ISSN 2375-1185
African Journal of Agronomy ISSN 2375-1177 Vol. 7 (1), pp. 001-007, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Forage yield and nutritive value of natural pastures at varying levels of maturity in North West Lowlands of Ethiopia
Bilatu Agza*, Binyam Kassa, Solomon Zewdu, Eskinder Aklilu and Ferede Alemu
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Animal Science Research Process, Ethiopia.
Accepted 14 October, 2018
Abstract
A study was conducted to describe forage yield and nutritive value of natural pasture at varying harvesting time from Metekel area. An area of 2,414 m2 natural pasture was enclosed in three districts at the beginning of the main rainy season in two consecutive years and harvesting was made at 10 days interval starting from late July to November. The average yield of the natural pasture in the study area was 5.40 ton DM/ha. The dry matter yield was significantly (P<0.05) increased in advancing flowering while crude protein and in vitro organic matter digestibility was decreased, as expected. Unlike acid detergent fiber which increased significantly (p<0.05) with maturity, the neutral detergent fiber and hemicellulose level of the pasture was not significantly different (p>0.05) between harvestings. Despite poor balance of grass and legume combinations which contributed for lower protein content and digestibility, the natural pasture of Metekel zone has a high productivity in relation to total DM yield. It could be concluded that appropriate harvesting time for quality hay making is at 40 to 80% of flowering and after 17±2 weeks of precipitation.
Key words: Metekel lowlands, ruminant, grazing land, biomass yield, chemical composition, Benishangul-gumuz.