Paulo César De Faccio Carvalho

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul | UFRGS · Departamento de Plantas Forrageiras e Agrometeorologia

The nutrient use efficiency in integrated crop-livestock systems under system fertilization may be related to soil structural variations caused by grazing. These hypothetical cause-effect relationships are not known, which reflects a limited understanding of the underlying processes. This study evaluated the association between soil structural qual...

Domestic herbivores have been closely associated with the historical evolution and development of agriculture systems worldwide as a complementary system for providing milk, meat, wool, leather, and animal power. However, their major role was to enhance and maintain agricultural soil fertility through the recycling of nutrients. In turn, cereal pro...

Integrated crop–livestock systems are recognized for intensifying food production as long as adequate management of grazing, fertilization, and liming is practiced. There is still a lack of information about the effect of these factors on the soil microbiological community. This study evaluated the effects of grazing, liming, and different P and K...

Integrated Crop Livestock Systems (ICLS) are important alternative for diversification and sustainable food production, while conserving soil. The effects on soil structure of adopting ICLS in lowlands are widely unknown. Our hypothesis was that the adoption of ICLS, in lowland production systems for flooded-irrigation rice cultivation, improves th...

On-farm methane (CH4) emissions need to be estimated accurately so that the mitigation effect of recommended practices can be accounted for. In the present study prediction equations for enteric CH4 have been developed in lieu of expensive animal measurement approaches. Our objectives were to: (1) compile a dataset from individual beef cattle data...

Forage nutrient contents are an important factor explaining the dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), and methane emissions (CH4) of ruminants fed indoors. However, for grazing animals, the forage nutrient contents might be limited in explaining such response variables. We aimed to verify the explanatory power of forage nutrient conten...

The system fertilization approach emerged to improve nutrient use efficiency in croplands. This new fertilization concept aims at taking advantage of nutrient cycling within an agroecosystem to obtain maximum production from each nutrient unit. To monitor this eect, methodologies such as the Normalized Dierence Vegetation Index (NDVI) are promising...

Context: Average sward height has traditionally been used as a grazing management variable. However, such approach ignores the spatio-temporal heterogeneity of swards. Because the intake rate responds non-linearly to average height at plant level, we expected that sheep exposed to contrasting grazing methods with similar average heights would behav...

Los pastizales de ambientes húmedos y subtropicales en Corrientes presentan producción entre los 1.000 a 10.000 kg de MS/ha/año. En situaciones de elevado crecimiento la maduración de estos es muy rápida hasta generar ambientes inadecuados para pastoreo. Frecuentemente la estrategia más utilizada para revertir esta situación de pastizales subutiliz...

Los pastizales de ambientes húmedos y subtropicales en Corrientes presentan producción entre los 1.000 a 10.000 kg de MS/ha/año. En situaciones de elevado crecimiento la maduración de estos es muy rápida hasta generar ambientes inadecuados para pastoreo. Frecuentemente la estrategia más utilizada para revertir esta situación de pastizales subutiliz...

En ambientes heterogéneos de pastoreo como lo son los pastizales de Corrientes, las características estructurales del forraje como: altura del dosel, densidad y madurez (proporción hoja:tallo y proporción material verde:muerto) pueden ser modificadores importantes de los criterios de decisión, a través de su influencia en la profundidad del bocado,...

La escala de heterogeneidad espacial dentro del entorno de un animal en pastoreo es una consecuencia directa de cómo este genera los bocados en el espacio y luego responde a esa heterogeneidad resultante. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de la carga animal sobre la estructura de un pastizal del norte de Corrientes.

El pastoreo ha conducido a un proceso de deterioro de los pastizales, con cambios en la abundancia de especies y pérdidas de cobertura vegetal. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de la oferta de forraje sobre la abundancia y frecuencia de especies de un pastizal del norte de Corrientes.

El pastoreo ha conducido a un proceso de deterioro de los pastizales, con cambios en la abundancia de especies y pérdidas de cobertura vegetal. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de la oferta de forraje sobre la abundancia y frecuencia de especies de un pastizal del norte de Corrientes.

The extensive system of pasture management in Brazil can reduce soil C stocks and increase CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. However, the adoption of sustainable management systems can change these conditions and enact modern practices of natural resource management as defined by the concept of ecosystem services. A field study was therefore carried...

Integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) can improve soil quality and increase soybean yield. As a way to intensify agricultural production in ICLS, different fertilization strategies can be adopted. Our objectives were to evaluate the effect of fertilization strategies on soil quality indicators and soybean yield in ICLS in the Brazilian Cerrado....

Studies on lability of soil phosphorus (P) under integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) are still scarce, especially for deep soil layers (more than 0.20 m depth) and different managements in the crop and livestock phase. Distinct management in these phases may lead to a different distribution of soil P pools according to its lability (labile, mo...

Integrated Agricultural Production Systems (SIPA) are promising strategies to intensify production through activities in the intermediate portion between organic and intensive/specialized agriculture, which must be planned to allow synergistic interactions between soil, plants, and animals. SIPA has been identified as essential to tackle food and e...

Methane (CH4) produced from enteric fermentation in ruminants has a noticeable impact on climate change. Prediction models are an alternative to current laborious and costly in vivo CH4 measurement techniques. The objectives of this study were to: (1) collate a database of individual sheep records from CH4 emission studies conducted in the Latin Am...

Understanding the grazing process and animal response to sward structures (e.g., sward height) is key to setting targets for efficient grazing management. We hypothesized that the short-term intake rate (STIR) of dry matter (DM) and digestible organic matter (OM) by dairy heifers is maximized with Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus—Hochst. ex Chio...

A series of trials were conducted in different experimental and feeding conditions to evaluate a purified and enriched lignin extracted from Eucalyptus grandis (LIPE®) as a marker to estimate faecal output in sheep fed temperate and tropical grasses. Two indoor trials were conducted in metabolism cages: the first one (Trial I) was conducted with sh...

The Rio de la Plata region (Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil) is currently characterized by a mosaic of intensively managed croplands and remaining areas of livestock production on native grasslands. The production of crops and animals in this scenario is usually spatially segregated as a result of mindset and structural constraints develope...

Characterization of the diet composition of horses in a native grassland of the Pampa Biome (i.e., Campos). The evaluator observed each animal for four hours in the morning (beginning at dawn) and four hours in the afternoon (until dusk) representing the grazing journey, with intervals of 15 to 20 days, totaling 374 hours. A total of 2,451,32 bites...

Integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) in paddies are an important strategy to reduce fertilizer requirements of rice (Oryza sativa). Legume crop rotations and fertilization increase soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) availability compared to rice monocropping. Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of fertilization, namely P and K, in no-till...

In an integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS), system fertilization exploits the nutrient cycling imposed by animal grazing and increases the system efficiency. An increasingly popular approach to fertilization in southern Brazil is anticipating P and K requirements for soybeans into the pasture phase. This can increase the use efficiency of these...

In integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS), crops and animals interact in space-time, generating synergistic properties. ICLS design and implementation are more complex than specialized systems design due to their multiple interactions. Hence, appropriate and innovative methods and tools are required to facilitate design of sustainable ICLS system...

ABSTRACT Weed competition is a challenge to rice monocropping growers in the context of herbicide resistant weeds and difficult weeds to manage using chemical control. Diversifying crop rotations through integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) can be an alternative to face this challenge. As weed seedbank reflects management practices, this study...

Grazing intensity is a preponderant factor for the success of integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS). Management of grazing intensity impacts soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics, soil reacidification process, and amount and quality of residues added to the ICLS. Consequently, the soil mineral nitrogen (N) forms may present different behavior throu...

In sustainable tropical agriculture, grass-legume intercropping can increase productivity, enhance the nutritional quality of the crop and affect soil microbiological activity, leading to higher yields in succession crops. This study evaluated the impact of grass-legume intercropping, during the pasture phase of integrated crop-livestock systems un...

CONTEXT Integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLS) are supposed to achieve eco-efficiency; however, its management is more complex than that of specialized systems, thereby posing a challenge for researchers, farmers, and advisors to develop coordinated actions. Besides, there is a lack of methodological approaches to support the transitions to ICLS...

We assessed the effects of high-intensity and low-frequency (HILF) vs. low-intensity and high-frequency (LIHF) grazing on herbage production and performance of beef cattle grazing sorghum pastures. The experimental design was a complete randomized block with two treatments and four replicates (paddocks), carried out in 2014/15. The management targe...

Highly digestible forages are associated with an in vitro low-methane (CH4) rumen fermentation profile and thus the possibility of reducing CH4 emissions from forage-based systems. We aimed to assess the in vitro ruminal fermentation profile, including CH4 production, of the top stratum of Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus - Hochst. ex Chiov) har...

Grazing intensity in integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) can affect soil aggregation and C stabilization and, consequently, the soil condition and agricultural sustainability. This study evaluate the influence of 13 years of different grazing intensities on (i) soil aggregation, (ii) C content in different aggregate size, and (iii) C and N con...

Sward management is critical for animal performance in pastoral environments. We evaluated the performance of sheep grazing Italian ryegrass pastures under factorial combinations of two stocking methods (SM) (continuous and rotational) and two herb- age allowances (HA) (10% and 20% of LWT) over 9 years. Average daily gain (ADG) was greater in conti...

Closely integrated crop and livestock production systems used to be the rule in agriculture before the industrial revolution. However, agricultural landscapes have undergone a massive intensification process in recent decades. This trajectory has led to uniform landscapes of specialized cropping systems or consolidated zones of intensive livestock...

Forage allowance impacts dry matter (DM) intake and the use of nutrients by ruminants. The efficient use of protein and energy from pasture is related to better livestock performance and lower environmental impacts. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of forage allowance levels on intake, digestibility, nitrogen (N) and energy balanc...

Diversified farming systems is a challenge in lowland soils around the world. In Southern Brazil, integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) have been used for grain crops and livestock production under no-till. However, their impacts on soil K dynamics are still poorly explored. The aim of this study was to quantify the K forms in the soil and the K...

Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) is a developing region characterized for its importance for global food security, producing 23 and 11% of the global beef and milk production, respectively. The region's ruminant livestock sector however, is under scrutiny on environmental grounds due to its large contribution to enteric methane (CH4) emissions and...

Aims The integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) under no-tillage improves soil fertility of the Brazilian Cerrado. We aimed to evaluate the effect of different grass-legume intercropping compared to single grass cultivation in the off-season of an ICLS on (i) soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools, (ii) soil microbial biomass and activity...

Determining herbage intake is pivotal for studies on grazing ecology. Direct observation of animals allows describing the interactions of animals with the pastoral environment along the complex grazing process. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the reliability of the continuous bite monitoring (CBM) method in determining herbage intake i...

Soil structural degradation through compression from machine and animal traffic affects soil functioning and threatens environmental sustainability. However, the structural stability of the soil against external stresses can be enhanced through the addition of organic substances. The study aimed to investigate the efficacy of biochar addition on th...

Soil acidity can impair biological N 2 fixation (BNF) and increase soybean (Glycine max L.) reliance on soil N to satisfy its plant N demand. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of liming, fertilization strategy, and grazing on: i) the N supplied via BNF process, ii) partial N-balance, and iii) soybean yield, in an integrated crop-livestock sys...

Conventional pasture management has been responsible for diffuse soil degradationin tropical pastures. However, sustainable management practices can be used to improve soil health. We tested the effect of adopting intensive and diversified pasture management systems, i.e., fertilized pasture (FP), integrated crop-livestock (ICL) and integrated live...

We evaluated Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) establishment in a factorial of grazing intensity (intense, moderate, moderate‐light, light, and no grazing, with target average sward heights of 10, 20, 30, and 40 cm in the grazed plots) and additional seeding (self‐seeding with or without additional seeding) in an integrated soybean‐beef ca...

The Rio de la Plata region comprises central Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. Modern agriculture developed around 1900 with recent decades being characterized by the advance of cropping areas over native grasslands. Highly specialized agriculture has decoupled crop and livestock production but has succeeded in intensifying yields. However,...

Extensive livestock production in southern South America occupies ∼0.5 M km 2 in central-eastern Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil. These systems have been sustained for more than 300 years by year-long grazing of the highly biodiverse native Campos ecosystems that provides many valuable additional ecosystem services. However, their low produc...

We tested the hypothesis that improving sward structure through adjustments in forage allowance results in greater forage intake and live weight (LW) gains by beef cattle and lower CH4 emissions per unit LW gain and unit area in a native grassland ecosystem of the Pampa biome. The experiment was carried out during 2012 and 2013 in southern Brazil....

Aims This study evaluated the optimal herbage level from both plant and animal perspectives, through the adjustment of instantaneous herbage accumulation rate as estimed by the Gompertz curve model and short-term intake rate of sheep. Schedonorus arundinaceus (tall fescue) was used as an experimental model. Methods Weekly tall fescue herbage accumu...

Globally, poorly managed pasture can contribute to increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In Brazil, sustainable management systems are being proposed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions and increase the soil C stock under degraded pasture. However, despite the potential benefits in the adoption of sustainable management systems, few stud...

Agriculture, and livestock production in particular, is criticized for being a contributor to global environmental change, including emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). Methane (CH4) from grazing ruminants accounts for most of livestock's carbon footprint because a large share of them are reared under suboptimal grazing conditions, usually resulti...

We aimed to evaluate the effect of different grazing management strategies on carcass characteristics traits, meat quality and CH4 intensity and yield of lambs grazing Italian ryegrass pastures in Southern Brazil. A grazing trial was performed (2014 and 2015) in a randomized complete block design with two grazing management targets and four replica...

‘Rotatinuous’ stocking is a grazing management strategy based on animal behavioural responses to sward structure which is designed to maximize herbage intake per unit of grazing time. It is an alternative to traditional grazing management practices focusing on pasture use efficiency and maximizing herbage accumulation and harvesting. To investigate...

Climate models project greater weather variability over the coming decades. High yielding systems that can maintain stable crop yields under variable environmental scenarios are critical to enhance food security. However, the effect of adding a trophic level (i.e. herbivores) on the long-term stability of agricultural systems is not well understood...

The authors would like to make the following correction to the published paper [...]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of grazing methods and intensities on the metabolic profile of lambs grazing ryegrass. This study was performed in Eldorado do Sul (RS). The treatments consisted of two grazing intensities with rotational and continuous stocking methods: moderate and low. The experimental design was a randomized bloc...

The presence of animal grazing at different intensities in integrated crop livestock systems (ICLS) may affect the forms and the balance of K in the soil, especially after many years. The objective of this study was to evaluate different K forms and their balance for 17 years with ICLS. ICLS experimental area used no-till practices with different g...

Integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) can be an option for agricultural sustainability in subtropics. Despitenumerous studies evaluating ICLS, there have been limited investigations of aluminum (Al) dynamics in suchsystems. In this context, this study was conducted in 2001–2010 on Rhodic Hapludox soil with the objective ofassessing the impacts o...

Integrated crop–livestock systems are a form of sustainable intensification of agriculture that rely on synergistic relationships between plant and animal system elements to bolster critical agroecosystem processes, with potential impacts on resilience to weather anomalies. We simulated productivity dynamics in an integrated cover crop grazing agro...

Integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) can be an alternative to increase the productivity of agroecosystems by enhancing nutrient cycling via grazing animals. Despite the holistic approach that bears the designing of ICLS, fertilization practices are proceeded in a conventional crop basis, disregarding nutrient fluxes at the appropriate spatial a...

We explored the effects of heterogeneity of sward height on the functioning of grazing systems through a spatially implicit mechanistic model of grazing and sward growth. The model uses a population dynamic approach where a sward is spatially structured by height, which changes as a function of defoliation, trampling, and growth. The grazing compon...

In subtropical lowlands, the introduction of soybean and livestock in rotation are an alternative to rice monoculture. Due to the nutrient cycling process improved by animal grazing in winter fertilized pastures, soybean may not respond to mineral fertilization under a no-till integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS). Thus, the objectives of this st...

Animal grazing in integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) results in continuous nutrient release to forage plants and crops in succession. This study aimed to assess sheep dung composition and decomposition rates under distinct grazing intensities and at different development stages of Italian ryegrass pasture (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), and to eva...

Managing for resilience in agriculture will be required to overcome future challenges such as growing food demand, climatic uncertainty, scarce raw materials and economic instability. Identifying resilience-enhancing practices is therefore fundamental for developing sustainable agroecosystems. We aimed to assess the resilience of two agricultural s...