why are grasses suitable as ruminant feed? comprise of herbaceous materials that are easily grazed...
TRANSCRIPT
Why are grasses suitable as ruminant feed?
Comprise of herbaceous materials that are easily grazed and digested
Fulfills nutrient requirements
No toxic constituents
Able to regrow after cutting or grazing
Continuous growth habit
Spreads by rhizomes or stolons, rapid ground coverage
Why grasses are able to regrow after being cut or grazed Produce fresh shoots by tillering that replaces cut
portion
Non-reproductive shoots have growing points at base of plant that are not damaged by cutting or grazing
Rhizomes and stolons are not affected by cutting or grazing
Important Characteristics of Pasture Grasses
Growth habit – upright, creeping, rhizomatous
Utilization – grazed, cut and carry, both Ecological adaptation – dry areas, wet
areas, sandy Propagation – by seeds or vegetative only Nutritive value – protein, digestibility,
minerals Toxic components Compatibility – can be grown with
legumes?
IMPROVED PASTURE GRASSES IN MALAYSIA
Origin
All improved pasture grasses are indigenous to Africa
Earliest species brought in directly by the British administration
After 1972, MARDI introduced species that have been tested in Australia by CSIRO
Pasture species introductions
Most species have been introduced from Africa
MARDI & CSIRO (Australia) initiated program of pasture grass introductions in 1972
60 grasses and 63 legumes were evaluated
Basis for selection
Adaptation to local condition
Persistence to defoliation
Resistance to pest and diseases
Tolerance to drought
Growth characteristics
Effective nodulation for legumes
palatability
History
Before 1972: Napier (Elephant Grass)
Guinea
After 1972 Setaria
Signal
MARDI Digit
King grass
Dwarf Napier
Grasses
Tall, bunch type, suitable for cutting
Short, stoloniferous, suitable for grazing
Elephant grass (Napier)
Guinea
Setaria splendida
Signal grass
Setaria kuzungula
MARDI Digit
Para grass
Pennisetum purpureum
Napier, Elephant, rumput gajah Introduced to Malaysia in 1920’s Very tall, can reach 4 m Used mainly as cut fodder, cut every
4-6 weeks Sometimes conserved as silage High yielding, 30-40 t/ha DM Needs good rainfall, 1200-2000
mm/yr High nutrient requirement, usually
fertilized with N at 200-400 kg N/ha
Napier grown as fodder
New varieties of Pennisetum
King Grass: P. purpureum x P. typhoides
A bigger hybrid, more leafy and broader leaves
Dwarf Napier: Taiwan Napier – shorter and less stems
Taiwan Napier
Napier grown at NFC Gemas
Propagation
Napier produces seeds but the seeds are not viable (infertile)
Napier is usually planted by stem cuttings
Guinea Grass
Panicum maximum Introduced about
1950’s Bunch grass,
produce flowers and seeds profusely
Can be cut or grazed
Can be planted with legumes
Setaria
Two varieties:
Setaria sphacelata var sericea
Setaria sphacelata var splendida
Splendida do not produce seeds and less flowers, broader leaves
Sericea – cv kuzungula, nandi. Can be planted with seeds
Setaria in Darabif Farm
Signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens)
Most widely planted pasture grass in Malaysia
Very aggressive, stoloniferous grass
Mainly sown by seeds
Unsuitable for small ruminants (goats and sheep): causes photosensitisation and liver necrosis
Used for slope stabilization on highways
Introduced to Malaysia in 1970’s
Brachiaria humidicola
Used as a substitute for Signal where sheep and goats are grazed
Tolerant to shade, useful under tree crops
Nutritive quality not as good as Signal, lower leaf-to-stem ratio
Brachiaria humidicola under rubber
Para Grass(Brachiaria mutica)
Especially adapted to very wet conditions
Grows naturally in waterways
Long stolons, very hairy leaves and stems
Not very palatable to animals
Not tolerant to heavy grazing
Established using cuttings
MARDI Digit(Digitaria setivalva)
Most suitable for small ruminants because of short growth habit and high leaf-to-stem ratio
Must be established vegetatively as no viable seeds are produced
Brought in from Florida in mid 1970’s although it originated from Africa
MARDI Digit grown in Guthrie sheep farm