Long-term assessment of a new rotational-grazing management strategy called PUP-grazing (proportion of un-grazed pasture)

Abstract

A new rotational-grazing management strategy called PUP-grazing (proportion of un-grazed pasture, which is the estimated percentage of pasture vegetation without signs of being consumed) was compared with the traditional rotational-grazing management strategy (TGMS, which is based on residual sward height) using Brahman cross steers on Axonopus catarinensis over two periods (2013/14 and 2015/16) in Misiones, Argentina. The proportion of un-grazed pasture for PUP and TGMS was 11.5 and 3.4%, respectively, of the pasture area. Average daily liveweight gain/animal was significantly higher for PUP than for TGMS (606 vs. 420 g/d; P<0.05) while liveweight gain per hectare was 35% greater for PUP (194 vs. 144 kg/ha/period). The gross margin per hectare was much higher for PUP than for TGMS (US$ 85.7 vs. 8.4/ha/period). These results indicate that on A. catarinensis pastures PUP-grazing has the potential for greater animal and economic performance than the TGMS.

Keywords: Cattle, forage consumption, grazing management, gross margin, liveweight gain.

DOI: 10.17138/TGFT(6)53-57