It was studiedperformance, behavior and forage ingestion by beef heifers on pearl millet (Pennisetumamericanum (L.) Leeke) and Alexander grass (Urochloa plantaginea)pastures from January to April 2008. The continuous grazing method with a variablenumber of animals was used. Forage ingestion was estimated during vegetativeand reproductive stage of forage plants using chromic oxide as fecal productionmarker. Evaluations of behavior were carried out by visual observation in four24-hour continuous periods. Mean values of forage mass, forage offer and leafblade offer were 3,927 kg/ha of DM, 14.6 kg of DM/100 kg BW and 3.36 kg of DM/100kg BW, respectively. The variables of the pasture, animal performance, ingestivebehavior and forage intake were similar for pearl millet and alexander grass.Variables of forage, animal performance and grazing times, idle and ruminationand number of bites per day showed variation over days of pasture utilization.Forage ingestion was 2.49% of the body weight and it did not vary accordingto phenological stage. Use of sites infested with alexander grass as pasturesprovides performance similar to the one obtained with pearl millet.
