Fresh and artificially dried forages ruminal degradability. I. Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) and colonião grass (Panicum maximum Jack) degradabilities through "in situ" dacron bags in rumen fistulated steers

Abstract

Ruminal degradability rates for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and crude fiber (CF) of Panicum maximum and Pennisetum purpureum, grasses, both fresh and artificially dried, were fixed by nylon bags “ in situ” technique. Eight crossbred male rumen fistulated steers were used in a “changover” design 4 x 4, to test the following treatments: A) Napier grass; B) Napier grass, dried; C) Colonião grass; D) Colonião grass, dried. Results were statistically similar and with 48 h of incubation time were the following ones: DM = 42.5%, 45.9%; 52.7%; 50.7% CP = 37.9%; 53.0%; 49.7%; 46.9% CF = 32.2%; 39.7%; 40.0%; 45.2% for A, B, C and D treatments respectively.