Estrutura horizontal do campim-marandu em pré e pós- pastejo com ovinos

Abstract

The horizontal structure of the pasture corresponds to the variation of vegetation along the terrain surface, and it interferes with both pasture growth and animal grazing consumption. However, the characterization of pasture structure is still limited in tropical conditions. In this sense, the objective was to evaluate the horizontal structure of Marandu grass (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu) under pre- and post-grazing conditions with intermittent stocking, using sheep. The study took place at the Capim Branco Experimental Farm of the Federal University of Uberlândia, from October 2021 to March 2022. The experimental treatments consisted of two pasture conditions under intermittent stocking: 25 cm pre-grazing and 15 cm post-grazing. Data were analyzed descriptively only. The distribution of plant heights did not follow a normal distribution. Measures of central tendency (mean, median, and mode) showed higher values in the pre-grazing condition compared to post-grazing. The range was reduced in the post-grazing condition compared to pre-grazing. The coefficient of variation remained almost unchanged between preand post-grazing conditions. Kriging analysis revealed a heterogeneous distribution of plant heights, with areas of higher and lower height correlated at the front and back of the paddock, respectively. The asymmetric distribution of plant heights highlights the importance of mode as a representative measure of predominant heights in the pasture, making it the most appropriate to use. The occurrence of undergrazed and overgrazed areas in the same pasture indicates a loss of forage in the pasture.