Effect of grazing, mowing and irrigation on the production and nutritive value of Buffel grass

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of type and intensity of utilization of buffel grass grown under natural rainfall or irrigated conditions on dry matter production and nutritive value. Sixteen plots (each 64 m(2)) were grazed by Charolais cattle to obtain a utilization intensity of 50\% (G50\%) or 75\% (G75\%). Eight plots (each 40 m(2)) were hand-trimmed to 50\% (H50\%). Annual forage harvest was higher (P <= 0.05) for G50 than for H50 (1,491 vs954 kg DM/ha). No differences (P >= 0.05) were found in dry matter production per hectare between G50 and G75 (1,707 vs954 kg DM/ha). Irrigation increased dry matter production by 22 \% (P <= 0.05) compared to rainfed (1,524 vs 1,245 kg DM/ha). No differences (P > 0.05) were found due to the type and intensity of utilization in the content of CP, NDF and ADF, however, ADF increased (P <= 0.05) in irrigated plots. Similarly, in vitro digestibility of DM was higher (P < 0.05) in H50 than in the grazed plots G50 and G75 (55.7, 53.0 and 52.7\%). It is concluded that buffelgrass production increased with grazing, but IVDMD was better in manually trimmed forage.