Seasonal variation of in situ digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and cell wall of total plant leaves and stems of nueces buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.)

The aim of this study was to estimate the nutritional content, the rate of disappearance of nutrients contained in total plant (TP), leaves (L) and stems (S) of Nueces buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.). Plants were hand-harvested in a two-ha pasture at Marin, N.L., County, Mexico, during autumn (1998), winter, spring and summer (1999). The nylon bag technique was used to measure effective degradability of dry matter (EDDM), crude protein (EDCP) and cell wall (EDEW), suing rumen fistulated sheep. Nutrient content of TP, L and S forage was higher (P <0.011) in summer than in other seasons. Moreover, in general, DM, CP and SW in Nueces buffelgrass were digested to greater extend during summer than in other seasons. Furthermore, nutrients in the L fraction were digested better than the S fraction in all seasons. Higher precipitation during summer months may influence new vegetative growth of Nueces with higher nutritional quality compared to other seasons. Thus, it is recommended that in these regions, livestock can graze Nueces buffelgrass only during summer, because of its good nutritional quality.