EVALUATION OF THE BEST CUTTING AGE FOR HAYMAKING OF ANDROPOGON GRASS (Andropogon gayanus var. biquamulatus cv. Planaltina): VOLUNTARY INTAKE, APPARENT DIGESTIBILITY NUTRITIVE VALUE INDEX AND NITROGEN BALANCE

Abstract

The present work was carried out at the Veterinary School of the Universidade Federal de Goiás - GO, Brazil, from May to June 1986, to determine the voluntary intake, the apparent digestibility, the nutritive value index and the nitrogen balance using Andropogon hay (Andropogon gayanus var. biquamulatus cv. Planaltina) with 40, 54 e 68 days of regrowth. Fifteen castrated males (without defined breed) were used in a completely randomized block design with five replications. It was used the total feces collection method. The data obtained in the conditions of this work allowed to conclude that Andropogon hay making is viable when the plants were cut with 40, 54 and 68 days of regrowth, with a good nutritive value and that the occurrence of rain during the final phase of the dehydration reduced the hay quality when the plants were cut with 54 days of regrowth.