The effect of stage of regrowth on the physical composition and nutritive value of the various vertical strata of kikuyu (<i>Cenchrus clandestinus</i>) pastures

Autores/as

  • Marcelo A. Benvenutti Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland, Australia
  • Craig Findsen Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Gatton Campus, Lawes, QLD, Australia.
  • Jean V. Savian Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA), Treinta y Tres, Uruguay. Grupo de Pesquisa Ecologia do Pastejo, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
  • David G. Mayer Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Gatton Campus, Lawes, QLD, Australia.
  • David G. Barber Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Gatton Campus, Lawes, QLD, Australia.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17138/tgft(8)141-146
Resumen Autores/as Cómo citar

Resumen

A plot study was conducted at the Gatton Research Dairy, Queensland, Australia, to quantify the effects of 5 regrowth periods (9, 11, 14, 16 and 18 days) and 4 vertical strata on the composition and nutritive value of kikuyu (Cenchrus clandestinus) pastures using a block factorial design with 4 replicates. Pasture samples were analyzed for crude protein (CP), ethanol-soluble carbohydrates (ESC), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (aNDFom), in vitro indigestible neutral detergent fibre (iNDF240) and minerals. Metabolizable energy (ME) was then calculated from the concentrations of other nutrients. Regardless of the stage of regrowth, stems were located mainly in the bottom 1 or 2 strata, while leaves were present mainly in the top 2 or 3 strata. CP, ESC and ME declined, but aNDFom, ADF and iNDF240 increased with stage of regrowth and from top to bottom of the swards (P<0.05). While herbage quality variables were affected by both factors, vertical stratum had a much larger impact on quality than stage of regrowth. These results indicate that grazing management of kikuyu pastures should be based not only on stage of regrowth but also on level of defoliation, as both have strong impacts on the nutritive value of the consumed forage.

Biografía del autor/a

Marcelo A. Benvenutti, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland, Australia

Investigador en manejo del pastoreo

Cómo citar

Benvenutti, M. A., Findsen, C., Savian, J. V., Mayer, D. G., & Barber, D. G. (2020). The effect of stage of regrowth on the physical composition and nutritive value of the various vertical strata of kikuyu (<i>Cenchrus clandestinus</i>) pastures. Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales, 8(2), 141–146. https://doi.org/10.17138/tgft(8)141-146

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Publicado

2020-05-30

Número

Vol. 8 Núm. 2: May 2020

Sección

Notas técnicas