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Nitrogen Fertilization and Stocking Rate Affect Stargrass Pasture and Cattle Performance
Author(s) -
Garay A. Hernández,
Sollenberger L. E.,
McDonald D. C.,
Ruegsegger G. J.,
Kalmbacher R. S.,
Mislevy P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci2004.1348
Subject(s) - pasture , zoology , grazing , biology , loam , human fertilization , forage , chloris gayana , hectare , agronomy , stocking , tifton , dry matter , soil water , ecology , agriculture
Stargrass ( Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst) is an important tropical forage, but the interaction of stocking rate (SR) and N fertilizer rate on stargrass pastures is not well understood. The objective was to determine the effects of three SR (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 bulls ha −1 ) and three N rates (112, 224, and 336 kg ha −1 yr −1 ) on stargrass pasture characteristics and performance of Jamaica Red Poll ( Bos taurus × B. indicus ) weanling bulls at St. Ann, Jamaica. Soil was a bauxitic clay loam, and pastures were rotationally stocked (7‐d grazing and 21‐d rest period). Pregraze herbage mass increased as SR decreased (2.0‐4.8 Mg ha −1 in Year 1 and 3.3‐8.3 Mg ha −1 in Year 2). Herbage crude protein (CP) and in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM) generally increased with increasing SR and N rate. Bull daily gain decreased curvilinearly from 0.70 to 0.26 kg in Year 1 and 0.65 to 0.35 kg in Year 2 as SR increased from 2.5 to 7.5 head ha −1 Daily gain increased linearly as N rate increased from 112 to 336 kg ha −1 The N fertilizer rate had little effect on gain per hectare at the lowest SR, but gain increased with fertilization up to 224 kg N ha −1 for a SR of 5 head ha −1 and up to 336 kg N ha −1 for a SR of 7.5. In conclusion, economic return from N fertilization of stargrass pastures is dependent upon SR, with greater N rates more likely to be profitable if SR is high.