Advances in Pasture Management and Animal Nutrition to Optimize Beef Cattle Production in Grazing Systems

The increasing demand of meat requires the adoption of sustainable intensification livestock systems, applying nutritional strategies to reduce any negative contribution from beef cattle to global warming and, at the same time, to increase animal performance and productive efficiency. The pasture management practices and feed supplementation, mainly using non-edible feed with less costs, could minimize environmental and social impacts, resulting in higher productivity with less inputs utilization. Tropical grass submitted to grazing management according to plant height present high soluble protein and low levels of indigestible neutral detergent fiber contents. Energy or rumen undegradable protein supplementation, associated to alternative additives to antibiotics effects, such as probiotics, tannin, essential oils and saponin, can help to fully exploit the animal genetic potential and nutrient utilization efficiency, which decreases greenhouse gases emissions and improves animal performance. Hence, more information about these tools can make the livestock systems in tropical pasture more efficient and eco-friendlier

Organic additives in concentrate supplementation of beef cattle grazing Aditivos orgânicos no suplemento concentrado de bovinos de corte mantidos em pastagem

Organic additives have relevant potential for substitution of antibiotic or ionophorus used in supplements of beef cattle on grazing to increase the heard efficiency and also to avoid sanitary and environmental problems. Thirty zebu cattle of Nellore breed with average initial body weight of 228 +/- kg and approximately 12 months of age were designed in a total random experiment, remaining groups of five animals in six areas of 1.0 ha each of Brachiaria brizantha grass to evaluate the performance in grazing beef cattle with the use of organic additives in the protein-energy supplementation. The treatments were three types of supplements (600 g/animal/d): SC = Control supplement, comprehending a commercial supplement, Premiphos Campo Extra; AGE = SC added an organic mix of commercial essential fatty acids, the Fator Premium and AGEF = AGE supplement added with phosphatidylcholine. The experiment was conducted during the rainy season in 87 d with 28 d earlier as adjustment period. There was no significant difference in average weight gain among the animals supplemented with AGE (826.4 g /d) and AGEF (863.2 g /d), but they had superior performance (P&lt;0.05) those animals receiving SC (731,0 g /d). The use of organic additive AGE and the same associated with phosphatidylcholine increased the average daily weight gain of 13 and 18%, respectively, in cattle on Brachiaria brizantha grass pasture with protein-energy supplementation during the rainy season period, indicating improvement in the animal performance in these conditions.<br>Aditivos orgânicos apresentam relevante potencial para a substituição de antibióticos ou ionóforos usados em suplementos de bovinos de corte criados em pastagens, visando aumentar a eficiência do rebanho e, também, evitar problemas sanitários e ambientais. Trinta bovinos da raça Nelore com peso vivo inicial médio de 228 kg (228,6 +/- 9,7) e aproximadamente 12 meses de idade foram distribuídos em experimento inteiramente casualizado, mantendo-se grupos de cinco animais em seis piquetes de capim Brachiaria brizantha com 1,0 ha cada, objetivando-se avaliar o desempenho animal em pastagens com uso de aditivos orgânicos em suplementação protéico-energética. Os tratamentos consistiram em três diferentes tipos de suplementos, fornecidos em 600 g/animal/dia: SC = Suplemento controle, compreendendo o suplemento comercial, Premiphós Campo Extra; AGE = Suplemento controle adicionado de mistura orgânica comercial de ácidos graxos essenciais, o Fator Premium; AGEF = Suplemento AGE enriquecido com fosfatidilcolina. O experimento foi realizado durante o período das águas em 87 dias com 28 dias iniciais de adaptação. Não houve diferença significativa no ganho de peso médio entre animais suplementados com AGE (826,4 g/dia) e AGEF (863,2 g/dia), mas esses apresentaram desempenhos superiores (P&lt;0,05) aos dos animais recebendo SC (731,0 g/dia). O uso do aditivo orgânico com AGE e do mesmo associado fosfatidilcolina promoveu aumento no ganho de peso médio diário de 13 e 18%, respectivamente, em bovinos de corte mantidos em pastagem de capim braquiária recebendo suplementação protéico-energética, durante a estação das águas, indicando melhoria no desempenho dos animais nessas condições

Evaluation of turnip forage residue extracted from biodiesel production as supplement for grazing beef cattle Avaliação do resíduo de nabo forrageiro extraído da produção de biodiesel como suplemento para bovinos de corte em pastagens

Two experiments were performed to evaluate the use of the turnip forage residue extracted from biodiesel production as alternative protein source for grazing zebu cattle. At the first experiment, the performance of Nellore zebu cattle was evaluated on grazing grass. Twenty four animals were distributed in three treatments and allocated on six paddocks, with four animals each and two repetitions. Treatments consisted of supplements with two levels of turnip forage residue (7.5 and 15.0% dry matter) and without turnip forage (control). Pasture availability and quality were also evaluated. At the second trial, degradability of the residue turnip forage was measured in six rumen fistulated zebu cattle fed basal diet composed by grass coast-cross hay and concentrate (35% CP) with 15% of turnip forage. No difference was observed among the treatments for the animal performance, but the steers fed 7.5% of turnip forage residue showed the highest daily gain weight (0.575 kg DGW). The turnip forage residue showed high and fast ruminal effective degradability of the dry matter (83.8%), crude protein (88.9%) and neutral detergent fiber (52.1%). In conclusion, the turnip forage residue can be used as protein source in supplement diet for cattle, shifting the conventional protein sources up to 15% in supplement with 35% of total crude protein.<br>Dois experimentos foram realizados visando avaliar o uso do resíduo de nabo forrageiro extraído da produção de biodiesel como fonte de proteína alternativa de suplementos para bovinos de corte em pastejo de gramíneas. No primeiro experimento, avaliou-se o desempenho de bovinos Nelore a pasto (ganho diário de peso), utilizando-se 24 animais, distribuídos em três tratamentos em seis piquetes com quatro animais cada e duas repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de suplementos com dois níveis do resíduo de nabo forrageiro (7,5 e 15,0% na matéria seca) e sem nabo forrageiro (testemunha). A disponibilidade e qualidade da pastagem foram também avaliadas. No segundo experimento determinou-se a degradabilidade ruminal do resíduo de nabo forrageiro em seis bovinos fistulados no rúmen recebendo dieta basal com feno de gramínea e concentrado com 15% de nabo forrageiro. Durante todo o período experimental não houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos, mas observou-se melhor desempenho nos animais suplementados com 7,5% de resíduo de nabo forrageiro. O resíduo de nabo forrageiro apresentou alta e rápida degradabilidade ruminal da matéria seca, proteína bruta e fibra em detergente neutro

Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Beef Cattle Production in Brazil through Animal Management

Beef cattle production is an important agricultural activity in Brazil, which influences environmental and resource consumption. This study analyzed greenhouse gas (GHG) emission impacts from 17 farms, representing the Brazil’s productive system and determined possible improvements in the production chain. Methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide emissions were evaluated using the updated Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines for national inventories. The GHG inventory included emissions from animals, feeds, and “cradle-to-farm-gate” operations for animal management. Regression analyses of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) emissions and productive indices were performed to identify possible GHG emission hotspots. The results varied considerably among the farms. The GHG yield ranged from 8.63 to 50.88 CO2eq kg carcass−1. The productive indices of average daily gain (p p = 0.058), and slaughtering age (p p = 0.21). The production chain could be improved through accurate animal management strategies that reduce the slaughtering age and daily weight gain individually or per area using pasture management and strategic animal supplementation, which could subsequently reduce GHG emissions in beef cattle production

Degradability of grasses, ruminal fermentation and protozoa in beef cattle on diet with different additives

<p></p><p>SUMMARY Four cattle rumen fistulae were fed on Latin Square with four treatments including the daily addition into rumen of: yeast (5g), monensin (200mg), Fator P (3g) and control. In situ degradability was determined with three tropical grasses: Tifton-85, Brachiaria, Mombasa and Mombasa silage, as well as ruminal pH, production of volatile fatty acids, ammonia-N and protozoa population. There was no significant interaction between treatment and grasses and significant differences between treatments, except in fraction b of Brachiaria and Mombasa silage. The Mombasa showed high solubility of DM and NDF compared to other grasses and Brachiaria higher solubility of CP. Processing of Mombasa as silage promoted reduction of soluble fraction and potential (PD) and effective degradabilities (ED) of DM and NDF and increased soluble fraction and ED of CP. Monensin produced lower production of acetic acid, higher of propionic and lower acetic: propionic acid. Yeast and Fator P showed higher total acids concentration than monensin and control. Diplodiniinae protozoa was increased with monensin compared to the control diet, but there was no difference in Entodinium and total ciliates between treatments. Tropical grasses in the form of hay and silage have different ruminal degradability not being influenced by additives in the diet, but these affect fermentation and protozoa population in the rumen.</p><p></p