Abstract

LEDEA, J. L.; LA O, O; RAY, J. V  and  VAZQUEZ, Celia. In situ ruminal degradability of drought-tolerant C. purpureus varieties. Cuban J. Agric. Sci. [online]. 2018, vol.52, n.1, pp.25-34. ISSN 0864-0408.

A study was conducted to characterize the in situ ruminal degradability of the dry matter and organic matter of new drought-tolerant varieties of Cenchrus purpureus (CT-601, CT-603 and CT-605) at different regrowth ages (60, 80, 100 and 120 days), cultivated in a dry and degraded ecosystem by the intense drought, characteristic of Valle del Cauto, Granma, Cuba. Two Creole cows of 450 ± 10 kg of live weight cannulated in rumen were used. The bags were introduced in the rumen during 0, 4, 6, 8,12, 24, 48 and 72 hours. The parameters of the dry matter degradability showed that, for the age of 60, 80 and 120 days, the highest values corresponded to the variety CT-603 and at 80 and 100 days the organic matter degradability for this same variety. The CT-601, at 100 d of regrowth, showed the highest values of dry matter degradation. For the organic matter degradation at 120 d, low values in all parameters were observed. The degradation percentages were higher than 50 % for dry matter, and for organic matter they were close to this value. The In situ ruminal degradability of the dry matter and organic matter of the whole plant of the new varieties of Cenchrus purpureus maintains the ruminal fermentation pattern of tropical grasses.

Keywords : Cenchrus; degradation; dry matter; organic matter.

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