The objetive of this study was to verify differences among forages species in relation to the percentage of identifiable fragment as affected by the digestion process and season. Fresh last expanded leaf lamina samples of the species Melinis minutiflora Pal. de Beauv (Molassesgrass), Hyparrhenia rufa (Nees) Stapf. (Jaraguagrass), Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. (Signalgrass), Imperata brasilienses Trin. (Sapegrass), and foliar laminas of Medicago sativa L. (Alfalfa) and Schinus terebenthifolius Raddi (Aroeira), sampled in the rainy and dry seasons, were digested in vitro and prepared according to the microhistological technique. The digestion process caused change of 19 units in the percentage of identifiable fragments whose values varied among forage species. The season did not influence the percentage of identifiable fragments for most species; the presence of pigments and adherence of epidermis to internal tissues of the leaf hindered the identification of fragments. The digestion improved the identification of sapegrass fragments, jaraguagrass and Schinus terebenthifolius Raddi, but hindered identification of signalgrass fragments and mainly those of alfalfa.
epidermical characteristics; in vitro digestion; recognition of fragments
