AVAILABILITY AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF TANZANIA GRASS, GRAZE BY GOATS

Abstract

The objective with this study was to evaluate the availability and chemical composition of Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania-1 grazed by goats. It was used a pasture area of 0.7 ha formed with tanzania grass divided into 10 paddocks. The grazing method used was in rotational stocking with fixed stocking rate and were evaluated three cycles of grazing. Each paddock was grazed from 9 to 17 h for 43 goats and 38 goats kids. Before and after grazing were made evaluations: sward height, total herbage dry matter mass (TDM), dead forage, green forager, green leaf laminas, green stem, live material/dead material and leaf/stem relations, forage density. Were determined crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL) and “in vitro” dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). We calculated herbage growth rate, stocking rate and forage allowance. The TDM showed values of 5.475 kilograms/ha and 2.932 kg/ha before and after grazing, respectively. The values of CP, NDF and IVDMD varied from 13.2 to 14.8%, 55.9 to 58.9%, 51.4 to 52.8%, respectively, before grazing. The structure and botanical composition of the pasture were influenced by grazing goats, especially in relation to height, proportion of leaf laminas and stems. The chemical composition of pasture were influenced by grazing goats, especially in relation to the percentage of crude protein, DIVDM, NDF, ADF and lignin.