This trial was conducted with the objective of evaluating the nutritive value of three tropical forage species: tanzania grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.), marandu grass (Brachiaria brizantha) and Tifton 85 bermudagrass (Cynodon spp) in two different periods of the year (January-March and April-June) and in three cutting ages (28, 35 and 42 days), based on the chemical composition, protein and carbohydrate fractions, and in vitro digestibility of dry matter (DMD) and organic matter (OMD). Marandu grass, in the period January-March, had […]

Fermentation kinetics and degradation rates of three tropical forage species (Tanzania grass, Marandu grass and Tifton 85 grass) were evaluated by the in vitro gas production technique. The forages were harvested at 28, 35 and 42 days of regrowth during two periods, January-March and April-June. In the January-March period, Marandu grass presented the greatest values of fraction A, potential degradability (PD) and effective degradability for a passage rate of 2 %/hour (ED2). In the April-June period, Marandu and Tanzania grasses […]

Yields of B. decumbens cultivar Basilisk and B. brizantha cultivars Marandu and Xaraés were evaluated under different shade levels. A completely randomized block split plot design was used, with the shade levels as plots (0, 50, 70%), and the species and cultivars as split-plots. Seeds were germinated on trays and three seedlings were transplanted to each pot. Four harvests were made on each split-plot. Prior to each harvest, plant height, number of live tiller per pot and the leaf area […]