Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield, nutritional value and potential ruminal degradation of Tifton 85 hay (Cynodon spp.) harvested at four regrowth ages (28, 35, 42 and 49 days) and fertilized with two nitrogen doses (N; 100 and 300 kg N ha-1). The experimental design was a randomized block design, arranged in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, with six replications each. Nitrogen fertilization increased (p < 0.05) dry matter yield and digestible dry matter production of hay and also lignin and crude protein contents. Nitrogen fertilization increased (p < 0.01) the dry matter yield and the digestible dry matter production of hay, as well as lignin (p = 0.01) and crude protein (p = 0.01). The neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (p = 0.01), acid detergent fiber (p = 0.01) and cellulose (p = 0.02) adjusted to the quadratic function regression model of the regrowth ages. For potential rumen degradability hay, it was observed quadratic effect (p = 0.01) with maximum value of 73.1% at 37 days of regrowth. Tifton 85 hay fertilized with 300 kg ha -1 of N and harvested up to 37 days of regrowth results in higher hay dry matter yield, higher crude protein content, and better dry matter rumen degradability.
Highlights
The seasonality in forage production is characterized by instability in production and in the roughage nutritive value, which are caused by climate changes throughout the year (Oliveira et al, 2016)
A linear reduction was observed for dry matter production of hay (DMP) (p < 0.01) and DMPD (p < 0.01) of hay with the advancement of regrowth ages (Table 1)
This was due to the lower number of cut (4 cuts) at the ages of 42 and 49 days in relation to the others, and due to the DM content that did not differ within the ages (p = 0.40) nor within the doses of N (p = 0.56)
Summary
The seasonality in forage production is characterized by instability in production and in the roughage nutritive value, which are caused by climate changes throughout the year (Oliveira et al, 2016). In semi-arid regions, besides the low rainfall associated with its irregular distribution, high temperatures and prolonged periods of summer are factors that contribute to oscillations in the production and supply of roughage for animal feed throughout the year. Maximizing forage production strategically in the rainy season is important for storing food and maintaining pasture longevity throughout the year (Monção et al, 2016). The forages with high productive potential and nutritional value, such as those of the genus Cynodon, can be used for hay production Tifton 85), mainly due to its morphological and structural characteristics favorable to rapid dehydration such as thin stems and high leaf/stem ratio (Sanches et al, 2016; Taffarel et al, 2014)
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