Evaluation of the finishing system of sheep grazing on tifton-85 grass swards submitted by the rotational stocking intensities

Abstract

Sheep farming in the country is still rooted in the extensive system of production, based on the use of poorly managed pastures and with no concern for providing supplements to the animals. Thus, techniques that aim at improving the sustainability of the system must be treated with more attention, so this project will be conducted in the Setor de Foragicultura at FCAV UNESP - Jaboticabal from October 2010 to September 2011 in order to evaluate the effects of grazing intensity through four levels of the residual leaf area (IAFr) in pastures of Tifton-85 and the effects of supplementation strategies on the structural characteristics and growth, quality and productive grassland, as well as on behavior, intake, metabolic profiling, hematology, stress conditions and performance of sheep Santa Ines. The treatments will consist of four IAFr, 2.6, 2.0, 1.4 and 0.8, maintained by rotational grazing system, and two supplementation strategies variables throughout the experimental period. As criteria for interrupting regrowth of the pasture is assumed to light interception (LI) of 95% by the canopy. It will use the experimental design of randomized complete blocks in a 4x2 factorial scheme with repeated measures with six replication (blocks) for a total of 48 experimental units or paddocks. It will be assessed the structure and growth patterns of grasses, nutritional value, production and herbage intake, ingestive behavior of grazing animals as well as hematologic and metabolic profiles, stress conditions and animal performance. (AU)