ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of wilting times and application of an enzymatic-bacterial inoculant on the fermentative profile and nutritional characteristics of BRS capiaçu grass silage in a semi-arid region. Four wilting times treatments (control, 6, 24, and 30 h), with or without the addition of an enzymatic-bacterial inoculant, were analyzed as a split-plot completely randomized design with eight replications. Parameters of the rumen degradability test were analyzed using a split-plot completely randomized block […]

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the milk fatty acid (FA) composition of unsupplemented dairy cows grazing on elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. cv. Pioneiro) pastures under three grazing management strategies: pre-grazing height of 120 cm with defoliation intensities of 50 and 70% of the initial height (treatments 120/50 and 120/70) and pre-grazing height of 90 cm with defoliation intensity of 70% (treatment 90/70). Treatments were repeated three times in a complete randomized block design. Tester animals were six multiparous Holsteins […]

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the effect of three stocking rates (2, 3.9, and 5.8 animal units ha−1) and three fertilization levels (0, 150, and 300 kg N ha−1 yr−1) on herbage mass and nutritive value of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) cv. IRI-381. The experiment was conducted from May to August of 2009 and 2010 in Itambé, PE, Brazil, during the rainy season. Treatments were allocated in a split-plot arrangement in a completely randomized block design. The variables measured […]

The objective was to evaluate elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) pastures, under the agroecological and conventional systems, as forage mass and stocking rate. In the agroecological system, the elephant grass was established in rows spaced by 3.0 m from each other. During the cool season ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) was established between these rows, which allowed the development of spontaneous growth species during the warm season. In the conventional system the elephant grass was established singularly in rows spaced 1.4 […]

We assessed the accumulation dynamics of forage and its components in Elephant grass cv. Napier (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) that were subjected to three post-grazing height treatments (30, 50, and 70 cm) from February through May 2009 (experiment one) and December 2009 through May 2010 (experiment two). In experiment one, the grazing events started when the light interception by the canopy reached 95%. The same was adopted for experiment two, except for the first grazing event, which was based on the […]

This study was conducted to evaluate the daily production of forage and its morphological components, as well as the potential of forage utilization in pastures of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Napier managed with three post-grazing heights (30, 50 and 70 cm). Two experiments were carried out: one from February to May 2009 and another from December 2009 to May 2010, characterizing months of summer and fall. The experimental design was of completely randomized blocks with three replicates. The grazing was performed […]

The objective of this research was to estimate three pasture-based systems mixed with elephantgrass + spontaneous growth species, annual ryegrass, for pasture-based system 1; elephantgrass + spontaneous growth species + forage peanut, for pasture-based system 2; and elephantgrass + spontaneous growth species + annual ryegrass + red clover, for pasture-based system 3. Elephantgrass was planted in rows 4 m apart from each other. During the cool-season, annual ryegrass was sown in the alleys between the rows of elephantgrass; forage peanut […]

The objective of this research was to evaluate elephantgrass pasture on forage production and stocking rate, comparing conventional and agro-ecological production systems. In the conventional system, elephantgrass was established in a singular form, in rows spaced by 1.4 m. In the agro-ecological system, the elephantgrass was established spaced by 3 m and, in the space between lines, ryegrass in cool season was introduced, allowing the development of spontaneous growing species in the warm-season. Herbage mass, forage production, daily accumulation rate […]

The aim of this study was to evaluate during the dry and rainy seasons the morphogenesis traits of two clones of dwarf elephant grass under different management strategies. The study was conducted in a factorial 2 × 2 × 3 design, using two clones, one green and one purple, two residual heights, 25 and 45 cm, and three frequencies of defoliation according to the light interception of 90, 95 and 100%. The design was a randomized block with three replications. […]

The objective of this research was to evaluate variability and heritability of quantitative traits related to forage quality of 32 clones of elephant grass (three local controls, from Zona da Mata de Pernambuco, and the remaining from RENACE/CNPGL). A complete randomized design was used with additional controls and analyses of variance was applied by using the procedure of families with controls between rows. Evaluation was performed during the dry period, at 60 days of growth. It was observed significant differences […]