IPR 126 white oat forage potential under free growth, cutting and grazing at two management heights

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the structural characteristics, biomass accumulation, chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of dry matter and crude protein of white oat (Avena sativa L. IPR 126) under different management systems. Grazing, cut at two heights (15 and 20 cm) and free growth were all evaluated in three periods (July, August and September) with a 28-day average interval between evaluations. In the free growth system, samples at 15 and 20 cm were also taken at the intervals chosen for cutting and grazing. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with three replications, arranged in a 3 × 2 factorial split plot design over time; systems of management and heights were the factors of plots, and time was taken as subplot. There was higher straw production under free growth, but, with decreased chemical quality from the first to the second period and from the second to the third one, with 236.4, 172.5, and 91.4 g/kg crude protein values, respectively. Regarding cutting and grazing systems, they showed structural changes in tillering, which was favored by the cut, but with some reduction in the periods. Nutritional quality values were close to cutting and grazing with high crude protein content (216.6 g/kg), adequate neutral detergent fiber (535.4 g/kg) content and high in vitro digestibility of dry matter (826.3 g/kg). Management heights promoted few changes in the characteristics evaluated. After the third period, cutting and grazing systems showed no suitable residual straw for ground covering and set a summer crop under no-tillage system, with 738.39 kg/ha of residual dry matter on average.