Productive characteristics and chemical-bromatological composition of elephant grass submitted to chemical and organic fertilization

Abstract

The objectives of this work were to study the effect of chemical and organic fertilization on the forage dry matter chemical composition characteristics of elephant grass and to estimate the total net energy of forage and the total digestible nutrients. Two elephant grass stocking piles were formed and two fertilization systems were used. Soil and plant evaluations (chemical and physical analysis) were performed at field. Was carried out in a completely block (six periods) randomized design and three replicates per forage (chemical and organic fertilization) per block. Data of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and ashes, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium were evaluated by F test, at 5% of probability. Based on the total digestible nutrients contents, the total net energy and total digestible nutrients of the elephant grass from the two fertilization systems were estimated. The elephant grass submitted to fertilization organic showed higher chemical composition values. In this forage, higher contents of crude protein (17.26%), ashes (26%) and phosphorus (36.88%) and smaller of neutral detergent fiber (3,96%) were observed in relation to the elephant grass submitted to fertilization chemical. The application of cattle manure in elephant grass improved the organic matter content in soil, to improve the chemical composition, and provide greater flexibility in the frequency of use of elephant grass fertilizers.