Uso de fertilizantes en potreros de zacate jaragua (Hyparrhenia rufa (Nees) Stapf), en Panamá

Abstract

Practically all the cattle grown in Panamá is raised on pastures, especially on the grasses jaragua (Hyparthenia rufa), pará (Panicum purpurascens) or indiana, also known as guinea (Panicum maximum) Since in some areas of the country the availability of land for pasture is limited, it will be of interest to study the means of improving the existing pasture. With this purpose in mind, are experimental trial was conducted dwing the winter of 1956 in order to compare several levels of fertilization of javagna grass on growing dairy beifers as to the effect on growth.

In this trial, 6 jaragua grass plots of one hectarea each were fertilized with the following levels of a 10-30-10 mixture. 0, 200, 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 pounds per bectarea These plots were grazed with growing dairy heifers periodically from May 25 to October 5, 1956. Iotal animal gains for the plots were as follows: 165, 295, 305, 300, 545 and 740 pounds, respectively. Estimated dry matter yields were 17.910, 21 714, 23 360, 29.823, 26.743 and 30 472 pounds, and estimated total protein 1.182, 1.200, 1.616, 2 137, 2.338, and 2840 pounds per hectarea respectively, for the six plots The plots were sampled and the grass analyzed chemically at periodic intervals.

On the average, the five fertilized plots produced 9.682 pounds more dry matter, and 1.324 pounds more total protein when they were clipped and grazed, as compared to plots in which the growth accumulated for six months, without either grazing or clipping Benefits of fertilization were evident in the analysis of the diy jaragna grass, after a period of one year.