Influence of Renovation of Old Fescue Pasture on Beef Production

The influence of renovation by interseeding of a 30-year-old fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) pasture, naturally invaded with dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum Poir.), was evaluated during 3 years at the Pergamino Experiment Station. The renovation was done by minimum tillage equipment using a spring-toothed cultivator, The mixture sown was brome (Bromus 1mioloides H.B.K.) cv. Martfn Fierro MAG, chicory (Cichoriumorium intybus L.) cv. San Pedro INTA, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) cv. El Surefto INTA, white clover (Trifolium repens L,) cv. El Lucero MAG, and Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.) cv. La yapalNTA. There were 2 treatments: a renovated and a non-renovated control. The treatments were grazed in a rotational system using 4 paddocks each. English breed steers were used, 180-200 kg Initial weight. Put and take animals were used to evaluate carrying capacity of 2,81 head/ha for the renovated treatment and 2.27 head/ha for the control, The daily gain for the renovated pasture was 0.410 kg/head/day and 0,440 for the control averaged over 3 years, The total live-weight production, over 3 years was 421 kg/ha/year for the renovated and 365 kg/ha/year for the control, respectively.