Abstract 245

Wanapat,-M; Topark-Ngarm,-A

Fac. Agric., Khon Kaen Univ., Khon Kaen, Thailand.

Proceedings of the XV International Grassland Congress, August 24-31, 1985, Kyoto, Japan. 1985, 959-960; 6 ref. Nishi-nasuno, Tochigi, Japan; Science Council of Japan and Japanese Society of Grassland Science.

Chemical composition, voluntary feed intake and nutrient digestibility of Panicum maximum cv. Guinea and Brachiaria decumbens cv. Signal at 3 regrowth cuttings (weeks 4, 8 and 12) were studied using swamp buffalo steers. During maturation, DM and acid detergent lignin contents increased but ash, CP and NDF contents decreased. The ADF fraction remained similar for all cuttings. Voluntary DM intake and digestion coeff. of nutrients were relatively high at week 4 and 8 and markedly lower at week 12 for both species. Buffaloes fed with signal grass had higher intakes and digestibilities than those fed with guinea grass. Cutting at week 8 for both species was recommended for better utilization by the water buffaloes.