Custo de implantação de consórcios de sorgo, pasto e guandu-anão para sistemas de integração lavoura-pecuária (ILP) no cerrado do Distrito Federal

Abstract

Reducing production costs is one of the main strategies for livestock farmers to increase their income. These costs are divided into direct costs, related to production, and indirect costs, such as depreciation, maintenance of facilities, and technical assistance. The present study aimed to analyze the establishment costs of double and triple intercropping systems using forage sorghum, dwarf pigeon pea, and Sarandi grass in Cerrado areas. The experiment was conducted at Embrapa Cerrados, in Planaltina (DF), between November 2021 and March 2022, on a clay-textured dystrophic Red Latosol. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications and six treatment sorghum + Sarandi + pigeon pea. Soil corrections, base, and topdressing fertilizations were applied, and precipitation was monitored. Sorghum productivity was evaluated 103 days after planting, at the ensiling stage. Economic feasibility analysis considered establishment and maintenance costs and generated revenues, allowing the construction of a cash flow. Results were compared with conventional pasture recovery systems described in the literature, highlighting the technical and economic viability of using the Crop-Livestock Integration system in the Cerrado. The results showed that the traditional pasture recovery method has high costs and slower financial returns. In contrast, the triple intercropping system resulted in an effective operational cost of R$ 7.591,93/ha, with the majority of expenses allocated to fertilizers and soil amendments (58,32%). Sorghum silage achieved a productivity of 16.6 t/ha, generating an estimated return of R$ 11,288.00, providing an average monthly return of R$ 3.287,77 and ensuring, at the end of the cycle, the establishment of a consolidated pasture. It is concluded that intercropping forage sorghum with tropical forage species in Cerrado areas is an economically viable and environmentally sustainable alternative, providing faster financial returns and promoting the recovery of degraded pastures compared to the conventional method.