Productivity and nutritive value of siratro and centro-based brachiaria pastures
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Date
1991
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sokoine University of Agrculture
Abstract
An experiment was conducted at Sokoine University of Agriculture
farm, Morogoro, Tanzania, from October, 1987 to June, 1988.
The objective of the study was to evaluate the productivity and
nutritive value of Brachiaria brizantha receiving fertilizer N at the
rates of 0, 100 and 200 kg/ha. and B.brizantha in association with
either Macroptilium atropurpureum (siratro) or Centrosema pubescens
(centro) at 42 and 70 days of growth.
The study showed
that advancing stage
of growth caused
an
increase (P < 0.001) in the DM yield (from 3643 to 4686 kg DM/ha), DDM
yield (from 2592 to 3087 kg DDM/ha, NDF (from 65 to 68%), and ADF
(from 36 to 41%) of B. brizantha.
However, there was a decline in the
CP content (from 8.70 to 6.95%) ash content (from 9.06 to 8.85%) and
IVDMD (from 75 to 67%).
Similarly, there were declines in the CP
content (from 9.106 to 7.61%), ash content (from 9.28 to 8.88%) and
IVDMD (from 73.52 to 66.98%) of the grass/legume sward with advancing
stage of growth.
The NDF and
ADF contents of
the grass/legume mixed
swards
increased by 5 and 18%, respectively, with advancing stage of growth.
However, the ADF content of the legume species in the mixed swards
was not affected (P > 0.05).
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Productivity, Nutritive value, Brachiaria brizantha, Siratro, Morogoro, Tanzania