PRELIMINARY-RESULTS OF THE COMBINATION OF CASSAVA AND SUGAR-CANE FOLIAR AREA AS A SUPPLEMENT FOR DAIRY-COWS UNDER GRAZING CONDITIONS

Sixteen Holstein rows with the same milk production (10 litres) and nu mber of lactations (3) were used in a changeover design to evaluate th e effect of supplementing: A) cassava foliage combined with integral s ugar cane and B) conventional cereals. The levels of supplementation w ere 2.3 kg dry matter/day in treatment A and 1.5 kg in treatment B. Mi lk production in both treatments was higher than 8 litres/cow/day (8.6 and 8.4 litres/cow/day) for A and B, respectively. Milk composition i n both treatments did not show significant differences, the values for fat being 3.7 and 3.6% for cassava + sugar cane and cereals, respecti vely. The animals showed a satisfactory acceptance for the feeds. The combination of cassava foliage and integral sugar cane as a supplement under non-fertilized grazing conditions and with a similar milk produ ction level was promising.