Abstract

LOPEZ, O; SIMON, L; LAMELA, L  and  SANCHEZ, Tania. Productive evaluation of growing heifers from dairy genotypes in an association of grasses with leucaena. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2010, vol.33, n.2, pp. 1-1. ISSN 0864-0394.

In order to evaluate the productive performance of growing heifers, in systems with association of grasses and leucaena, 15 F1 (Holstein x Zebu) and 15 creole crossbred heifers were studied in unit 2 of the UBPC «Ramón Paz», belonging to the Livestock Production Firm Martí, Matanzas. The work was conducted between July, 2005 and June, 2006; the stocking rate was 1,3 animals/ha. The main measurements were: floristic composition of the pastureland, pasture and leucaena availability, as well as monthly weighing of the animals. In addition, the chemical composition of the soil and the bromatological composition of the feedstuffs were determined. Total dry matter availability per hectare was low in March-April and May-June (0,81 and 0,60 t DM/ha/rotation, respectively) and the highest value was observed in July-August (3,9 t DM/ha/rotation). The F1 animals were incorporated to reproduction weighing 308,8 kg and at the age of 28,6 months, and the creole crossbred heifers were incorporated weighing 336,8 kg and with 26,9 months of age; while the live weight gains were from moderate to low and similar for both genotyopes (361,1 and 383,8 g/animal/day, respectively). The results suggest that the two genotypes have a similar performance, regarding the analyzed indicators, for these productive conditions.

Keywords : Genotypes; grasses; Leucaena leucocephala; performance.

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