Avaliação de variáveis produtivas de capim aruana (Megathyrsus maximum cv. Aruana) com e sem associação de suplementação e consorciação de feijão guandu (Cajanus cajan)

Abstract

Pastures play a fundamental role in sheep production, as they represent the main source of food for the animals and directly influence their productive performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological performance of Aruana grass (Megathyrsus maximum cv. Aruana) with and without supplementation and Guandu bean (Cajanus cajan) intercropping under sheep grazing. The experiment was carried out between January and April 2024. The experimental area used belonged to the Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná - Dois Vizinhos Campus. 24 mixedbreed Dorper X Santa Inês animals were used, including males and females, weighing between 28 and 34 kg and aged between 5 and 6 months. The animals were distributed in a completely randomized design, with four treatments and three repetitions each. The animals were allocated to the following feeding systems: Aruana grass + Guandu beans (ARFG); Aruana grass + Guandu beans + supplementation (ARFGSUP); Aruana grass only (AR); Aruana grass + supplementation (ARSUP). The variables measured were accumulation rate, animal load, forage availability and forage mass, all expressed in (kg/ha/day). The results showed that Aruana grass performed better when alone or with supplementation compared to the treatments with Guandu bean consortium. The AR treatment had an average accumulation rate of 62.64 kg/ha/day in the last week, similar to ARSUP with 65.37 kg/ha/day, and both were superior to ARFG with 36.17 kg/ha/day and ARFGSUP with 38.41 kg/ha/day. The same pattern of results was observed in the other treatments, indicating superior results for the AR and ARSUP treatments compared to ARFG and ARFGSUP. Due to the lack of rain and low regrowth capacity, it can be concluded that the Guandu bean consortium was not effective with Aruana grass.