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

Author(s):

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

2. 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.

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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