Produção animal em sistemas integrados de produção agropecuária em terras baixas da fronteira oeste do Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of hibernal forage and beef cattle under arrangements of integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) in lowlands of Western Frontier of Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Nine paddocks (~ 1 ha) were used in a randomized block design to evaluate the following treatments: 1) AAPAL: Rice - Annual ryegrass - Fallow - Rye + Legumes; 2) SASA: Soybeans - annual ryegrass - Soybeans - annual ryegrass; and 3) AAPA: Rice - Annual Azevém - Pousio - Azevém) in two years of evaluation. Three Braford females (150 kg live weight and 6 months old) were used in each paddock (experimental unit) to assess animal performance. In both years the production of dry matter, the structure of the forage canopy and the chemical composition of the forages were evaluated. In animals, the average daily gain (GMD), stocking rate and body weight gain ha-1 year-1 of animals were evaluated. The SASA presented the highest forage mass and daily accumulation rate in relation to the AAPAL and AAPA treatments, with averages of 1718 kg DM ha-1 and 50.1 kg DM ha-1 day-1, respectively. The highest average daily gain and body weight gain ha-1 year- 1 was also observed in SASA in relation to AAPAL and AAPA, with averages of 0.9 kg animal-1 day-1 and 340 ha-1 year-1. The SASA treatment obtained the highest forage and animal performance.