rapid adoption of this production system by farmers has generated high demand for information on shade tolerant grass and legume forage species.

Axonopus catarinensis is a native grass from Itajai Vally (Brazil) that was introduced to the north-east of Argentina 10 years ago; whereas Arachis pintoi is a sub-tropical legume (also native to Brazil) adapted to acid …

Scenario Analysis: Risk And Return Of Aluminium Tolerant Lucerne, Claire D. Lewis, J. L. Jacobs, K. F. Smith, G. Spangenberg, B. Malcolm

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lucerne (Medicago sativa) yield is limited by aluminium stress associated with acid soils (Campbell et al. 1988; Scott et al. 2008). With the aid of transgenic technologies, the development of aluminium tolerant (Al Tol) lucerne is proposed. Modelled scenario analysis was conducted to explore the potential net benefits of Al Tol lucerne as part of a grazing system for a sheep production system in the high rainfall zone of south west Victoria.

Plantain (Plantago Lanceolata) Outperforms Chicory (Cichorium Intybus) Under Moisture Stress In Glasshouse, Lydia M. Cave, Peter D. Kemp, Paul R. Kenyon, Stephen T. Morris

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage chicory (Cichorium intybus) and plantain (Plantago lanceolata) are now widely used throughout the world as high feed quality perennial herbage (Sanderson et al. 2003; Labreveux et al. 2006; Li et al. 2010; Golding et al. 2011; Hutton et al. 2011). Both are taprooted plants and are thus likely to confer a degree of drought tolerance through accessing water deeper in the soil profile (Kemp et al. 2010). Nie et al. (2008) reported chicory can tolerate moisture stress to a greater degree than plantain. However, overall little is known …

Messina (Melilotus Siculus)–A New Pasture Legume For Saltland, Amanda L. Bonython, Andrew D. Craig, Ross A. Ballard, Nigel Charman, Philip G. H. Nichols, Clinton Revell, Natasha L. Teakle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Messina (Melilotus siculus ((Turra) Vitman ex B.D. Jacks)) is a new annual pasture legume for saltland in temperate Australia and regions of the world that experience Mediterranean climates. Messina has greater tolerance to the combined stresses of salinity and water-logging than existing commercial pasture legumes. Coupled with desirable agronomic traits these characteristics give messina the capacity to rehabilitate saltland and increase productivity on land where existing legumes fail. This paper reviews the agronomic perform-ance of messina in relation to top soil salinity levels.

Agronomic Traits In Tall Fescue Populations Under Irrigated And Rain-Fed Conditions, M. Anowarul Islam, Malay C. Saha

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands and native rangelands are the predominant land-use all over the world. Tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort] is a cool-season perennial grass widely grown throughout the temperate regions of the world and an important component of the grasslands. Drought can have serious consequences on performance of agriculture, soil and plant health, and economics. Developing drought tolerant plants that can maintain productivity during drought, will have great environmental and economic benefits to farmers. A tall fescue population was developed by crossing a drought tolerant genotype to a susceptible genotype. The population was evaluated for different morphological and yield traits …

Advances In Improving Tolerance To Waterlogging In Brachiaria Grasses, Juan A. Cardoso, Juan Jiménez, Joisse Rincón, Edward Guevara, Rein Van Der Hoek, Andy Jarvis, Michael Peters, John Miles, Miguel Ayarza, Socorro Cajas, Alvaro Rincón, Henry Mateus, Jaime Quiceno, Wilson Barragán, Carlos Lascano, Pedro Argel, Martin Mena, Luis Hertentains, Idupulapati M. Rao

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Poor drainage is found on about 11.3% of agricultural land in Latin America where physiography promotes flooding, high groundwater tables, or stagnant surface water (waterlogging). Waterlogging drastically reduces oxygen diffusion into the soil causing hypoxia which is the main limitation that reduces root aerobic respiration and the absorption of minerals and water. Under waterlogging conditions plants can adapt with traits and mechanisms that improve root aeration such as production of aerenchyma and development of adventitious roots. During the rainy season Brachiaria pastures are exposed to waterlogging conditions that can severely limit pasture productivity and hence animal production. The main objective …

Australian Grasslands Research At The Crossroads, Alan Robson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands research in Australia is at a crossroad. There are several difficulties. First, the decline of sheep production and dairying within Australia and increased cropping has focused attention on crop research rather than pasture research. Second, enrolments in agricultural and related education have declined, and graduate numbers are insufficient to meet demand for expertise. Third, there has been a move towards specialisation in research and there are relatively few generalist agricultural scientists able to integrate research results into agricultural ecosystems. There remain very many challenges. Adapting grassland production to minimize the emission of carbon dioxide and methane is a major …