338 Pasture and Fodder Husbandry

8/3/2019 338 Pasture and Fodder Husbandry

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BDTVEC ND AGRICULTURE SCIENCE/Pasture and Fodder/Dr Liew HR

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Husbandry of RuminantsNational Diploma in Agriculture Science

ND/AGR/03Dr Liew Shin Min MVS, M Ed, MVM, BVM

338: Pasture and Fodder Husbandry

1. Indicate grazing and cutting intervals2. State planting distance and rate of fertilizer application, and their effects on herbage

yields3. Determine hay and silage production and its importance in the tropics4. Perform job related to pasture and fodder management practices:

- weed control- fencing- irrigation and drainage- replanting- pasture rotation

5. Identify and name various types of pasture and fodder found in Brunei Darussalam6. Perform species selection and propagation of pasture and fodder crops7. Evaluate yields of pastures and fodder crops

PASTURE AND FODDER




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Ruminants including cattle and buffalo have the ability to convert low value roughages such

as grass and leaves of trees etc. to high value products such as milk, meat and hides etc.

The ability of the animals to produce milk, meat etc. has increased over the years with the

implementation of various selection and breeding programmes. But their ability to consume

and utilize larger quantities of roughages has not increased in keeping with the increase in

productivity.

Therefore, animals capable of producing higher quantities of milk and meat have to be

supplied with high quality roughages or concentrates, or both.

Common pasture varieties are: Brachiaria decumbens (Signal grass);

Brachiaria milliformis; Brachiaria mutica (Para grass, Water grass),

Digitaria decumbens (Pangola grass);

Setaria sphacelata; Tripsacum laxum (Gautamala grass) etc.

Brachiaria ruziziensis (Ruzi grass);

Cenchrus ciliaris (Buffel grass);

Panicum maximum (Guinea grass);

Panicum maximum (Hamil grass);

Paspalum plicatulum; Paspalum urvillei; Pennisetum clandestinum; (Kikuya grass);

Common pasture varieties are: Centrosema pubescens; Desmodium intortum (Green leaf desmodium);

Desmodium uncinatum (Silver leaf desmodium); Dolichos axillaris; Dolichos lab lab (lab lab

bean); Gliricidia maculata; Glicine javanica; Glicine wightii; Leucaena leucocephala (ipil-

ipil); Phaseolus atropurpureous (Siratro); Pueraria phaseoloides (Tropical Kudzu);

Stylosanthes guyanensis (Cook stylo); Stylosanthes hamata; Stylosanthes humilis

(Townsville lucerne); Styzolobium atterimum (Velvet bean); Trifolium pratense (Red

clover); Trifolium repens (White clover); Trifolium rupellianum (African clover); Trifolium

semipilosum (Kenya white clover).

Common fodder varieties are: Pennisetum purpureum (Napier grass or Elephant grass)

and its newly developed hybrids such as "NB 21" or Poosa Giant Napier"; fodder maize

varieties and newly developed hybrids; fodder sorghum varieties and newly developed

hybrids etc.

1. Indicate grazing and cutting intervals




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The rate of growth of the pastures/fodders/legumes depend on the varieties used, rainfall

(or irrigation), fertility of soil, cutting or grazing intervals etc.

The time for first cutting/grazing depends on several factors like the species and fertility of

soil of pasture.

Too early cutting/grazing will damage the growth of grasses due to the weak root system.

Generally it could be done a few days before flowering.

As the grasses mature, the dry matter yield increases but the overall digestibility and crude

protein content decrease. Therefore, for animals to obtain the maximum amount of

nutrients, the grasses have to be grazed or cut before they are too

mature. Different varieties have different optimum grazing/cutting intervals

Seeded varieties need about 5 – 6 months before they can be used

Napier grass (stalk planting) requires about 30 days for first harvest.

The most suitable height of Napier grass for harvesting is 4 feet. (hip height and down to

ankle height)

Cutting intervals

The rate of growth after cutting reaches a much higher optimum level compared to freshly

grown grass. The resting period or the interval between each cutting or grazing of several

kinds of pasture or fodder is listed in the below

Types of pasture/fodder Common name Resting period (weeks)

Brachiaris decumbens Signal grass 4 – 5

Pennisetum purpureum Napier grass 5 – 6

Brachiara mutica Para/Water grass 3 – 4

Panicum maximum Guinea grass 4 – 5

Setaria Guatamara grass 4 – 5

2. State planting distance and rate of fertilizer application, and their effects on

herbage yields

Two types of fertilizer (Organic and Chemical fertilizer) and there are two types of fertilizer

(initial fertilization, maintenance fertilization)

Chemical fertilizer N : P: K = 60 : 30 : 30

60 kg. Nitrogen/ha

30 kg. Phosphorus/ha

30 kg. Postash/ha

Fertilization is done after each cutting or grazing.

3. Perform job related to pasture and fodder management practices:




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- weed control

- fencing

- irrigation and drainage

- replanting

- pasture rotation

4. Identify and name various types of pasture and fodder found in BruneiDarussalam

Napier grass Pennisetum purpureum (or Elephant grass)

Signal grass Brachiaria decumbens

Para grass Brachiaria mutica ( or Water grass),

Mardi Pangola Digitaria Decumbens Var Mardi

Centro Centrosema Pubscens

Napier grass Signal grass Para grass Mardi grass

5. Perform species selection and propagation of pasture and fodder crops Pasture or fodder, once established, can be used several years continuously. Thus it would

be advantageous to have yield distributed over a long period of the year, this will reduce

the cost of keeping fodder and the loss of nutrients.

The pasture and fodder should be able to resist insects, disease and drought

6. Evaluate yields of pastures and fodder crops There is no single variety of pasture or fodder that can supply the nutrient requirements of

ruminants in a balance manner. The overall quality can be improved by having a mixture

of varieties.

References




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Guideline for growing pasture and fodder. Internet source. PDF

Lloyd D. Livestock nutrition; Sown pastures and fodder crops for prime lambs. Department of Primary

Industries and Fisheries Queensland. Australia

Signal Grass. Internet source:

http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Brachiaria_decumbens.htm

Signal Grass. Internet source: http://www.tropicalgrasslands.asn.au/pastures/signal.htm

Tom and Maud Powell. 2007. Goat husbandry. Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education

(SARE) Farm Internship Curriculum and Handbook.

http://attra.ncat.org/intern_handbook/goat_husbandry.html



http://www.tropicalgrasslands.asn.au/pastures/signal.htm








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338 Pasture and Fodder Husbandry