Production potential of beef cattle in tropical pastures: a review

Barbero, Rondineli Pavezzi; Ribeiro, Anna Carolina de Carvalho; Moura, André Morais; Longhini, Vanessa Zirondi; Mattos, Thiago Freitas de Almeida; Barbero, Marina Mortati Dias

doi:10.1590/1809-6891v22e-69609

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Ciência Animal Brasileira

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Animal Science • Ciênc. anim. bras. 22 • 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-6891v22e-69609 copy

Production potential of beef cattle in tropical pastures: a review

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

The expression production potential represents the maximum amount of products that can be obtained per unit area. However, what is the maximum amount of product that can be obtained in a pasture area? To answer this question, it is necessary to understand the factors related to forage accumulation, grazing efficiency, chemical composition of the forage plant, forage intake and nutritional requirements of animals, management, genetics, and management of the production system. The average annual productivity of beef cattle in Brazil is approximately 120 kg of body weight (approximately 60 kg of carcass) per hectare. This index is below the parameters reported in the literature. Adequate management of pastures with tropical forages usually provides a stocking rate above one animal unit (450 kg) per hectare. The increase in the stocking rate, combined with high individual body weight gain, provides high productivity, which may exceed 1260 kg of body weight (approximately 630 of carcass) per hectare per year. The production of beef cattle in tropical pastures has a high response potential with regard to the adoption of technologies to increase productivity indices.

Keywords:
beef cattle; intensification; productivity; stocking rate; weight gain

Productive indexes	Average	More profitable farms
Pregnancy rate (%)	78	81
Gestational losses (%)	9	6
General mortality (%)	1,8	1,5
Weaning rate (%)	69	75
Weaned calf weight (kg)	198 ♀ / 214 ♂	201 ♀ / 219 ♂
kg of Weaned calf / cow	143	163
Stocking rate (450 kg/ha)	1,4	1,8
Average daily gain (kg/dia)	0.55	0.65
kg of body weight gain/ha/year	258	378

Forage	Chemical composition					Source
Forage	CP	NDF	ADF	Lignin	Digestibility	Source
Rainy season
Marandu	12 - 14	61 - 62	28 - 29	nr	62 - 67	Silva et al.(²³23 Da silva SC, Gimenes FMA, Sarmento DOL, Sbrissia AF, Oliveira DE, Hernadez-Garay A, Pires DAV. Grazing behaviour, herbage intake and animal performance of beef cattle heifers on marandu palisade grass subjected to intensities of continuous stocking management. Journal of Agricultural Science. 2013; 151(5):727-739. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859612000858 https://doi.org/10.1017/S002185961200085... )
Xaraés	12 - 14	58 - 65	28 - 29	nr	nr	Barbosa et al.(¹⁸18 Castro LM, Barbosa MAAF, Barbero RP, Brito VC, Saad RM, Ribeiro ELA, Mizubuti IY, Bridi AM. Produção de forragem e composição estrutural de pastos de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraés manejados em diferentes alturas de pastejo. Semina Ciências Agrárias (Online). 2013,34(6):4145-4156. https://doi.org/I0.5433/I679-0359.2013v34nóSupl2p4145" https://doi.org/I0.5433/I679-0359.2013v3... )
Basilisk	10 - 15	64 - 67	32 - 33	05 - 06	61	Lopes et al.(²⁷27 Lopes CM, Paciullo DSC, Araújo SAC, Gomide CDM, Morenz MJF, Villela SDJ. Massa de forragem, composição morfológica e valor nutritivo de capim-braquiária submetido a níveis de sombreamento e fertilização. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. 2017;69(1):225-233. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4162-9201 https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4162-9201... )
Tanzânia	10 - 12	76 - 78	71 - 44	nr	nr	Barbero et al.(¹⁹19 Barbero RP, Barbosa MAAF, Castro LM, Ribeiro ELA, Mizubuti IY, Bumbieris Júnior VH, Silva LDF, Massaro Júnior FL. Desempenho de novilhos de corte em pastos de capim-tanzânia sob quatro alturas de desfolha. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. 2014;66(2):481-488. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-41625481" https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-41625481... )
Mombaça	10 - 13	75 - 76	nr	02 - 03	59 - 63	Euclides et al.(²⁵25 Euclides VPB, Macedo MCM, Zimmer AH, Jank L, Oliveira MPD. Avaliação dos capins mombaça e massai sob pastejo. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia. 2008;37:18-26. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982008000100003 https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-3598200800... )
Dry season
Marandu	05 - 08	70 - 79	nr	03 - 05	43 - 53	Euclides et al.(²⁶26 Euclides VPB, Macedo MCM, Valle CB, Difante GS, Barbosa RA, Cacere ER. Valor nutritivo da forragem e produção animal em pastagens de Brachiaria brizantha. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira. 2009;44(1):98-106. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2009000100014 https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X200900... )
Xaraés	06 - 08	66 - 69	32 - 33	nr	nr	Barbosa et al.(¹⁸18 Castro LM, Barbosa MAAF, Barbero RP, Brito VC, Saad RM, Ribeiro ELA, Mizubuti IY, Bridi AM. Produção de forragem e composição estrutural de pastos de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraés manejados em diferentes alturas de pastejo. Semina Ciências Agrárias (Online). 2013,34(6):4145-4156. https://doi.org/I0.5433/I679-0359.2013v34nóSupl2p4145" https://doi.org/I0.5433/I679-0359.2013v3... )
Xaraés	04 - 08	70 - 80	nr	4 - 5	41 - 49	Euclides et al.(²⁵25 Euclides VPB, Macedo MCM, Zimmer AH, Jank L, Oliveira MPD. Avaliação dos capins mombaça e massai sob pastejo. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia. 2008;37:18-26. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982008000100003 https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-3598200800... )
Tanzânia	07 - 09	77 - 80	45 - 47	nr	nr	Barbero et al.(¹⁹19 Barbero RP, Barbosa MAAF, Castro LM, Ribeiro ELA, Mizubuti IY, Bumbieris Júnior VH, Silva LDF, Massaro Júnior FL. Desempenho de novilhos de corte em pastos de capim-tanzânia sob quatro alturas de desfolha. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. 2014;66(2):481-488. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-41625481" https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-41625481... )
Mombaça	08 - 10	73 - 76	nr	02 - 03	52 - 58	Euclides et al.(²⁵25 Euclides VPB, Macedo MCM, Zimmer AH, Jank L, Oliveira MPD. Avaliação dos capins mombaça e massai sob pastejo. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia. 2008;37:18-26. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982008000100003 https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-3598200800... )

	Composition (g/kg)		Attended requirement
	CP	TDN	CP	TDN
Growing phase (dry season), B. Indicus, young bulls, 210 to 270 kg, weight gain: 0.35 kg/d
Marandu grass	0.08	0.52	83%	96%
Mombaça grass	0.09	0.53	76%	86%
Growing phase (wet season), B. Indicus, young bulls, 270 to 420 kg, weight gain: 0.75 kg/d
Marandu grass	0.14	0.55	125%	93%
Mombaça grass	0.12	0.56	108%	94%
Finishing phase (dry season), B. Indicus, young bulls, 420 to 520 kg, weight gain: 0.8 kg/d
Marandu grass	0.08	0.52	85%	91%
Mombaça grass	0.09	0.53	96%	92%

Parameters	Nitrogen fertilization				Source
Parameters	Nitrogen dosis (kg/ha/year)¹ 1 Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu under continuous stocking, average daily weight gain ±0.92 kg/day, soils corrected for V% ≥45, 180 kg/ha of 4-14-8 fertilizer (urea, P2O5, and K2O).				Source
Stocking rate (450 kg/ha)	0	90	180	270	Delevatti et al.(¹⁶16 Delevatti LM, Cardoso AS, Barbero RP, Leite RG, Romanzini EP, Ruggieri AC, Reis RA. Effect of nitrogen application rate on yield, forage quality, and animal performance in a tropical pasture. Scientific reports. 2019;9(1):7596. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44138-x https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44138... )
Stocking rate (450 kg/ha)	3.4	4.6	5.8	6.5
Productivity (kg body weight/ha)	510	780	840	960
	Nitrogen dosis (kg/ha/year)² 2 Megathyrsus maximus cv. Tanzania under continuous stocking, average daily weight gain ±0.73 kg/day, soils fertilized with 120 kg/hectare of P2O5.
Stocking rate (450 kg/ha)	100	200	300	400	Canto et al.(³³33 Canto MW, Filho AB, Moraes A, Hoeschl AR, Gasparino E. Animal production in Tanzania grass swards fertilized with nitrogen. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia. 2009;38(7):1176-1182. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982009000700003 https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-3598200900... )
Stocking rate (450 kg/ha)	3.2	4.5	5.8	7.1
Productivity (kg body weight/ha)	420	600	750	930

Forage	Grazing height	Stocking rate	Average daily gain	Productivity		Source
Forage	cm	AU/ha	kg/d	kg/ha/d¹	kg/ha²	Source
Tanzania	20	6.5	0.745	4.8	873	Barbero et al.(¹⁹19 Barbero RP, Barbosa MAAF, Castro LM, Ribeiro ELA, Mizubuti IY, Bumbieris Júnior VH, Silva LDF, Massaro Júnior FL. Desempenho de novilhos de corte em pastos de capim-tanzânia sob quatro alturas de desfolha. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. 2014;66(2):481-488. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-41625481" https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-41625481... )
	40	5.2	0.988	5.1	927
	60	3.9	1.053	4.1	741
	80	2.6	1.193	3.1	561
Marandu	10	6.8	0.190	1.3	234	Da Silva et al.(²³23 Da silva SC, Gimenes FMA, Sarmento DOL, Sbrissia AF, Oliveira DE, Hernadez-Garay A, Pires DAV. Grazing behaviour, herbage intake and animal performance of beef cattle heifers on marandu palisade grass subjected to intensities of continuous stocking management. Journal of Agricultural Science. 2013; 151(5):727-739. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859612000858 https://doi.org/10.1017/S002185961200085... )
	20	5.0	0.510	2.6	459
	30	3.8	0.750	2.8	507
	40	2.2	0.930	2.0	369

Grazing height (cm)	Average daily gain (kg/d)		Difference² 2 Difference in performance with or without supplement. Source: adapted from Barbero et al.(2). (kg/d)
Grazing height (cm)	Without supplement	With supplement¹ 1 Supply of 3 g supplement/kg body weight (16% crude protein and 66% total digestible nutrients).
15	0.50	1.08	0.58
25	0.91	1.15	0.24
35	1.13	1.20	0.07

Supplement		Average daily gain (kg/d)
Description	Supplied amount	Average daily gain (kg/d)
Mineral mixed¹ 1 Growth phase grazing Urochloa decumbens pastures. Source: Zanetti et al.(42);	±0.06 kg/day	- 0.1 kg/day
Mineral mixed + urea¹ 1 Growth phase grazing Urochloa decumbens pastures. Source: Zanetti et al.(42);	±0.5 g/kg of body weight	0.2 kg/day
Min. + proteic + urea¹ 1 Growth phase grazing Urochloa decumbens pastures. Source: Zanetti et al.(42);	±1 g/kg of body weight	0.35 kg/day
Multiple² 2 Growgh phase grazing Urochloa brizantha pastures Multiple supplements (mineral, protein, and energy: 18% crude protein and 75% total digestible nutrients). Source: Paulino et al.(44)	±3 g/kg of body weight	0.6 kg/day

Forage	Animals	Suppl.	Stocking rate	Body weight and performance (kg)			Source
Forage	Animals	Suppl.	Stocking rate	Initial	Final	kg/dia	Source
Marandu	C+F	1%	2.0	266	332	0.78	Barbero et al.(⁴³43 Barbero RP, de Freitas Barbosa MAA, de Souza Fortaleza AP, Júnior FLM, da Silva LDDF, de Castro LM. Suplementação com fontes proteicas na terminação de novilhas de corte: Estudo bioeconômico. Ciência Animal Brasileira. 2016;17(1):45-50. DOI: 10.1590/1089-6891v17i115943 https://doi.org/10.1590/1089-6891v17i115... )
Marandu	Z+NC	1%	3.2	431	518	0.82	Barbero et al.(⁴⁵45 Barbero RP, Malheiros EB, Nave RLG, Mulliniks JT, Delevatti LM, Koscheck JFW, Romanzini EP, Ferrari AC, Renesto DM, Berchielli TT, Ruggieri AC, Reis, RA. Influence of post-weaning management system during the finishing phase on grasslands or feedlot on aiming to improvement of the beef cattle production. Agricultural Systems. 2017; 153:23-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.01.015 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.01.0... )
Marandu	C+NC	0.5%	1.7	391	502	0.73	Sampaio et al.(⁴⁶46 Sampaio RL, De Resente, FD, Reis RA, De Oliveira IM, Custódio L, Fernanes RM, Pazdiora, RD, Siqueira, GR. The nutritional interrelationship between the growing and finishing phases in crossbred cattle raised in a tropical system. Tropical Animal Health and Production. 2017; 49:1015-1024.1: 30-37, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1294-8 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1294-... )
Mombaça	Z+CM	0.4%	5.2	300	351	0.61	Branco et al.(⁴⁷47 Branco AF, Moreli G, Jobim CC, Cecato U, Guimarães KC, Teixeira S. Performance of Nellore steers grazing on Panicum maximum Jacq cv. Mombaça receiving chopped sugar cane tops and protein supplementation. Acta Scientiarum. Animal Sciences. 2010,32(4): 455-460. https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v32i4.8142 https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v... )
Mombaça	Z+NC	1.8%	2.1	366	527	1.25	Bento(⁴⁸48 Bento FC, Rovani EA, Mesquita GF, Ruiz LRB, Silva MIL, Moreira PSA, Polizel Neto A, Gomes HFB. Efeito dos níveis de suplementação no desempenho de bovinos em sistema de semi-confinamento. Nativa. 2019;7(6):813-819. http://dx.doi.org/10.31413/nativa.v7i6.7090 http://dx.doi.org/10.31413/nativa.v7i6.7... )

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[1] Correspondent: barbero.rp@gmail.com