Plantou o buffel? Não solte o gado ainda

Planting buffel grass is the easy part. The problem starts later, when the grass is in the ground, growing, and the temptation to let the cattle out appears. That's exactly where most people go wrong. And when the pasture disappears the following year, the blame falls on the grass. The grass is not to blame at all. This episode is a straightforward guide for those who have planted or are thinking about planting buffel grass in the semi-arid region. From the day of germination to maintenance in subsequent years, each phase has a specific logic, and ignoring any of them can cost you the entire pasture. In germination, with Coruja's arid buffel grass seed, the first sprouts appear between 17 and 20 days. If more than 30 days pass with rain and no sprouting, the problem is not the seed: it's the soil preparation. Poorly done harrowing, irregular insertion, planting errors that take their toll later. After germination, with the grass around 15 centimeters tall, invasive plants arrive along with it. There's no way to avoid them. The fight needs to be immediate: a broadleaf herbicide with mineral oil in the solution, applied to moist soil, right after rain. Otherwise, the product won't take. The most important point of the episode, and the most ignored, is what to do in the first year. A considerable part of the technical recommendations circulating in Brazil were designed for the Southeast, Midwest, and South, regions with deep soil and regular rainfall. In the semi-arid region, with shallow soil and irregular rainfall, the buffel grass root needs much more time to establish itself. Releasing cattle before that is like pulling the plant out by the roots. Without roots, there is no regrowth. The pasture disappears before it even begins. The recommendation is to let the grass complete its full cycle in the first year: let it flower, form the seed, and let that seed mature until it falls naturally with the wind. Only after that should animals be introduced, in small numbers and of discreet size. Pedro uses recently weaned calves: they walk through the pasture, knock down the ripe seed, compact it into the soil with their hooves, and consume the grass fiber without uprooting the roots. He plants in March and uses the pasture from August onwards. In hilly areas, the strategy changes. Planting in contour lines with furrows prevents rainwater from carrying the seed downhill. The seed falls into the furrow, germinates, and in the first year spreads throughout the area without needing replanting. From the second year onwards, with the pasture established, then the rules regarding entry height (50 centimeters for pastures older than two years), mowing, deferment, and all the uses that make buffel grass one of the most versatile forage crops in the semi-arid region come into play. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE How many days does it take for buffel grass to start germinating and what to watch for if it doesn't germinate? How to identify and combat weeds right after germination Why herbicides don't work without moist soil and how to apply them correctly Why recommendations from other regions don't apply to the semi-arid region in the first year When is it safe to release animals into newly formed pasture without destroying the root system? How to use weaned calves to disseminate seeds and save labor When to plant buffel grass in relation to the semi-arid region's rainfall calendar How to plant in hilly areas using contour lines to avoid losing seeds What is the minimum height for cattle to enter pastures older than two years? How to manage buffel grass in the second year: mowing, deferred grazing, and direct grazing 00:00 - Plant and watch before 01:01 - How long does it take to germinate? 01:39 - What to watch for after Birth 02:35 - Invasive weeds: immediate control 03:15 - Herbicide: how and when 03:49 - The mistake of copying other regions 04:37 - Shallow soil changes everything 05:02 - First year: don't release yet 05:28 - The right animal at the right time 06:34 - When to plant buffel grass 06:59 - Using the first rains 07:33 - Flat area vs. hilly area 08:00 - Planting on contour lines 08:56 - The seed that spreads itself 09:33 - The mistake that destroys new pastures 10:43 - From the second year onwards 11:14 - Entry height: 50cm 12:03 - Buffel grass is versatile FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:   / fazendacoruja   #FazendaCoruja #VidaNoCampo #NortheasternCariri #RuralProduction #GoatRaising #CattleRaising #GoatCheese #ArtisanalCheese #GoatMilk #PastureManagement #BuffelGrass #GrassStock #RuralOptimization #RuralProperty #FieldTips #AgroCariri #SertãoDoCariri #PrecisionAgriculture #SustainabilityInTheField #RuralLife #FarmRoutine #CaririCulture #RuralKnowledge #FieldForBeginners #LearningInTheField #WorkInTheField #AgroArt #ResponsibleRaising #AnimalFeed #FarmManagement #DairyProduction #ArtisanalCheeseFactory #RootsOfTheCariri #CorujaTerritory #StoriesFromTheField ...