Production and chemical composition of Marandu grass in different periods of stockpiled and utilization

• Main Authors: Conrado Timbó Rodrigues Júnior, Maria Socorro de Souza Carneiro, João Avelar Magalhães, Elzânia Sales Pereira, Braz Henrique Nunes Rodrigues, Newton de Lucena Costa, Maria do Socorro de Caldas Pinto, Alex Carvalho Andrade, Andréa Pereira Pinto, Fabíola Helena dos Santos Fogaça, Karina Neoob de Carvalho Castro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Londrina 2015-07-01
• Series: Semina: Ciências Agrárias
• Subjects: Acid detergent fiber; Ash; Crude protein; Ether extract; Neutral detergent fiber
• Online Access: http://www.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/semagrarias/editor/submission/16407
• ISSN: 1676-546X; 1679-0359

The effect of the stockpiled period on the production and chemical composition of the forage of Marandu grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu), during the dry season, was evaluated in an experiment conducted in Parnaiba, Piauí. The experimental design was a randomized block design in a factorial 3 x 4, three times stockpiled (March 23, April 19 and May 17) and four utilization times (July 12, August 9, September 6 and October 4) with three replications. The stockpiled in March or April, with pasture utilization in July to October provides greater production of green dry matter, however, the use of stockpiled in May and in July showed better relationship a live material/dead material. The forage with higher leaf/stem ratio, crude protein and ash, and lower levels of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber were verified with pasture utilization in the months of July and August, regardless of the stockpiled time. Seeking to reconcile yield and chemical composition of the Marandu grass is recommended stockpiled in April or May for pasture use in July or August.