Abstract 126

Saavedra,-CE; Rodriguez,-NM; Costa,-NM-de-S

Escuela Vet., Univ. Federal de Minas Gerais, MG, Brazil.

Pasturas-Tropicales. 1987, 9: 2, 6-10; 23 ref.

DM yields, nutritive value and intake by sheep were measured after 98 and 143 days of regrowth in a 5-year-old sward of L. leucocephala cv. Peru sown in 1978 and given adequate P, K, Mg, Ca and S. There was no significant difference in DM yields at the 2 cutting dates but the stem:leaf ratio increased with time. DM intake was similar at both dates although apparent DM digestibility decreased from 64.4% at 98 days to 55.2% at 143 days. CP content remained high (÷19%) throughout the trial. Mimosine content of the leaves was 20% higher at 98 days than at 143 days.