Tropical Animal Health and Production

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-019-02012-y

REGULAR ARTICLES

Productivity and nutritional value of BRS capiaçu grass (Pennisetum

purpureum) managed at four regrowth ages in a semiarid region
Flávio Pinto Monção 1 & Marco Aurélio Morais Soares Costa 1 & João Paulo Sampaio Rigueira 1 &
Eleuza Clarete Junqueira de Sales 1 & Dijair Barbosa Leal 1 & Marcos Felipe Pereira da Silva 1 & Virgílio Mesquita Gomes 1 &
Julieta Maria Alencar Chamone 1 & Dorismar David Alves 1 & Cinara da Cunha Siqueira Carvalho 1 &
José Eduardo Jardim Murta 1 & Vicente Ribeiro Rocha Júnior 1

Received: 15 February 2019 / Accepted: 8 July 2019

# Springer Nature B.V. 2019

Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the productivity, productive efficiency, and nutritional value of the elephant grass
cultivar BRS capiaçu (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), managed at four regrowth ages during winter in the semiarid region of
northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. A completely randomized design with the elephant grass cultivar BRS capiaçu was submitted to
four cut intervals (30, 60, 90, and 120 days) in the winter with ten replications, for a total of 40 plots, each with a useful area of
6 × 5 m. There was a linear increase of 76.25% (P < 0.01) in the height of BRS capiaçu grass when cut from 30 to 120 days. Green
matter production (P < 0.01) and dry matter production (P < 0.01) increased daily by 1081 kg/ha and 237 kg/ha, respectively. The
annual dry matter production was 72 t/ha. Efficiency in water use changed (P < 0.01) from 7.91 kg of dry matter (DM)/mm at
30 days to 57.59 kg of DM/mm at 120 days of regrowth. There was a reduction in the ash content (P < 0.01), crude protein
(P < 0.01), and the total digestible nutrient content (P < 0.01) with the increase in the age of the cut. The readily soluble fraction of
DM (fraction A, P < 0.01), degradation rate “c” of insoluble fraction “B” (P = 0.01), potential degradability (PD; P < 0.01), and
degradability (ED; P < 0.01) decreased linearly as the regrowth age increased. Harvesting is recommended at 90 days of regrowth
during the winter season in this semiarid region.

Keywords Degradation rate . Dry matter . Efficiency . Production . Ruminal degradability

Introduction since solar radiation and temperature do not change substantially

The production of ruminants in Brazil is based on the use of
forage plants as the main source of nutrients for these animals
(Sampaio et al. 2017; Santana et al. 2019). However, due to
variations in edaphoclimatic conditions throughout the year, for-
age production is not constant. During the winter in Central
Brazil, forages limit their growth mainly due to low light intensity
and temperature. However, in the semiarid region of northern
Minas Gerais, the main limiting factor of growth is the lack of
soil moisture that compromises the accumulation of forage mass
* Flávio Pinto Monção
moncaomoncao@yahoo.com.br
1 dry mass per ha per year, which is 33% higher than the yield of
Department of Animal Science and Technology, State University of
Montes Claros, Avenue Reinaldo Viana, 2630, Janaúba, Minas
Gerais, Brazil
in the winter season (Alvalá et al. 2019). Therefore, the use of
techniques such as irrigation associated with forage with high
productive potential can be an alternative to improve the supply
of roughage for the animals in these regions.
Among the productive tropical forages are those of the
species Pennisetum purpureum (elephant grass) because of
its high productivity in terms of mass per unit area and good
nutritional value (Pereira et al. 2017; Mapato and Wanapat
2018). The elephant grass BRS capiaçu, recently launched
by Embrapa Gado de Leite, has greater potential for mass
production in relation to other cultivars of the species
(Pereira et al. 2017) and is therefore potential forage for irri-
gated semiarid regions whose water availability is limited. In
regions with tropical climates, Pereira et al. (2017) found that
the annual production of BRS capiaçu grass reached 49.9 t of
the best cultivars of Pennisetum purpureum (Camerron and
Mineiro; mean of 33.3 t/ha/year). The production and

accumulation of mass and nutritional value of tropical forages
vary with the age of regrowth. In comparison with less fre-
quent cuts, forage harvested with frequent cuts has lower pro-
ductivity and better nutritional value (Velásquez et al. 2010;
Pereira et al. 2017). According to Zailan et al. (2016), the best
age/height or cut frequency varies from region to region, as
well as with different climatic seasons, and it is necessary to
establish the best cut interval for each grass, even though it is
necessary to balance the amount of forage produced and nu-
tritional quality. Therefore, predicting productivity and nutri-
tional value in different cut intervals is necessary for determin-
ing the best age or height for cutting, either for in natura
supply to the animals or silage production.
Based on the above, the objective was to evaluate the pro-
ductivity, productive efficiency, and nutritional value of BRS
capiaçu grass managed at four regrowth ages during winter in
the semiarid region.
Materials and methods
The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm of
UNIMONTES, in the municipality of Janaúba, Minas Gerais,
during the period from 01 June 2018 to 30 September 2018.
The municipality of Janaúba is located in the northern region
of Minas Gerais (geographical coordinates, 15° 52′ 38″ S, 43°
20′ 05″ W). The climate of the region, according to the clas-
sification of Reboita et al. (2015), is the Aw type with summer
rains and dry periods well defined in winter. The average
annual rainfall is 876 mm, with an annual average temperature
of 24 °C. The climate is tropical mesothermal, almost
megahermic, due to its altitude and it being subhumid and
semiarid, with irregular rains, causing long periods of drought.
The climatic data from the experimental period are shown in
Fig. 1. During the experimental period, the mean rainfall and
relative air humidity were 0.01 mm and 49.5%, respectively.
The experiment was carried out in a flat area (93 m × 10 m)
with BRS capiaçu grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) that
Temperature Maximum
Temperature Average
32.00
30.00
Degrees centigrade, °C
28.00
26.00
24.00
22.00
20.00
18.00
16.00
14.00
12.00
10.00
June July August September
Months
Fig. 1 Climatic data during the experimental period. Source: National
Institute of Meteorology (INMET 2019)
Trop Anim Health Prod
was established in 2016 on dystrophic red-yellow soil with a clay
texture with the following chemical characteristics: pH in CaCl2,
4.3; P (Mehlich), 3.0 mg/dm3; K (Mehlich), 1.5 mmolc/dm3;
Ca2+ (KCl 1 mol/L), 10 mmolc/dm3; Mg2+ (KCl 1 mol/L),
4.0 mmolc/dm3; Al3+ (KCl 1 mol/L), 5.0 mmolc/dm3; H + Al
(calcium acetate 0.5 mol/L), 24 mmolc/dm3; base sum,
15.5 mmolc/dm3; cation exchange capacity, 39.5 mmolc/dm3;
and base saturation (V), 39%. On 31 May 2018, 2 t/ha of cattle
manure was applied whose physicochemical composition was as
follows: pH, 8.4; humidity, 21.7% of natural matter; organic
matter, 48.8% of dry matter (DM); organic carbon, 28.3% of
DM; nitrogen (N), 1.1%; phosphorus (P2O5), 1.3%; potassium
(K2O), 3.4%; calcium oxide (CaO), 2.8%; magnesium oxide
(MgO), 1.1%; sulfur sulfate (SO4), 0.2%; copper (Cu),
0.01 mg/kg; iron (Fe), 1.28 mg/kg; manganese, 0.08 mg/kg;
and zinc, 0.02 mg/kg. After correction of the soil, it presented
the following chemical characteristics: pH in CaCl2, 6.3; P
(Mehlich), 21.2 mg/dm3; K (Mehlich), 110 mg dm−3; Na
(Mehlich), 0.3 cmolc dm−3; Ca2+, 3.9 cmolc dm−3; Mg2+,
1.1 cmolc dm−3; Al3+, 0.0 cmolc dm−3; H + A1 (calcium acetate
0.5 mol L−1), 1.2 cmolc dm−3; sum of bases 5.5 cmolc dm−3;
cation exchange capacity, 6.7 cmolc dm−3; and base saturation
(V), 82%.
A completely randomized design with the elephant grass
cultivar BRS capiaçu (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) was
submitted to four cut intervals (30, 60, 90, and 120 days) in
winter with ten replications, for a total of 40 plots, each with a
useful area of 6 × 5 m. The regrowth ages were chosen be-
cause of the high growth of BRS capiaçu grass, as shown in
previous studies by Pereira et al. (2017).
The planting of BRS capiaçu grass (BRS Brazil seeds,
EMBRAPA, Campo Grande, Brazil) in spaced lines of 1.3 m
was carried out using seedlings from Embrapa Gado de Leite in
2016. On day 0, the plots were cut; the material was carried
manually, close to the ground, for uniformity; and 50 kg/ha
NPK (04-30-10) was applied. After each subsequent cut,
50 kg/ha NPK (20-00-20) was applied. A micro sprinkler irriga-
tion system (NETAFIM, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; flow rate
of 300 L/h) with a 12 hp pump was used to provide an irrigation
Temperature Minimum
Radiation level of a 24 mm water depth per week (adapted from Mota et al.
1600 2010). The height of the plants was measured at 3 points per plot
1450
using a scale, graduated in centimeters, at the time of harvest at
each age, measuring the soil until insertion of the leaf blade of the
1300
last leaf of the plants.
1150
kJ/m²
After each pre-established regrowth age, a 1-m metal frame
1000
was used to manually collect the forage samples, close to the
850
soil, and to estimate the green matter production (GMP) by
700
area. The GMP was estimated based on the number and spac-
550
ing of the lines. The samples were predried in a forced venti-
400
October lation oven at 55 °C until they reached a constant weight. Dry
matter production (DMP) was estimated on the basis of the
GMP multiplied by predry matter content at each age of re-
growth. For the quantification of the annual production of
Trop Anim Health Prod
BRS capiaçu in the semiarid region of northern Minas Gerais,
Brazil, the summer/autumn data were considered according to
Monção et al. (2019). The water use efficiency (WUE) was
estimated by dividing the DMP by the volume (millimeters
(mm)) accumulated at each regrowth age minus evapotranspira-
tion (Mota et al. 2010). The nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE)
was quantified by dividing the WMD at each cutting age by the
amount of N applied.
The predried forage was then analyzed for the contents of dry
matter (DM, 934.01), crude ash (942.05), ether extract (EE,
920.39), and crude protein (CP, 978.04) as described by the
AOAC (1990). Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent
fiber (ADF) were determined by the sequential method accord-
ing to procedures described by Robertson and Van Soest (1981)
using a TECNAL® TE-149 fiber determiner (Piracicaba, SP,
Brazil). Cellulose was solubilized in 72% sulfuric acid, and the
lignin content was obtained from the resulting difference in
weight (Goering and Van Soest 1970). Fraction A of the crude
protein was estimated according to Detmann et al. (2012) and
Licitra et al. (1996). Total carbohydrates (TC) was obtained by
the following formula: TC = 100 − (%CP + %ash + %EE)
according to the methodology described by Sniffen et al.
(1992). The total digestible nutrients was estimated according
to the NRC (2001).
To evaluate the ruminal degradation kinetics, six crossbred
cannulated steers with a mean weight of 500 ± 70 kg were used.
The animals received 3.0 kg of concentrate in two equal portions
in the morning and afternoon as well as diets based on elephant
grass BRS capiaçu. The in situ degradability technique was per-
formed using 7.5 × 15-cm non-woven fabric bags (TNT, weight
100) with an approximate porosity of 60 μm, according to Casali
et al. (2009); the number of samples was determined from the
ratio of 20 mg of DM cm−2 of bag surface area (Nocek 1988).
The bags were placed in 20 × 30-cm fillet bags along with
100-g lead weights. The fillet bags were tied with a nylon thread,
leaving a length of 1 m so that the bags could move freely in the
solid and liquid phases of the rumen. The fillet bags were then
deposited in the ventral sac region of the rumen with the end of
the nylon thread remaining attached to the cannula for 0, 6, 12,
24, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 144 h in reverse order, i.e., starting with
the duration of 144 h. The bags related to time zero were not
incubated in the rumen, but were washed in running water, sim-
ilar to incubated bags. Afterwards, all samples were collected and
washed in ice water to stop the ruminal fermentation.
The residues remaining in the TNT following collection from
the rumen was analyzed for DM contents and NDF. The percent
degradation was calculated by the proportion of food remaining
in the bags after ruminal incubation. The obtained data was ad-
justed to a non-linear regression by the Gauss-Newton method
(Neter et al. 1985) using the NLIN procedure of SAS (SAS
Institute Inc., Cary, NC), according to the equation proposed by
Ørskov and Mcdonald (1979): Y = a + b (1 − e−ct), where Y is the
cumulative degradation of the nutritional component analyzed
after time t; a is the degradation curve intercept when t = 0, which
corresponds to the water-soluble fraction of the analyzed nutrient
component; b is the degradation potential of the water-insoluble
fraction of the analyzed nutrient component; a + b is the degra-
dation of the analyzed nutritional component when time is not a
limiting factor; c is the rate of degradation per fermentative action
of b; and t is the incubation time. Once calculated, the coefficients
a, b, and c were applied to the equation proposed by Ørskov and
McDonald (1979): ED = a + (bc/c + k), where ED is the effective
degradability of the nutritional component and k is the feed pas-
sage rate. The particle passage rate through the rumen was esti-
mated to be 5%/h, as suggested by AFRC (1993). The disappear-
ance value found at time zero (“a”) was used to estimate the
colonization time (CT) for DM and NDF, according to Goes
et al. (2017), where the parameters “a,” “b,” and “c” were eval-
uated by the Gaus-Newton algorithm: CT = [−ln (a’ – a − b)/c].
The data on the chemical composition were submitted to an
analysis of variance, and regression analyses were performed
with Proc GLM procedure of SAS, version 9.4 (SAS Institute,
Cary, NC, USA), at a 5% probability, according to the model:
Yij = μ + Ti + ɛij, where Yij is the observation of the effect of
treatment i in the repeat j; μ is the general mean; Ti is the effect
of treatment i applied to the plot, with i = 1, 2 , 3, and 4; and
ɛijk is the random error associated with each observation.
For the variables of in situ degradability of the dry matter, a
randomized block design was used in a subdivided plot scheme,
with five regrowth ages (plots), nine incubation times (subplots),
and four blocks. The different weights of the animals were the
blocking factor. The data were submitted to an analysis of vari-
ance, and regression analyses were performed with Proc Mixed
procedure of SAS, version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC,
USA;SAS, 2008), at a 5% probability, according to the model:
Yijk = μ + τi + Time j + τi × Time j + ɛijk, in which Yijk is the
observation ijk; μ is the general mean; τi is the treatment fixed
effect applied to the plot, with i = 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; Time is the
fixed effect of incubation time j to subplot; the animal k is the
random effect; τi × Time j is the interaction effect of treatment i
and time j; and ɛijk is the random error with mean 0 and variance
σ2.
Comparisons between the ages of regrowth were conduct-
ed by the decomposition of the sum of squares in orthogonal
linear contrasts and quadratic effects at a 5% probability, with
subsequent adjustments of the regression equations.
Results
There was a linear increase of 76.25% (P < 0.01) in the height
of the BRS capiaçu grass when cut from 30 to 120 days. Green
matter production (GMP, P < 0.01) and dry matter production
(DMD, P < 0.01) increased daily by 1081 kg/ha and 237 kg/
ha, respectively, as the regrowth age increased (Tables 1 and
2). The annual DMP was 72 t/ha.
 Trop Anim Health Prod

The water use efficiency (WUE) changed (P < 0.01) from Table 2 Regression equations of the elephant grass BRS capiaçu
managed at different ages of regrowth in the winter
7.91 kg of dry matter (DM)/mm at 30 days of regrowth to
57.59 kg of DM/mm at 120 days of regrowth. The nitrogen Variables Regression equation R2
use efficiency (NUE) increased by 96.56% (P < 0.01) with the
age of regrowth. The DM content varied from 13.02% at Height Ŷ = 0.09 + 0.02X 0.99
30 days of regrowth to 21.16% at 120 days of regrowth, in- Green matter production Ŷ = − 33747 + 1081X 0.97
creasing by 0.08% per day. Dry matter production Ŷ = − 8298 + 237X 0.94
For each day that the regrowth age increased, there was a Efficiency of water use Ŷ = 10.46 + 0.55X 0.99
reduction of 0.065% in the ash content (P < 0.01), 0.09% in the Efficiency of nitrogen use Ŷ = − 96.49 + 2.74X 0.94
crude protein content (CP; P < 0.01) and 0.23% (P < 0.01) and Dry matter Ŷ = 10.84 + 0.085X 0.96
0.03% in the total digestible nutrient content (P < 0.01). The Ash Ŷ = 16.27 – 0.065X 0.95
content of neutral detergent fiber (NDF; P < 0.01), acid detergent Crude protein Ŷ = 17.50 – 0.09X 0.98
fiber (ADF; P < 0.01), lignin (P < 0.01) and total carbohydrate Fraction A Ŷ = 69.66 – 0.23X 0.70
(P < 0.01) increased linearly with the age of regrowth. Neutral detergent fiber Ŷ = 52.71 + 0.14X 0.91
The readily soluble fraction of DM (fraction A; P < 0.01), Acid detergent fiber Ŷ = 30.33 + 0.14X 0.95
degradation rate “c” of insoluble fraction “B” (P = 0.01), po- Lignin Ŷ = 0.72 + 0.04X 0.94
tential degradability (PD; P < 0.01) and effective degradability Total carbohydrates Ŷ = 65.05 + 0.16X 0.97
(ED; P < 0.01) of DM decreased linearly as the regrowth age Total digestible nutrients Ŷ = 46.86 – 0.03X 0.87
increased (Table 3). The means to colonization time (CT) of
X, age of regrowth; R2 , determination coefficient
forage by ruminal microorganisms was adjusted to the qua-
dratic regression model with the highest CT at 75 days of age. *Significant by the t test (P < 0.01)
For each day that the regrowth age increased, there was a
decrease of 0.15% in the “B” fraction of DM (P < 0.01). For The CT increased by (P < 0.01) 0.043 h per day with
ED, the daily reduction was on the order of 0.16%, 0.13%, and the increase in age of regrowth. In the pass rates of 2%,
0.11% in the pass rates of 2%, 5%, and 8%, respectively. 5%, and 8%, there was a linear reduction in ED per day
The “B” fraction standardized (P = 0.01) and the degrada- on the order of 0.13%, 0.09%, and 0.07%, respectively.
tion rate “c” of the “B” fraction (P < 0.01) and the NDF ED For the undegradable fraction (Ip), there was an increase
(P < 0.05) presented decreasing regression behavior as the age of 0.07% per day with the increase in the age of
of regrowth of the grass increased (Table 4). regrowth.

Table 1 Structure, production, efficiency, and nutritional value of BRS capiaçu grass at different ages of regrowth in winter in the semiarid region

Item Age of regrowth (days) P value

30 60 90 120 SEM Linear Quadratic

Height, m 0.52 0.98 1.59 2.19 0.07 < 0.01 0.32

GMP, kg/ha 5815 23954 60308 103077 4739 < 0.01 0.01
DMP, kg/ha 760 3999 10798 22115 1413 < 0.01 0.01
WUE, kg of DM/mm 7.91 20.83 37.49 57.59 3.82 < 0.01 0.36
NUE, kg of DM/kg of N 8.83 46.51 125.56 257.15 16.42 < 0.01 0.01
Dry matter, % 13.02 16.81 17.99 21.16 0.97 < 0.01 0.75
Ash, % 14.87 11.51 10.46 8.70 0.35 < 0.01 0.03
Crude protein, % 15.07 11.31 8.18 6.45 0.19 < 0.01 0.00
Fraction A, %TN 60.30 54.57 56.89 35.84 3.71 < 0.01 0.05
Neutral detergent fiber, % 55.33 63.18 66.43 68.41 0.80 < 0.01 < 0.01
Acid detergent fiber, % 34.01 38.86 44.99 46.22 1.00 < 0.01 0.08
Lignin, % 2.13 2.76 3.70 5.58 0.26 < 0.01 0.02
Total carbohydrates, % 68.89 76.01 80.19 83.68 0.40 < 0.01 < 0.01
Nonfibrous carbohydrates, % 13.56 12.83 13.76 15.27 0.81 0.11 0.18
Total digestible nutrients, % 46.23 44.81 43.44 43.54 0.41 < 0.01 0.07

DM, dry matter; GMP, green matter production; DMP, dry matter production; WUE, water use efficiency; NUE, nitrogen use efficiency; mm, millimeters;
N, nitrogen; TN, total nitrogen; SEM, standard error of the mean; P, probability
Trop Anim Health Prod

Table 3 Ruminal degradability of

dry matter of BRS capiaçu grass Item Age of regrowth (days) P value
at different ages of regrowth in
winter in the semiarid region 30 60 90 120 SEM Linear Quadratic

Fraction A1, % 17.22 15.31 14.46 13.41 1.20 0.04 0.73

Fraction B2, % 36.59 36.41 26.56 24.34 1.14 < 0.01 0.39
c, %/h3 4.83 2.66 3.00 2.83 0.40 0.01 0.03
PD4, % 53.81 51.72 41.01 37.74 1.13 < 0.01 0.61
CT, h5 4.47 7.36 6.18 6.30 0.58 0.12 0.03
ED, % (k = 2%/h)6 42.20 36.16 30.14 27.68 1.09 < 0.01 0.12
ED, % (k = 5%/h)7 34.37 28.12 24.26 22.25 1.02 < 0.01 0.05
ED, % (k = 8%/h)8 30.33 24.57 21.60 19.82 0.97 < 0.01 0.06

c, degradation rate of the fraction B; CT, colonization time; PD, potential degradability; ED, effective degrad-
ability; k, passage rate (AFRC 1993); SEM, standard error of the mean; R2 , determination coefficient; P,
probability
1
Ŷ = 18.17 – 0.04X, R2 = 0.97; 2 Ŷ = 42.62 – 0.15X, R2 = 0.87; 3 Ŷ = 0.047X – 0.0001X2 , R2 = 0.53; 4 Ŷ = 60.80 –
0.20X, R2 = 0.93; 5 Ŷ = 1.54 + 0.12X − 0.0008X2 , R2 = 0.66; 6 Ŷ = 46.44 – 0.16X, R2 = 0.97; 7 Ŷ = 37.30 – 0.13X,
R2 = 0.95; 8 Ŷ = 32.70 – 0.11X, R2 = 0.94. *Significant by the t test (P < 0.03)

Discussion
The semiarid region of Brazil is characterized by strong and long
periods of drought, which has compromised animal production.
The cultivation of forages with high productive potential has
been an alternative for the producers of this region whose
drought period of drought can reach 10 months (Alvalá et al.
2019). The DMD of BRS capiaçu cultivated under semiarid
conditions during winter increased by 96.56% when cut from
30 to 120 days of regrowth (mean of 22.11 t/ha), reaching 72 t/
ha/year. Pereira et al. (2017) evaluated the production of the DM
of BRS capiaçu in the southern region of Minas Gerais, where
the climatic characteristics are different (Reboita et al. 2015) from
the northern region of Minas Gerais, with a production of 49.9 t/
ha/year under the same management conditions. This result
shows the production potential of this forage in the semiarid
region. The same authors verified that the DMP of BRS
capiaçu grass was, on average, 33% higher than the yield of
the best elephant grass cultivars (Cameroon and Mineiro; average
of 30 t/ha/year). In this study, under the conditions of the semiarid
region of northern Minas Gerais state, the DMP of BRS capiaçu
also occurred. Another relevant result of this study is the WUE,
an important and limited resource for this semiarid region. When
cut at 120 days of regrowth, grass presented a WUE of 57.59 kg
of DM/mm of applied water, an increase of 86.26% when com-
pared with that of forage cut at 30 days of regrowth. When cut at
90 days, the WUE increased by 78.9% compared with that of
forage cut at 30 days (7.91 kg of DM/mm).
In general, as a plant reaches physiological maturity, changes
in the content and cell wall proportions occur, justifying increases
in DMD, WUE, DM content, and cell wall components (Jung
and Deetz 1993; Van Soest 1994; Wilson 1994). However, the

Table 4 Rumen degradability of

the neutral detergent fiber of BRS Item Age of regrowth (days) P value
capiaçu grass at different ages of
regrowth in winter in the semiarid 30 60 90 120 SEM Linear Quadratic
region
Bp1, % 48.39 47.98 39.14 34.69 1.40 0.01 0.30
c, %/h2 4.17 3.17 3.17 2.83 0.30 < 0.01 0.17
CT, h3 8.02 9.86 11.05 11.94 0.86 < 0.01 0.59
ED, % (k = 2%/h)4 35.43 31.42 25.57 21.25 1.27 < 0.01 0.82
ED, % (k = 5%/h)5 23.82 19.97 16.22 13.06 1.21 < 0.01 0.87
ED, % (k = 8%/h)6 17.96 14.66 11.90 9.44 1.14 < 0.01 0.81
Ip7, % 51.61 52.02 60.86 65.31 1.40 < 0.01 0.17

Fraction Bp, fraction insoluble in water, but potentially degradable standardized; c, rate of degradation of fraction
Bp; CT, colonization time; ED, effective degradability; Ip, undegradable fraction standardized; SEM, standard
error of the mean
1
Ŷ = 55.03 – 0.1664X, R2 = 0.91; 2 Ŷ = 0.0433 – 0.00013X, R2 = 0.80; 3 Ŷ = 6.97 – 0.043X, R2 = 0.97; 4 Ŷ =
31.14 – 0.13X, R2 = 0.94; 5 Ŷ = 17.91 + 0.09X, R2 = 0.93; 6 Ŷ = 11.20 + 0.07X, R2 = 0.89; 7 Ŷ = 44.97 + 0.16X,
R2 = 0.91; *Significant by the t test (P < 0.01)

relevance of this research is that these changes and increases in
DMD are not constant among forages (Velásquez et al. 2010).
Managing elephant grass cultivar Cameroon in Malaysia, Zailan
et al. (2016) verified daily increases on the order of 173 kg/ha.
Pereira et al. (2017) observed an accumulation of daily dry matter
of BRS capiaçu grass of 282 kg/ha in the summer season.
Ferreira et al. (2018) studied the elephant grass cultivar BRS
canará in the summer season and verified a daily accumulation
of mass on the order of 208.7 kg/ha. In this research, BRS
capiaçu accumulated 237 kg/ha of DM daily in the winter season.
These results show the potential of BRS capiaçu for winter man-
aged production in the semiarid region of Brazil.
Regarding nutritional value, as the age of the BRS capiaçu
grass increased, the DM content increased 38.46% when cut
from 30 to 120 days (mean 21.16%). This value is below that
recommended by Kung Jr. et al. (2018), which is 25% DM for
grasses. Thus, it is necessary to use strategies to increase the
DM content through prewilting of forage or including addi-
tives with high DM content. The ash content and crude protein
decreased linearly, which have been due to the dilution effect.
The soluble fraction of the crude protein also decreased under
these conditions, which may have been associated with the
migration of the nitrogenous compounds from the cellular
content to the cell wall with physiological maturity. The
amount of crude protein in a given food is very important
because this is one of the most expensive nutrients in the diet.
When managed for 30 days, the BRS capiaçu grass had
15.07% crude protein, which was 60.3% soluble in the rumen
(fraction A). However, when treated for 120 days, the protein
content reduced to 6.45% of the DM, limiting the growth and
development of the ruminal microbiota whose main source of
nitrogen is crude protein (Van Soest 1994). In addition, frac-
tion A reduced to 35.84% and may be a limiting factor for the
synthesis of microbial protein. Velásquez et al. (2010) verified
that tropical forages subjected to lower cutoff frequencies
present crude protein contents of slow ruminal degradation,
which may limit the performance of animals. These changes
that occur in the cellular composition of forage plants with
increasing regrowth age favor productivity because the thick-
ening of the cell wall increases as verified in NDF, ADF,
lignin, and DM content. However, the nutritional value de-
creases in different proportions, mainly due to the lignin con-
tent and its structural arrangement with the other components
of the cell wall (Jung and Deetz 1993; Van Soest 1994; Wilson
1994). With the increase in regrowth age, the content of
nonfibrous carbohydrates (NFC), total digestible nutrients,
and the effective degradability of dry matter and NDF were
reduced. This reduction in NFC content affected fraction A of
DM and, consequently, the potential degradability of DM. In a
young plant, in addition to the low lignin content in the DM,
lignin presents in a free form in the cell (Van Soest 1994;
Wilson 1994). However, as the plant reaches physiological
maturity, lignin forms ester-hemicellulose (Jung and Deetz
Trop Anim Health Prod
1993) bound to ruminal degradation and increasing the
undegradable fraction of the fiber, which in this research
was 20.97%. This result occurs due to the longer time of
colonization (11.94 h) of the bacteria the fibrous particles of
the food in the rumen, causing greater ruminal repletion effect
(Muniz et al. 2012). Thus, the limitation on the intake of dry
matter by a ruminant due to the ruminal filling effect is influ-
enced by the undegradable fraction whose concentration in-
creases as the age of regrowth increases. According to
Knudsen (2001), ruminal degradability of the fibrous fraction
is a function of the potentially degradable fraction and the rate
of digestion. The increase in lignin content with the physio-
logical maturity of the plant and its connections with hemicel-
lulose appear to reduce the potentially degradable fraction of
the fiber even at a high digestion rate. However, the rate of
passage was the factor that influenced the ED of the fraction,
with the lowest averages of 8% verified in the rates of passage.
Conclusion
The increase in the age of BRS capiaçu grass increased the dry
matter yield per unit area, water use efficiency, and nitrogen use
efficiency while decreasing the nutritional value, characterized
by the reduction in the degradability of the dry matter and the
fibrous fraction. Thus, harvesting is recommended at 90 days of
regrowth during the winter season in this semiarid region because
at this age of regrowth. BRS capiaçu showed the best balance
among productivity, efficiency, and nutritional value.
Acknowledgments The authors thank the Foundation for Research
Support of the State of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG), National Council for
Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the Experimental
farm of Unimontes/Janaúba, EMBRAPA - Gado de Leite, and INCT -
Ciência Animal.
Funding information This study was financed in part by the
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil
(CAPES) - Finance Code 001.
Compliance with ethical standards All animal care and han-
dling procedures were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee
of the Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil (protocol CEBEA-
Unimontes 175/2018).
Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of
interest.
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