An nutritional analysis of stargrass cv. Africana fed dairy cattle under rotational grazing was evaluated in this research. Ten Holstein-Zebu crossbred cows were managed in 2 ha covered with the grass and divided in 11 paddocks /ha with three grazing days 30 days of resting period. During the experimental period the animals were milked twice a day for 16 days and were feed two kg of concentrate. Representative samples of the pasture consumed (extrusa) were taken and determined the nutritional composition. The dray matter intake of the animals was estimated by means of chromium and indigestible DM as external and internal markers. The individual performance of the cows was evaluated by daily milk production and by weighting the animals. The food matter dynamics was estimated with gravimetric in vitro techniques, cumulative gas production from microbial fermentation and estimates of the passage kinetics of solid end liquid phases. The amount of total net energy (NEt) in MJ/d meet the energetic requirement by the animals. The predicted values for metabolizable protein (MP) corresponded to the supply of 91% of the MP required by those animals. The predictions for macrominerais met only 75% of the Ca required, however met the requirements by other macrominerals. The stargrass pasture meet the nutritional requirements for maintenance and production of 11.7 kg of milk per day. In the studied circumstances, it is needs to supplement nutrients that complement MP e Ca not fully met. The content and kinetic characteristics of stargrass fiber caused niether rumen fill effect nor constrained int1ake of grazing dairy cows.
animal performance; chemical analysis; tropical forage
