Grazing Efficiency on Mulato II Brachiariagrass Under Continuous and Rotational Stocking.

Rotational socking has commonly been associated with maximum grazing efficiency. There are, however, accounts to the effcet that continuous stocking can result in equivalent grazing efficiencies to rotational stocking when compared under equal basis. The objective in this study was to quantify and compare forage accumulation and forage losses due to senescence and grazing damage on Mulato II brachiariagrass hybrid (Convert HD 364) maintained around mean canopy heights of 20 and 30 cm, continuously stocked or under lenient and severe rotational grazing, respectively imposed by 10, 25 and 40% variations around the two mean canopy heights. A field trial was carried out during the summer growing season of 2016/2017 in Piracicaba-SP, Brazil. The material collected above soil surface after each grazing event on rationally grazed paddocks and every 21 days at those under continuous stocking was considered as forage losses. Total seasonal forage accumulation and forage losses were affected by stocking method (P<0.0001 and P=0.0469, respectively), but were not affected by mean canopy heights (P>0.05). Continuous stocking resulted in greatest total seasonal forage accumulation (7410 vs. 4320 kg DM ha^-1). Differences in total seasonal forage losses occurred only between continuous stocking and intense rotational stocking (5960 vs. 4250 kg DM ha^-1, respectively). Lenient and severe rotational stocking resulted in similar grazing efficiency. The greater total seasonal forage accumulation associated to continuous stocking makes up for its greater forage losses, favoring greater forage yield.