Avaliação da forragem produzida pela leucena (Leucaena lecocephala cv. Peru) sob quatro idades e intervalos de cortes, em solo de tabuleiro no Município de Cruz das Almas - BA

Abstract

Meat and milk production in Brazil are dependent of green forage of good quality, therefore the animal production depends upon the variation of forage availability of nutritional value along the year. Generally the bovines, bubalines, caprines and ovines herds explored in the tropics, particularly in the Northeast Region, suffer with this forage availability variation. The leguminous plants are excellent sources of protein for ruminants, being their utilization as a supplement meal well known by herdman. Among the shrubby and arboreous leguminous plants cultivated in the tropics, the most utilized as a source of forage for animal herds is leucena (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit.). It is originated from Central America and its root system can achieve a great depth. It is generally utilized “in natura” as a protein bank or grazing and stored as hay or silage. This work was carried out in the Scool of Agronomy, Federal University of Bahia, in the municipal district of Cruz das Almas – Bahia, Brazil. Their objectives were to know: 1) the feedable dry matter (FDM) productions, dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), fiber in neuter detergent (FND), fiber in acid detergent (FAD) and hemicellulose (HCEL) contents under four cutting ages (45, 60, 75 and 90 days); 2) the feedable dry matter productions (FDM) and dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), fiber in neuter detergent (FND), fiber in acid detergent (FAD) and hemicellulose (HCEL) contents under four cutting intervals (45, 60, 75 and 90 days). The first study was in a randomized block design with four treatments (cutting ages) and five replications; the second one was also in a randomized block design with four treatments (cutting intervals) and five replications. In the first study, it was not observed significative differences for FDM production and DM contents, respectively. It was noted higher CP contents when the cuttings were done at 75 and 90 days of age. Concerning to NDF, it was observed an increase in their contents until 60 days of age, but it was observed a decrease in the cutting ages at 75 and 90 days, respectively. The ADF contents increased with cutting ages. In the second study, in a 12 months period there were done 4, 4, 3 and 3 cuts according to the cutting intervals of 45, 60, 75 and 90 days, respectively. In the first cut at a 45 days interval it was attained a great feedable dry matter production, but it was observed a reduction in the subsequent cuts. Cuts done at a 75 days interval showed a higher CP production (kg/ha) with a lower variation among cutting productions. The DM contents did not present any variation with the increase of cutting intervals. It was observed a little increase in the FND contents and a gradual increase in the FAD contents with the increase of cutting intervals. According to this study, cuts done at 75 days intervals seems to be the most recommended.