ABSTRACT


FRANCISCO MOREL V.1 Y HERNÁN RIVADENERIA A.2
 

A grazing experiment with steers (European Holstein) using put and take, was done during two years to study the influence that nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization could have in the productivity of a ladino clover (Trifolium repens L.) perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) mixture. The experiment also evaluated the potentiality of this pasture to finish one year old steers at two years of age.
No increase in meat production per hectare, daily gain and carrying capacity, was obtained by high rates of nitrogen or by inereasing the annual application of phosphorus trom 100 to 200 Kg/ha. No change in the botanical composition of the pasture was observed by the fertilizers applied.
An average of 1.350 Kg. of meat per hectare was obtained yearly. The animals need 13 months to reach the market, suggesting that a small supplementation during the three winter months is needed if they are to be finished before they complete two year of age.
Stocking rates, daily gain and production per season are reported in this paper.

Keywords:
1 Ingeniero Agrónomo, Estación Experimental La Platina, Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Profesor Auxiliar Cátedra Introducción a la Ganadería, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad Católica de Chile.
2 Ingeniero Agrónomo, M. S., Estación Experimental La Platina, Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias.