This work aimed to quantify the yield and nutritive value of elephantgrass (cv. Cameroon), in Lages, Santa Catarina, with the objective to identify possible limitations to its production and to show its viability in the region. The trial was carried out from 1982 to 1985, when the elephantgrass was established in plots in a complete block design. The treatments were the sum of growing days up to the evaluation day, in order to establish a growth curve. The accumulated dry matter (DM) started 42 days after an uniformization cut and the plots were cut in sequence every 21 days, up to complete 210 days of growth, always leaving a 50 cm stubble. The regrowth ability in each period was also evaluated every 21 days. Data were submitted to variance and regression analyses. The elephantgrass dry matter accumulation was significantly dependent of days of growth, showing growth rates of 185 and 65 kg DM/ha/day on 1983/84 and 1984/85, respectively. In the first growing period, it was obtained 31,132 kg DM/ha with 210 days of growth and 3,310 kg DM/ha in the first 63 days of growth. In 1984/85, the plants accumulated about one-third of that obtained in the previous year, probably due to nutritional problems and to a drought spell. In the regrowth evaluations, the highest yields were obtained with plants growing for 42 (1,149 kg DM/ha) and 63 days (1,259 kg DM/ha). The two years average of crude protein and in vitro dry matter digestibility was 20% and 65%, respectively. Although the cold climate, the elephantgrass is a viable alternative for the Santa Catarina highlands.
Cameroon; IVDMD; protein
