The experiment was carried out in the Animal Science Department at the Federal University of Lavras from November, 2000 to May, 2001. Its objective was to evaluate the performance, the yield, and the nutritive value of three cultivars of the genus Cynodon in four harvesting ages (28, 42, 56, and 70 days). The grasses tested were Coastcross (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. cv. Coastal x Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst var. robustus), Tifton 68 (Cynodon spp), and Tifton 85 (Cynodon spp). The treatments were done in a completely randomised blocks design in a split plot scheme with five replications. The grass cultivars (= treatments) were placed in the plots and the harvesting ages were in the subplots. Regardlessly the studied cultivars, the dry matter production, with the advance of the maturity stage, increased in a quadratic way (2,15 to 11,09 Mg/ha), reaching the maximum production at 70 days. The total protein contents showed a linear negative correlation with harvesting age, decreasing from 17,18 to 11,04% at 28 and 70 days. On the other hand, the neutral detergent fiber content showed a positive correlation with harvesting age, having increments with the increase of the age. The in vitro dry matter digestibility coefficients showed a quadratic negative relation with the harvesting age, varying from 65,11 to 51,50% at 28 and 70 days. It is concluded that regardlessly the cultivar, the best harvesting period occurs from 35 to 48 days, period that provides good yield and high nutritive value in the grasses.
Cynodon; harvesting age; dry matter; total protein; neutral detergent fiber; in vitro dry matter digestibility; yield
