Forage mass and nutritional value of elephant grass intercropped with forage legumes

Highest crude protein, in situ dry matter digestibility and total digestible nutrients, and lowest neutral detergent fiber were found in the intercropping system with forage peanut, especially in winter. The main hypothesis of this work is that the nutritional value of elephant grass pastures varies according to the production system used. [...]the aim of this study was to evaluate forage mass, nutritional value, and nutrient export in forage systems of elephant grass intercropped with forage peanut or arrowleaf clover (Trifolum vesiculosum) under grazing by dairy cows. According to Köppen, the climate is Cfa, subtropical humid (Kuinchtner & Buriol, 2016). The samples were analyzed in laboratory, for crude protein by the Kjeldahl method (AOAC, 1995), neutral detergent fiber (Van Soest et al., 1991), in situ dry matter digestibility, and in situ organic matter digestibility (Mehrez & Ørskov, 1977).