Effects of pasture recuperation times on forage yield and chemical composition of Axonopus scoparius Fluggüe (Kuhlm.) pastures

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in Porto Velho, Rondônia, with the purpose of determining the best time for pasture recuperation and utilization of the forage accumulated of (Axonopus scoparius Fluggüe (Kuhlm.) for herd supplementation during dry season. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks (split-plot) with three replicates. The periods of recuperation began on February 28, March 28 and April 28 and constituted the main plots and, the utilization months (June 30, July 30, August 30 and September 30) the subplots. The data indicate the feasibility of differing grazing of the grass, during the rainy season, to provide forage for herd supplementation in the dry season. The higher dry matter (DM) yields were obtained with the pasture stockpiled in February, followed by March and utilizations in September or August. The grass, irrespective of differing dates, showed reductions (P<0.05) in crude protein (CP) contents and in vitro DM digestibility toward the later utilization time. The stockpiled in April and utilizations in June or July provided forage with higher CP concentrations. The highest coefficients of in vitro DM were registered with the stockpiled in April and utilization in June. In order to obtain greater forage yields with better quality, it is suggested that recuperation begin in March for pasture utilization in June or July, and in April for pasture utilization in August or September.