Aiming to evaluate parameters of forage production and quality and the economic analysis of pasture, a trial was conducted in the experimental área of the Animal Science Department of UFSM, Brazil, between May and November of 1993. The mixtures were constituited by oat (Avena strigosa Schreb) + Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) with: 1) arrowleaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum Savi) and 2) Yetch (Vicia sativa L.), seeded in a natural pasture and grazed by Nelore x Charolês calves. The experiment was a completely randomized design, with two replications, characterized by paddocks of 1.5ha approximately. The grazing system was continuous with stocking rate variable, for mantaining the forage availability between 1500 and 2000kg Dry Matter (DM)/ha, with a actual grazing pressure of 10% approximately. The experimental period was of 84 days. Animais were weighted at a 28 days of interval, for adjusting the stocking rate. For the parameters daily liveweight gain, liveweight gain per area, growth rate and pasture DM production, there was no significant difference from the treatments. The treatment with vetch was higher in the crude protein content and the in vitro organic matter digestibility (P < 0.05). In economia analysis, the treatment with arrowleaf clover presented a benefit/cost relation of 2.23 and was higher than the treatment with vetch of 1.11.
animal production; arrowleaf clover; forages; italian ryegrass; oat; vetch
