Frequency and availability of herbaceous components in Caatinga enriched with Urochloa trichopus grass and grazed by goats, subjected to supplementation

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of herbaceous species, the availability, and supply of dry matter grass goats layer ended in a caatinga enriched with Urochloa trichopus grass and submitted to three levels of concentrate supplement (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% over the bodyweight) relative to the control group (0.0%). 24 goats were used crossbreed F1 (Boer x non-descript breed) with an average body weight of 27.00 ± 3.32 kg. The experimental area was 2.4 ha, divided into four paddocks of 0.6 ha. The frequency analysis was carried out by the presence or absence of each species in the sample unit, which expresses the ratio of plots where the sample species were present. For quantification of dry matter availability and delivery of fodder, vegetation was separated into Urochloa trichopus grass, other grasses and herbaceous dicots were cut at soil level and weighed. The frequency of herbaceous species in the bush after thinning and enriched with Urochloa trichopus grass is more influenced by environmental conditions (rain) than the treatment of scrub, whatever the level of concentrate supplementation utilized the ratio has been above 48%. In the bush after thinning and enriched with Urochloa trichopus grass, whatever the season, availability of herbaceous components does not change with supplementation, but as they are characterized the dry period, the availability of dry matter of herbaceous vegetation decreases, and litter increases.

Keywords

• boer
• grass
• herbaceous
• litter
• native pasture