The effect of two herbage masses (HM) (1,200 or 1,500 kg/ha of dry matter - DM) and use of energy supplementation on performance of beef heifers grazing oat (Avena strigosa Schreb) plus annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam) was evaluated. The heifers were assigned to the following treatments: LHMNS - low herbage mass, no supplementation; HHMNS - high herbage mass, no supplementation; LHMS - low herbage mass + supplementation;HHMS - high herbage mass + supplementation. The supplement utilized was ground sorghum grain, at the level of 0.7% of body weight (BW) per day. The grazing method was continuous with variable stocking rate; there were three replications per treatment combination. The variables evaluated were: forage allowance (FA), average daily weight gain (ADG), body condition (BC), body weight of animals at 12 months of age (BLW), crude protein and 'in vitro' digestibility of hand plucked herbage samples. The FA in HHM was greater than in LHM treatment, with values of 11 and 8 kg of DM/100 kg of BW, respectively. Supplementation affected ADG and BC. The ADG were 0.778 and 0.559 kg/animal/day for supplemented and not supplemented heifers, respectively. The BC increased linearly during the grazing period. Supplemented heifers body condition increased by 0.9 points (R2=96%) and those exclusively on pasture by 0.4 points (R2=74%), with LW gains of 115 and 187 kg for each additional point of BC. Decrease of forage mass from 1.500 to 1.200 kg/ha DM did not affect heifer performance. Supplemented animals had higher body weight gain and body condition than animals exclusively on pasture.
Avena strigosa; body condition; grain of sorghum; Lolium multiflorum
