Annual dry matter yield and nutritive value of improved grasses for dairy production in Malaysia

W.E. Wan Hassan

Abstract

An evaluation study on dry matter yield and nutritive value at two, four, six, and eight-week cutting intervals within three years was carried out. Five species of locally grown improved grasses namely Brachiaria decumbens, Digitaria setivalva, USDA 299892, Panicum maximum cv. Coloniao. Pennisetum purpureum and Setaria sphecalata var. Splendida were used. The grasses were fertilized with 300 kg N, 50 kg P and 100 kg K/ha. yr in split applications after each cutting. The results showed that 17 - 26 t DM/ha. yr of medium quality forage (7 - 9 MJ metabolisable energy/kg DM) could be obtained from these grasses. Dry matter yield of all grasses in the second and third year was approximately half that of the first year's. These was no significant difference in DM yield between the grasses in the first year of production but in the second and third year, Digitaria produced the lowest DM yield and all grasses cut at two and four-week intervals required replanting after one to two years. The chemical contents were significantly different between the grasses. Dry matter yield and CF content increased significantly with increase in CI while CP, ash and EE contents decreased markedly with increased in CI (P<0.01). Similarly in vitro DMD declined significantly with increased in CI (P<0.01). The results of this experiment also showed that quality, DM yield and persistency to defoliation of these grasses are interrelated. Long CI increased yield and persistency but decreased quality while short CI increased quality but decreased yield and persistency. Although this study showed tiat the best CI with respect to quality, DM yield and persistency was between six to eight-week CI, further work with lactating cows to determine milk production potential for each species and the management system applicable for Malaysian dairy smallholders is suggested.

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