Production and quality of milk from dairy cows grazing exclusively on Mombasa grass pasture, during the spring-summer period and fed roughage supplementations, during the autumn-winter, were evaluated in two consecutive years. The pasture of 11.4 ha was divided into 57 paddocks of 2,000 m² each, including three replications with 19 paddocks each. The pasture was managed with two occupation days and 36 resting days. During the spring-summer period, cows received only grass pasture. In the autumn-winter period, they had access to Mombasa grass pasture and received roughage supplementations (black oat pasture; sorghum silage or sugarcane + urea) and pasture every 28 days, alternately. The animals had access to mineral mix and water and received 500 g of concentrated in each of the two milking times. The experimental design used was for response to continuous flow in rotational trial, similar to the Latin square model. In the spring-summer period, the average milk production was 12.2±2.2 and 14.0±3.8 kg/cow per day; for the autumn-winter period, the milk production was 13.5±2.9 and 12.1±2.5 kg/cow per day in the black oat pasture; 11.8±2.5 and 10.9±2.3 kg/cow per day in the sorghum silage and 11.3±1.8 and 8.4±1.5 kg/cow per day in the sugarcane + urea, for 1st and 2nd years evaluated, respectively. The black oat was the roughage supplementation that yielded the highest average daily milk production. There were no differences in the milk chemical composition between roughage supplementations.

Realizou-se neste estudo uma análise econômica de sistemas de produção para vacas em lactação manejadas em pastagem de capim-mombaça recebendo diferentes fontes de suplementação volumosa durante a época seca do ano. As suplementações fornecidas foram: pastagem de aveia-preta, cana-forrageira com ureia e silagem de sorgo. Utilizaram-se como indicadores econômicos o valor presente líquido (VPL) e a taxa interna de retorno (TIR). Para cada sistema de produção estudado, foi construído um fluxo de caixa, com sua particularidade e índices de desempenhos produtivo e reprodutivo, obtidos experimentalmente. Os fluxos de caixa foram construídos mensalmente para um período de 12 anos e os VPL dos sistemas foram calculados aplicando-se taxas de desconto de 6, 8, 10 e 12% ao ano. Com uma taxa anual de desconto de 8%, todos os sistemas de produção foram viáveis financeiramente. O capital investido apresentou TIR anuais de 11,91% para pastagem de aveia-preta, 9,43% para cana-forrageira e ureia e 8,46% para silagem de sorgo. O item de maior impacto nos resultados econômicos dos sistemas, de acordo com a análise de sensibilidade, foi o preço de venda do leite produzido.

An economical analysis of milk production systems was made with lactating cows on Mombaça grass pasture receiving different sources of roughage supplementation during the dry season. The supplementations were: black oat pasture, forage sugarcane with urea and sorghum silage. The economical indicators used were: net present value (NPV) and internal rates of return (IRR). For each production system studied one cash flow was used with their particularities and productive and reproductive performances index, obtained experimentally. The cash flows were built monthly, for a 12 years period and the NPV of the systems were calculated applying discount rates of 6, 8, 10 and 12% a year. At an annual discount rate of 8% all the production systems were financially viable. The invested capital showed annual IRR of 11.91% for black oat pasture, 9.43% for forage sugarcane and 8.46% for sorghum silage. The sensitivity analysis showed that the milk selling price had greatest economic impact on the profitability of the systems.

A técnica de extrusa esofágica foi utilizada com o objetivo de avaliar qualitativamente pastagens de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. cv. Napier) e capim-mombaça (Panicum maximum, cv. Mombaça) manejadas sob sistema rotacionado. As amostras relativas aos três primeiros dias de ocupação foram utilizadas para determinar os teores de MS, PB, EE, MO, lignina (LIG), FDN e FDA, a digestibilidade in vitro da MS (DIVMS) e o fracionamento dos carboidratos e proteínas, além do tempo de latência e da taxa de degradação dos carboidratos. As composições médias das amostras de extrusa esofágica obtidas nos dias sob pastejo foram comparadas por meio de contrastes ortogonais, com posterior ajuste de equações de regressão. Os teores de LIG e DIVMS diferiram apenas no capim-mombaça. Nesta espécie, houve aumento de 2,57 pontos percentuais nos teores da fração indigerível e redução de 3,23 pontos percentuais para os teores da fração potencialmente digestível dos carboidratos. Para cinética de degradação dos carboidratos fibrosos, verificou-se diferença apenas para o capim-mombaça, no qual houve redução linear. Tanto a fração insolúvel em detergente ácido quanto a fração protéica degradável dos capins elefante e mombaça apresentaram decréscimo linear com o passar dos dias sob pastejo.

Qualitative assessment of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum. cv. Napier) and mombaçagrass (Panicum maximum, cv. Mombaça) pastures under rotational stocking was performed using the esophageal extrusa technique. Samples of esophageal extrusa were taken at the third, second and first days of the grazing period. The following analyses were determined: DM, CP, EE, OM, lignin (LIG), NDF, ADF, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), lag time and degradation rate of carbohydrates, and fractions of the carbohydrates and nitrogenous compounds. The average composition of extrusa samples as a function of the days under grazing were compared through orthogonal contrasts, with subsequent adjustment of regression equations. For IVDMD and LIG, differences were observed just for the mombaçagrass. For this species, an increase of 2.57 percentual points in the indigestible fraction (fraction C) and a reduction of 3.23 percentual points in the potential degradable fraction (B2) of carbohydrates were observed. For the kinetics of degradation, it was found difference just for the mombaçagrass, showing linear reduction in the rate of degradation of the fibrous carbohydrates. Both the acid detergent insoluble protein fraction and the protein degradable fraction of elephantgrass and mombaçagrass showed linear decrease with increasing grazing period.

Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, analisar a viabilidade econômica de diferentes sistemas de recria de fêmeas em pastagens de capim-elefante na região Norte Fluminense. Fez-se uma análise econômica de três sistemas de recria de novilhas mestiças leiteiras em pastejo de capim-elefante. A fim de se estudar o risco que cada sistema possa apresentar diante das oscilações de preços no mercado, utilizou-se a Simulação de Monte Carlo. Os sistemas estudados foram: sem suplementação (SP1), oferta de 0,5% do peso vivo de concentrado (SP2), e pastejo alternado de capim-elefante com estilosantes (SP3). A análise foi realizada a partir da utilização dos indicadores econômicos Valor Presente Líquido (VPL) e Taxa Interna de Retorno (TIR). O VPL calculado, a uma taxa anual de desconto de 10%, foi de R$6.091,86, R$6.364,54 e R$215,43, enquanto o capital investido apresentou TIR anual de 29,58; 30,10 e 10,46%, respectivamente, para os três sistemas estudados. Utilizou-se a Análise de Sensibilidade para determinação dos itens de maior influência sobre a rentabilidade dos sistemas. Observou-se que os itens com maior impacto sobre o resultado econômico dos sistemas foram, em ordem de importância, o preço de venda das novilhas, o preço de aquisição das novilhas e o custo da mão-de-obra. Concluiu-se que o sistema SP3 apresentou maior risco econômico.

Different economic viability of pasture production systems to heifers grazing elephantgrass pasture in North Fluminense region wa analyzed. The economical analysis of three systems of growing fedlot dairy heifers grazing elephantgrass pasture was performed. In order to study the hazard that each system can present due to the oscillations of prices in the market, Monte Carlo simulation was used. The systems studied were: without supplementation (PS1), offer of 0.5% of the alive weight of concentrate (PS2), and alternate pasture of elephantgrass and Stylosanthes (PS3). The analysis was based on the economical indicators Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rates of Return (IRR). The NPV calculated at an annual rate of discount of 10%, were R$ 6,091.86, R$ 6,364.54 and R$ 215.43, while the invested capital showed yearly IRR of 29.58, 30.10 and 10.46%, respectively for three systems studies. The sensitivity analysis was used to identify the items of larger economical impact and that presented great effect on the profitability of the systems. In order of importance, the sale price of heifers, the purchase price of heifers and the labor cost were the items with greater impact on the economical results. It was concluded that the PS3 showed the highest economical stroke.