CROP SCIENCE, VOL. 50, MAY– JUNE 2010 1079 RESEARCH B ahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) is the main forage used for the beef cattle industry in Florida because of its reliability and persistence under adverse climatic conditions and manage- ment practices. It is the most widely planted warm-season grass in Florida, covering approximately 1 million ha. Nonetheless, over- dependence on bahiagrass pastures has made the industry vul- nerable to potential losses from pests and diseases. During 1996 through 2000, >150,000 ha of bahiagrass pastures were damaged by mole crickets ( Scapteriscus spp.) in Florida (Adjei et al., 2001). Damage to bahiagrass pastures by mole cricket stimulated a search for other grasses adapted to the Florida environment. Brachiariagrasses are the most widely grown forages in tropical America, occupying >80 million ha (Boddey et al., 2004). Brachi- aria species are popular among producers because they show rapid regrowth and good persistence under close or frequent defoliation (Rika et al., 1991). ‘Mulato’ is the frst hybrid in the Brachiaria genus and results from crossing ruzigrass ( Brachiaria ruziziensis Germain & Evrard, clone 44-6) and palisadegrass [ Brachiaria brizantha (A. Forage Species and Stocking Rate Efects on Animal Performance and Herbage Responses of ‘Mulato’ and Bahiagrass Pastures U. Inyang, J. M. B. Vendramini,* L. E. Sollenberger, B. Sellers, A. Adesogan, L. Paiva, and A. Lunpha ABSTRACT Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) is the most used forage for beef cattle (Bos sp.) in Flor- ida; however, damage to bahiagrass pastures by mole cricket (Scapteriscus spp. ) stimulated a search for other adapted grasses. The objective of this study was to test the effect of different stocking rates (SRs) on animal performance and herbage characteristics of ‘Mulato’ (Brachiaria sp.) and bahiagrass pastures. The experiment was conducted in Ona, FL, from May to Sep- tember, 2007 and 2008. Treatments were three SRs (4, 8, and 12 heifers ha −1 ) and two forage species (Mulato and ‘Pensacola’ bahiagrass). There was a linear decrease in herbage mass (from 5.9 to 3.2 Mg ha −1 ) and herbage allowance (from 2.8 to 0.6 kg dry matter kg −1 liveweight) with increasing SR. Mulato had greater in vitro digestible organic matter concentration than bahiagrass (675 vs. 534 g kg −1 ) but similar crude protein concentration (130 g kg −1 ). There was a linear decrease in average daily gain (from 0.49 to 0.22 kg d −1 ) and a quadratic response of live- weight gain ha −1 as SR increased (190, 353, and 217 kg ha −1 for SRs of 4, 8, and 12 heifers ha −1 , respectively). Mulato has potential to be an alternative forage to bahiagrass for beef cattle producers in Florida. U. Inyang, J.M.B. Vendramini, B. Sellers, and A. Lunpha, Agronomy Dep., Range Cattle Research and Education Center, Ona, FL 33865; L.E. Sollenberger, Agronomy Dep., Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0500; A. Adesogan, Dep. of Animal Sciences, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611; L.M. Paiva, Universidade Estadual do Mato Grosso do Sul, Cidade Universitária de Dourados, 79804-970, Dou- rados-MS, Brazil. Received 19 May 2009. *Corresponding author (jv@uf.edu). Abbreviations: ADG, average daily gain; CP, crude protein; DM, dry matter; HA, herbage allowance; HAR, herbage accumulation rate; HM, herbage mass; IVDOM, in vitro digestible organic matter; LWG, liveweight gain; SR, stocking rate. Published in Crop Sci. 50:1079–1085 (2010). doi: 10.2135/cropsci2009.05.0267 Published online 10 Mar. 2010. © Crop Science Society of America | 5585 Guilford Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Permission for printing and for reprinting the material contained herein has been obtained by the publisher. Published May, 2010