The objective was to evaluate the forage yield and chemical composition of millet and Tanzania grass, the first one as a companion crop, in the formation of the Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzania I pasture, as well as the viability of the use of this practice. The evaluated treatments were four seed mixture combinations based on sowing density of 8 kg/ha of Tanzania grass/millet (08/00; 05/03; 04/04 and 03/05 kg/ha) and three cutting frequencies (three cuttings - 40, 70 and 100 days after sowing), two cuttings - 50 and 100 days after sowing; one cutting -- 100 days after sowing), in a randomized complete block design with four replications assigned to a split-plot arrangement. The sowing densities were allocated in the main plots and cutting frequencies, in the subplots. The DM yields of the association millet with Tanzania grass were higher than that for pure Tanzania grass stand. The CP increased whereas NDF and ADF decreased in both millet and Tanzania grass with the increasing cutting frequency. However, in the combination, similar values were observed in the content of this variables and a small reduction in CP content when compared to Tanzania grass stand. According to these results, it was concluded that it's feasible the establishment of Tanzania grass pasture using millet as a companion crop.
companion crop; millet; pasture formation; Tanzania grass
