Nutritional value of kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum Hoechst Ex Chiov.) for milk production in Colombia: A review. II. Energy value, intake, production and nutritional efficiency

摘要

PennisetumclandestinumHoechstExChiov),isthemostutilizedforageindairycattlespecializedherdsintheColombianAndes.However,ithasnutritionallimitationsthemostimportantbeingalowenergycontentaffectingbothyieldandcompositionomilkofcowsgrazingthisforage.Thehighconcentrationofneutraldetergentfiber(NDF),lowdrymatterandnon-structuralcarbohydratesconcentrationdoesnotseemtolimitthedrymatterintake(DMI)ofanimalsgrazingthisforage.DMIhigherthan18.0kgDM/cow/dandequivalentintakesofNDFhigherthan1.6%ofliveweighthavebeenreported.Themeanpotentialformilkproductionofcowsgrazingkikuyugrassisnearly12.0litres/cow/dalthoughconsideringitsnbsp;energycontent,thepotentialofthisforagecanyieldnbsp;uptonbsp;29.0litres/cow/d.Feedsupplementationimprovesmilkyieldwithoutimprovingitslipidandproteincontent.Thelowmilkproteincontent(lessthan3.0%)indicateslownitrogenefficiencyutilization(average17.4%)forsynthesisofmilkproteins.Thehighlinoleicandlinolenicacidcontentofkikuyugrasshasthepotentialtoproducemilkwithhighcontentofconjugatedlinoleicacidandconcentrationsofnbsp;nbsp;20.0mg/glipidshavebeenreported.