Dry matter intake (DMI) of nine Holstein x Zebu lactating fistulated cows was measured through difference of offered and refuse feed weight and estimated with aid of the chromium oxide (Cr2O3) for the fecal production (FO) and indigestible of the grass. The experiment was in a three Latin Squares design (3×3) and treatments constituted the supply of elephantgrass with 30, 45 and 60 days of growth. The in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) was determined in the samples of the […]

An experiment was carried out at UNESP, Jaboticabal Campus to evaluate the effect of a microbial inoculant on aerobic stability of wilted grass silage (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum). The grass was cut with 96 days of growing, remaining under sun action 5 hours to wilt. Silages were made in plastic silos, 0.2m3 capacity, that received (CI) or not (SI) inoculant at the ensilage time. For the study of aerobic deterioration, each silo was subdivided in three levels and the silages were […]

The performance, during the summer of beef steers grazing elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), alexandergrass (Brachiaria plantaginea (Link) Hitchc), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke) was evaluated. The grazing period for the elephantgrass occurred from 12/04/93 until 04/26/94, and for the other grasses occurred from 01/04/94 until 04/12/94. The total period of grazing was of 143 days for the elephantgrass and of 98 days for the other pastures. The continuous grazing system with variable stocking rate […]

The influence of the level of forage intake on the degradability of particles of elephant grass in the sections of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of bovines and on some traits of ruminal kinetics was studied. A completely randomized split plot design was used, with twelve treatments in the main plots (a 2×6 factorial, comprising two levels of feeding: restricted – NA1 and unrestricted – NA2, and six slaughter times) and the five sections GIT in the split plots. Thirty-six steers maintained […]

The voluntary dry matter intake (DMI), rate of passage and mean retention time in the rumen and gastrointestinal tract were estimated using 18 crossbred Holstein-Zebu lactating cows grazing elephantgrass. The voluntary DMI and fecal output estimations the models proposed by QUIROZ et al. (1988) and POND et al. (1989) were used. The data of rate of passage and those of retention time in the rumen the model suggested by GROVUM and WILLIAMS (1973) was chosen. The elephantgrass pasture were fertilized […]

The influence of the level of intake of elephantgrass, under grazing, on the composition of digesta and on concentration of the marker Cr2O3 throughout the gastrintestinal tract (GTI) of bovines was studied. A split-plot completely randomized design with twelve treatments in the main plots (a 2×6 factorial with two levels of forage ingestion: restricted – NA1 and unrestricted – NA2, and six slaughter periods) and the five sections of GTI in the split-plots was used. Thirty six steers were used, […]

Silage evaluation of elephantgrass cv. Taiwan A146 was done at Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia – UNESP-Botucatu. Six treatments were used with four replications as follows: A – elephantgrass with eight hours of wilting under the sun; B – elephantgrass; C – elephantgrass (98%) plus cassava meal (2%); D – elephantgrass (96%) plus cassava meal (4%); E – elephantgrass (92%) plus cassava meal (8%); F – elephantgrass (88%) plus cassava meal (12%). The efficiency meal (12%) was greater than […]

The in vitro/gas dry matter (DM) digestibility of four roughages, mixed or not, in proportion of 50% in the DM were evaluated. Samples of 100 mg by treatment, in triplicate, in 48 h of digestion were incubated. The DM digestibilities and gas production were: sugar cane = 60.6%, 17.3 mL; sugar cane + corn silage = 63.9%, 19.6 mL; sugar cane + elephantgrass of 60 days = 60.5%, 16.9 mL; sugar cane + elephantgrass of 180 days = 48.6%, 14.1 […]

The objective of this trial was to study the effect of three grazing intervals (T30 = 30 days, T36 = 36 days and T45 = 45 days) on milk yield and live weight changes of crossbred Holstein x Zebu cows grazing elephantgrass pasture rotationally managed. The experiment was conducted during the rainy season using 18 crossbred cows averaging 30 days of lactation and 488 kg of average live weight. The cows were allocated to experimental treatments according to a completely […]

The objectives of this trial were to study the effect of supplementation with concentrate on elephant grass pasture rotationally managed on milk yield and composition and live weight changes of crossbred Holstein x Zebu cows. The treatments were: no concentrate (NC) and 2 kg concentrate/cow/day (WC). The experiment was carried out during the rainy season. The area was divided in 44 paddocks of 606 m2 each, with 22 for each treatment, with two areas replication of 11 paddocks each. Twelve […]