Objective:

To characterize the pastureland and its management indicators in a Voisin rational grazing system, on undulating to cracked soils, in the humid tropic of Los Santos, Panama.

Materials and Methods:

An intensive management system with Voisin rational grazing was evaluated, where the rotation of the animals was projected from the determination of its optimum resting point. Twenty four paddocks were used, with 1,9 days of average occupation. The effective stocking rate, grazing intensity, forage offer level and grazing pressure were the main management indicators.

Results:

The effective stocking rate was high (3,63 LAU/ha as average) and showed significant differences (p < 0,001) in the first two-month period March-April, with regards to the others. The average grazing intensity was 148 LAU/ha/day. The forage offer level showed average availabilities of 27,8 kg DM/animal/day. The grass cover showed a slight trend to decrease, although substantial increase of the quantity of species was observed by the end of the evaluation. The average grazing pressure was high (5,56 kg DM/100 kg LW/day), just like the percentage of pastureland utilization (75,0 %). The average optimum resting time for all the species was 47 days.

Conclusions:

The flexible management of Voisin rational grazing, with the determination of the optimum resting point, in cvs. Tanzania, Massai, Mulato II, Toledo and Llanero, produced changes in the management indicators, as well as in the stability of the plant species of the system.

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