Intake and digestibility of four subtropical pasture mixtures

Abstract

Low feeding value of native pastures limits livestock production in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Research in other areas of the tropics has shown that livestock production increases and varies less when animals graze improved pastures of introduced plant species. The nutritive value of pasture plants depends on voluntary intake and digestibility. Trials were conducted with sheep to evaluate intake and digestibility of four perennial subtropical grass-legume mixtures, composed of plants potentially useful for improving pastures in Rio Grande do Sul. Rhodesgrass (Chrolis gayana Kunth) or “Pangola” digitgrass; (Digitaria decumbens Stent) were grown each with desmodium (Desmodium intortum [Will] Urb) or “Siratro” (Macroptilium atropurpureum) (D.C) Urb) on an Oxisol near Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. Herbage for the intake and digestibility trials was obtained during a 4-month period of a cutting management study in the seeding year of the mixtures. Consequently, weed contents were higher and legume contents were lower in the mixture than they would have been later. Since this problem always exists during early establishment, the results indicated what could be expected with these mixtures in their seeding year.