SUMMARY This trial was conducted on Rincão Farm in Cachoeira do Sul-RS, in agreement with EMATER-RS and the Animal Science Department of the University of Santa Maria. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the live weight gain, from weaning at 90 days to 1 year of age, when submitted to a feeding system inciuding natural pastures; Digitaria decumbens Stent., Pennisetum americanum (L) Schum. and Avena strigosa Schreb. pastures. The pasture quality and dry matter availability was associated with the weaning calves performance. In these conditions, it was observed that the calves attained 187.75kg of average live weight when feeded with pennisetun americanum (L.) Schum. in summer and Avena strigosa Schreb. in winter, at 12 months of age. The climatic conditions of the experimental period and animal management imposed in Rincão Farm contributed for a reduction of pastures dry matter availability, that affected directiy the animal performanco.
weanling calves; natural pastures; Pennisetum americanum; Digitaria decumbens; Avena strigosa
