Yield, Yield Dynamics and Nutritional Quality of Grass-legume Mixed Pasture. | Journal of Animal and Plant sciences 2018

Author(s)

ZK Tessema School of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, PO Box 138, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

BS Feleke School of Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, PO Box 138, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

Abstract

The shortage of quality feed is a major constraint affecting livestock production in eastern parts of Ethiopia. However, the development of grass-legume mixed pasture is an alternative strategy to improve feed resources availability both in quantity and quality since forage quality and seasonal distribution of dry matter (DM) production of grass-legume mixed sward is higher compared to those grasses or forage legumes grown in pure-stands. Therefore, we studied the DM yield, competition function and chemical composition of grass-legume mixtures in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications during 2008 and 2009 cropping seasons. Chloris gayana, Panicum coloratum, Melilotus alba and Medicago sativa were planted as pure-stand and in mixtures using 50:50, 67:33, 33:67, 75:25 and 25:75 seed rate proportions of grasses and legumes, respectively. C. gayana mixed with M. alba at seed rate of 50:50 and 33:67 had a higher DM yield [27 and 26 t ha-1, respectively] than other mixtures and pure-stands. The relative total yields of all grass/legume mixtures were greater than unity, indicating that the DM yields of the mixtures were higher than those of the pure-stands. Purestand legumes and their mixtures with grasses had a higher crude protein contentsthan pure-stand grasses, whereas purestand grasses had a higher fiber fraction contents compared to pure-stand legumes and their mixture with grasses. To alleviate the feed shortage, C. gayana mixed with M. alba at seed rates of 50:50 and 33:67 can be introduced under smallholder livestock production conditions in eastern parts of Ethiopia.

Publication Details

Page(s) 155-164

DOI DOI not available

Published Journal: Journal of Animal and Plant sciences, Volume: 28, Issue: 1, Year: 2018

Keywords

nutritive value mixed farming feed shortage fiber fraction

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