Structure and nutritive value of Coastcross -1 and “Arachis pintoi” mixed pasture, with or without nitrogen fertilization

Abstract

This trial was carried out to evaluate the production and quality of leaf blade (LB), sheath + green stem (SGS), dead material (DE) forage structural constituents of Coastcross and Arachis pintoi whole plant (WPA) mixed pasture, under grazing, during February 2003 and June 2004. The treatments CA0 = Coastcross + Arachis without N; CA100 = Coastcross + Arachis with 100 kg of N; CA200 = Coastcross + Arachis with 200 kg of N and C200 = Coastcross with 200 kg of N were distributed in a randomly block design, with two replicates. Pasture management was done through continuous grazing with variable stocking rate. Analyses of crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and dry matter in vitro digestibility (DMIVD) were done to LB, SGS, and WPA. The production of structural constituents varied in agreement with total mass and forage. Coastcross SGS contributed for forage production, and the quality characteristics are acceptable for animal production. Treatments that received nitrogen presented the highest CP values, and similar NDF and DMIVD to treatments without nitrogen.