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