The objective of this work was to determine the impact of cutting Tifton-85 grass at 14, 28, 42, 46, 70, and 80 days of regrowth on its production and nutritional characteristics during the rainy season. The study area of 238 m2 was divided into four sub-area, with 6 plots of 2 × 2 m spaced 1 m between plots and 2 m between sub-area. Random block design was used. The statistical analyses were performed following a randomized block design. Results were obtained as means from evaluations conducted in two consecutive years. The neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) increased as the cutting age increased. However, crude protein, NDF nitrogen, ADF nitrogen and leaves/stem relationship decreased as the cutting age increased. The production of digestible dry matter increased linearly as the cutting age increased. Similarly, grass height, green matter and dry matter production (DMP) increased as the cutting age increased. The different cutting age did not influence the nitrogen A, B1 + B2, and B3 fractions of the grass. However, the C fraction increased as the cutting age increased. Longer intervals between cuts increased the grass productivity per cut, but compromised its nutritional composition and leaves/stem relationship. For Tifton -85, the regrowth age of 28 days allows greater production of dry matter and greater accumulated production of crude protein and digestive dry matter in the rainy season or over time.
The Tifton 85 grass offers high yield and nutritional value. It is demanding in soil fertility and highly responsive to fertilization. However, the response to fertilization can be affected by the source, dose, and installment of fertilizers, as well as environmental conditions. Evaluations of the joint application of chemical and organic fertilizers are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of chemical and organic fertilization on agronomic characteristics, mineral use efficiencies, and bromatological composition of Tifton 85 grass, and determine fertilization strategies to optimize the yield and nutritional value of Tifton 85 grass. The findings were influenced by grass cuttings. The highest values for height and accumulated dry matter productivity were obtained with the highest fertilizer doses. The leaf/stem ratio was not affected by fertilization. The highest mineral use efficiencies were obtained with 200 and 400 kg of N/ha/year of NPK 20-00-20 formulation and up to 10 t/ha/year of poultry litter (PL), and these values decreased when applying high PL doses. The crude protein content increased, while the contents of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber decreased. The protein fractions and in vitro dry matter digestibility were not affected by fertilization. The potassium content increased with high fertilizer doses. Applying 350 to 400 kg of N/ha/year of NPK 20-00-20 formulation and 25 to 30 t/ha/year of PL promoted the highest accumulated dry matter productivity. Applying 200 to 400 kg of N/ha/year of NPK 20-00-20 formulation and 10/ha/year of PL is recommended for optimizing mineral use efficiencies. As for bromatological composition, increasing the doses of both fertilizers was beneficial in reducing fiber contents, but only organic fertilization increased crude protein content.
This study aimed to determine whether using inoculants and re‐ensiling in sorghum silages affect the intake and feeding behaviour, apparent digestibility, digestible energy, and nitrogen balance of sheep in maintenance. Half the sorghum was inoculated on the day of harvest, and the other half received the same inoculation volume but with water. Sorghum was ensiled in 100 experimental metal drum silos of 200 L covered with plastic: 50 silos with inoculants and 50 without them. After 56 days, 25 drums with inoculants and 25 without were exposed to air for 48 h. The other silos remained closed. The treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme with inoculation and re‐ensiling. The sheep received the silages after 211 days of ensiling and 155 days of re‐ensiling to determine the intake, apparent digestibility, and feeding behaviour of animals. The experimental design was a simultaneous double 4 × 4 Latin square. The re‐ensiling process increased silage pH, N‐NH3.TN−1, butyric acid, and propionic acid. The inoculant increased propionic acid in ensiled and re‐ensiled silages. Lactic acid concentration presented a statistical interaction with the inoculated and ensiled silage, 58% higher than the other treatment averages. The ADFap digestibility showed a complex interaction, in which the control ensiled and the inoculated and re‐ensiled silages were about 35% lower than the inoculated ensiled silage. The Nbal:Nint ratio (g.g−1) in the inoculated and re‐ensiled silage had lower nitrogen retention than intake compared with the other treatments. These results indicate that exposing inoculated silages to air does not compromise their use in sheep feeding.
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