Evaluation of feeding systems for calves weaned at three months old

A trial was conducted to evaluate lhe performance of calves weaned of three months old in four systems: S1 - Natural pasture + Sorghum bicolor silage; S2 - Natural pasture + Winter pasture (Avena strigosa + Lolium multiflorum); S3 - Bahiagrass (Paspalurn notatum var. Saurae) + Sorghum silage and S4 - Bahiagrass + Winter pasture. The experiment was installed in Pulquéria Agropecuária, São Sepé, RS, in a Ridish-Brown Latheritic Soil. It was evaluated the crude protein and in vitro organic matter digestibility of the forage. Thirty calves, Nelore x Charolais Breed, were used as replications, in a completely randomized design. with continuous grazing and variable stocking rate in the pastures. The experimental period was of 244 days (summer/autumn and winter/spring ). The calves were weighted at a 28 day intervals. S4 system presented a daily live weight gain (545g) higher than lhe others (P<0.05), except for the S2 system (475g), in the total experimental period.