Ruminal degradation of the biomass of grass hays genre Cynodon spp.

Abstract

Aimed to evaluate the in situ degradability of different diets based on hay genotypes (Tifton 68, Tifton 85, Jiggs, Russel, Vaquero and Coast cross) belonging to the genus Cynodon, in six Santa Inês sheep, with an average weight of 40 kg, and fitted with rumen cannulas, were kept in individual pens. The diets were incubated in decreasing order of 96, 72, 48, 24, 12, 6, 3 and 0-h. We used the Latin square experimental design with six treatments, six animals and six replications. The diets, based on hay Jiggs, Tifton 68, Tifton 85 and Coast Cross, degradability showed above 59 %. However, diets based on hay Jiggs and Coast cross had lower mean (p<0.05) (30.28 and 28.90%) for effective degradation, respectively, on the other diets. The use of grass hay belonging to the genus Cynodon has potential for use in diets for lambs once considered the parameters observed in this study.