Chemical composition of sugarcane as forage according to cutting height and harvest period

Abstract

This work was undertaken to evaluate the relationship between sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) culms basal cutting height and harvest period and their effects on bromatologic characteristics of two sugarcane cultivars under ratoon cycle. The research was carried out in the region of Jaú, SP, Brazil. The experiment was arranged in randomized blocks, in a 2 x 3 x 3 factorial design corresponding to two genotypes (IAC86-2480 and RB72454), three cutting heights (0, 10 and 20 cm above soil level) and three harvest periods (May, July and September 2006) with four replications. The results of the interaction between cultivar x cutting height x harvest period showed that sugarcane cultivars had better forage quality in terms of dry matter and crude protein by the cutting height at 0 and 10 cm and harvest period of the culms in September, and in terms of mineral matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and lignin when the harvest season was in May. The cultivar IAC86-2480 has better chemical quality as forage, since the cutting height of the stalks is adjusted to the period of harvest.