Abstract
This study evaluated the nutritional characteristics of Brachiaria brizantha cultivars subjected to three cutting intensities in the course of one year. The experiment was conducted at the University of Rio Verde. The experiment was performed as a randomized 3 × 3 factorial in complete block design with three replications and repeated measures in the time. Three Brachiaria brizantha cultivars (Marandu palisadegrass, Xaraes palisadegrass, and Piata palisadegrass), were tested at three cutting intensities (10, 20, and 30 cm sward height). The evaluations were conducted on the same plots throughout one year and during all four seasons (autumn, winter, spring, and summer). The results showed that the Piata palisadegrass had the best chemical composition compared to the Marandu palisadegrass and Xaraes palisadegrass. The management of Brachiaria brizantha cultivars at the lowest residual height (10 cm) affected the nutritional value of these feed grasses. Seasonality also influenced the nutritional value of these forages.
Highlights
Pasture production capacity is intrinsically related to prevailing environmental conditions and management practices
The contents of crude protein (CP), total digestible nutrient (TDN) neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose of the Brachiaria brizantha were influenced by the cutting intensity, season, and by the interaction of these factors
The Marandu palisadegrass and the Xaraes palisadegrass had similar contents (Table 1). This result was due to the greater leaf: stem ratio in the Piata palisadegrass [8] had evaluated three Brachiaria brizantha cultivars for a three-year period with animal production and found similar CP contents (8.8%, 8.3%, and 9.1%) for the three cultivars (Marandu palisadegrass, Piata palisadegrass, and Xaraes palisadegrass, respectively)
Summary
Pasture production capacity is intrinsically related to prevailing environmental conditions and management practices. Factors, such as temperature, light, water, and nutrients determine the photosynthetic potential of a. New cultivars are appearing every day, which are aimed towards sustainable production systems with high productivity to plant and animal given the morphological and structural limits of pastures. These cultivars are developed to meet the requirements of different production systems and promote greater forage grass diversification to meet livestock’s grazing demands [3]. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of Brachiaria brizantha cultivars subjected to three cutting intensities throughout one year
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