Daily intake of lactating crossbred cows grazing elephant grass rotationally

The goal of this trial was to estimate the total dry matter (TDMI) and daily pasture dry matter intakes (PDMI) by lactating crossbred Holstein - Zebu cows grazing elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) paddocks submitted to different rest periods. Three groups of 24 cows were used during two years. The paddocks were grazed during three days at the stocking rate of 4.5 cows/ha. Treatments consisted of resting periods of 30 days without concentrate and resting periods of 30, 37.5 and 45 days with 2 kg/cow/day of 20.6% crude protein concentrate. From July to October, pasture was supplemented with chopped sugarcane plus 1% urea. Total daily dry matter intake was estimated using the extrusa in vitro dry matter digestibility and the fecal output with chromium oxide. Regardless of the treatment the estimated average TDMI was 2.7, 2.9 and 2.9±0.03% and the mean PDMI was 1.9, 2.1 and 2.1±0.03% of body weight in the first, second and third grazing day, respectively (P<0.05). Only during the summer pasture quality was the same whichever the grazing day. Sugarcane effectively replaced grazing pasture, mainly in the first day when pasture dry matter intake was lowest.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Aroeira,Luiz Januário Magalhães, Lopes,Fernando César Ferraz, Soares,João Paulo Guimarães, Deresz,Fermino, Verneque,Rui da Silva, Arcuri,Pedro Braga, Matos,Leovegildo Lopes de
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Embrapa Secretaria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento 2001
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-204X2001000600009
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