Productive and nutritional characteristics of wheat hay cultivated in two nitrogen fertilization levels and harvest stages

ABSTRACT

The objective was to evaluate the production of the fresh and dry weight, physical and chemical composition of wheat hay, cv. BRS UMBU, under effects of two levels of nitrogen fertilization (120kg ha-1 and 180kg ha-1) and two harvest stages (pre-flowering and grain dough). The experimental design was randomized blocks in factorial 2X2, composed of four treatments with four replications. There was no interaction (p>0.05) between the levels of nitrogen fertilization and growth stages of harvest for all variables. The production of dry matter in the dough stage and pre-flowering were 10.171 and 4.982kg ha-1, respectively. The higher N rates increased the production of dry matter of 775kg ha-1. There was increased participation of spikes with the advancement of the cycle, presenting 43.0% and 16.2% in the dough stage and pre-flowering, respectively. In the growth stage of pre-flowering, the share of green leaf was higher (37.1% against 9.8% of the total MS). The hay harvested at dough stage had lower NDF and CP levels. Thus, each treatment presented favorable characteristics allowing its use in different strategies in ruminant nutrition.

Keywords: winter cereals; phenological stage; conserved forage; nutritional value; urea