ABSTRACT This study evaluated forage mass, nutritional value, forage intake, animal performance and economic indicators in Urochloa decumbens pastures under monoculture and a silvopastoral system (SPS) with Mimosa caesalpiniifolia (Benth. ). The treatments were arranged in a randomised block design with three replications, and the experiment was conducted from 2020 to 2022 in Garanhuns, Brazil. We are using crossbred Holstein × Zebu calves under continuous stocking with variable stocking rate. No significant differences were detected in forage nutritional value or animal performance between systems. However, forage intake was higher in the SPS (3. 29 vs. 2. 54 kg DM animal −1 day −1), and during the rainy season SPS pastures showed greater crude protein concentration (127 vs. 94 g kg −1 DM). The highest average daily gain (0. 52 kg animal −1 day −1) and stocking rate (1. 51 AU ha −1) occurred during the first grazing season. Beef production did not differ statistically between systems (9 vs. 12 @ ha −1 year −1), but the presence of M. caesalpiniifolia enhanced economic performance in the SPS. Timber revenue compensated for lower meat yield, resulting in higher net profit (US 933. 5 vs. US 642. 9 ha −1 year −1) compared with monoculture. The equivalent annual net present value (US 192. 8 ha −1 year −1) further confirmed the economic viability of tree‐based livestock production. Therefore, although both systems produced similar forage mass, nutritive value and animal performance, the integration of woody legumes increased forage intake and improved profitability, highlighting silvopastoral systems as an efficient strategy for livestock production with additional revenue diversification.
Izidro et al. (Thu,) studied this question.