The nutritional value of the plants, leaves, stems and panicles of three hybrids of sorghum (BRS 610, BR 700 and BRS 655) at three maturation stages (milk, soft dough and flour) were evaluated. A complete randomized design was used in a factorial arrangement 3x3 (hybrids x ages of cut), and the means were compared by SNK (P<0.05). Dry matter contents of the plants varied from 25.73% to 43.96% and increased with maturity. The percentage of crude protein (CP) of the plants remained constant (P>0.05) among cuts for all the hybrids. The values of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of the plants were not affected by maturation stages. The in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of the plants of BRS 610 didn't change with maturity, but decreased between milk and floury stages for BR 700 and BRS 655. Differences in the percentages of DM, CP, NDF, ADF and IVDMD of the plant fractions (leaves, steam and panicle) occurred differently among hybrids with the advance of maturity. The hybrids BR 700 and BRS 655 should be ensiled at milk stage, while the BRS 610 can be harvested at the three maturation stages evaluated.
Sorghum bicolor; in vitro digestibility
