The objective ofthe study was to compare chemical composition, in vitro dry matter digestibility(IVDMD), of leaves, stems and hand plucked samples, as well as milk yield andcomposition, body weight variation, body condition score and dry matter intakeof three grasses. The treatments were: tanzania grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.),stargrass (Cynodon nlenfuensis Vanderyst) and marandu grass (Brachiariabrizantha Staf). All grasses were fertilized with 200 kg/ha.year N and K2Oand 50 kg/ha.year of P2O5. Pastures were managed in arotational grazing system with three-day paddock occupation and two grazingintervals: January and February with 24 days and March, April and May with 30days. There were 24 cows, eight per treatment. A complete randomized block designwas used. The stargrass leaves had 18.5% crude protein (CP) and 79.9% neutraldetergent fiber (NDF) on the stems, respectively, which were higher than theother grasses. Stargrass also had higher NDF (72.8%) and lignin (7.1%) in handplucked samples. The marandu in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) (64%)was higher than that of stargrass (59.4%). The treatments were different formilk yield and the mean (9.8) for tanzania and marandu grasses were higher thanthe 8.4 kg/cow.day for stargrass. Milk protein of cows managed on tanzania grass(2.9%) was higher than that of (2.8%) of stargrass. There was no treatment differencefor milk fat, total solids, body condition, body weight and feed intake. Stargrasshad higher NDF and lignin, however lower IVDMD and milk yield in relation totanzania and marandu grasses.
