Effects of stocking rate on the performance of Drgitaria setivalva Stent and goat production

C. P. Chen and C. Devendra

 Abstract

A continuous grazing experiment with set stocking rates of 20,40,60 and 80  heads/ha using Katjang goats was carried out on nitrogen-fertilized Digitaria setivalva Stent to assess the effects on pasture performance and animal production. Good live weight gains of 22.3-49.7 g/head per day (109.5-496.5 kg/ha per year) were obtained from grazing goats. The optimal stocking rate with stable pasture production was 20-40 goats/ha. High stocking rate of 20 goats/ha was understocked, resulting in dry matter (DM) on offer at the end of the trial as high as 3500 kg/ha with good botanical composition of 57% Digit grass, 1.5% bare-ground and 32.4% weeds, in comparison to the DM on offer of 1444 kg/ha and with respective botanical composition of 36, 3.4 and 46.1% at the stocking rate of 40 goats/ha. Good pasture production was detected with leaf to stem rations of 0.79:1 to 0.98:1, giving mean DM digestibility of 58.1% for leaves and 47.5% for stems. The DM digestibility of 59.4-67.1% was recorded with grazing goats at the low stocking rate (20 goats/ha). There were strong relationships between rainfall, stocking rate, pasture yield and sward components such as leaf, stem and dead materials.

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