Beef Production and Carrying Capacity of Heavily Fertilized, Irrigated Guinea, Napier, and Pangola Grass Pastures on the Semiarid South Coast of Puerto Rico

Abstract

The productivity of Guinea grass, Napier grass, and Pangola grass pastures under close to optimum conditions of heavy fertilization, irrigation, and intensive grazing management on almost level land on the semiarid south coast of Puerto Rico was determined in terms of carrying capacity and actual gains in weight over a period of 1 1/2 years. Guinea and Napier grass pastures produced about 1,300 pounds of gain-in- weight and 9,500 pounds of total digestible nutrients per acre yearly, with a carrying capacity of 2.2 standard beef cows, or about 3 steers per acre. Daily gains per young steer averaged about 1 1/4 pounds. The Pangola grass pastures averaged 1,063 pounds of gain-in-weight and 7,934 pounds of total digestible nutrients per acre yearly.