Does first and last stocking could “fits” Campos grassland structure to improve beef cattle production?

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study evaluated the structure of vegetation and the performance of rearing heifers and cull cows in Campos grasslands managed in the rotational stocking method with first-last stocking in the spring-summer period. The treatments were different rest intervals of 402 and 252 degrees-day, which favor the growth of different functional groups of grasses. A completely randomized block design with two treatments and three repetitions was used. The test animals were 24 heifers in the “first” group and 24 cows in the “last” group. In the stratum between tussock grasses, sward heights greater than 0.16 m were predominant in both treatments, it was 1.3 times more frequent in the 402 DD treatment compared to the 252 DD treatment. Average stocking rate was 22% higher in the 252 DD treatment. Although, no differences were observed for the average daily gain of heifers (0.227 kg.day-1) and cows (0.336 kg.day-1) between treatments, the weight gain per area in the experimental period was greater in the 252 DD treatment. Despite the management system with first and last stoking does not provide significant changes in the structure of the pasture, it allowed to achieve satisfactory performance goals in areas of Campos grassland.