By Beatrice Wendoh 
Calliandra calothyrsus is a small, leguminous tree with characteristic pink flowers. It grows in a wide range of climatic and soil conditions, from the sea level to the highlands, but it performs best in coffee zones. Acidic soils, waterlogging and frost affect its growth and its economic benefits can be realized in the first year of planting. The tree can produce fodder continuously for more than 10 years. It can be grown in various sites on the farm since it does not compete with crops growing adjacent to it, as long as it is properly managed to reduce the shading effect.
There are at least six good reasons for growing calliandra in your farm-
Calliandra improves milk production of both dairy cattle and goats. It can also be fed to other types of livestock such as sheep, rabbits and chicken. A cow needs to be fed with roughly 6kg of fresh leaves per day, a goat about 0.7kg. to harvest 6kg fresh leaves every day, you need to plant 500 calliandra trees at a spacing of 0.5m (1½ ft), making 250m (800 ft) of hedge. This seems like a lot but a farm of 1 hectare (1½ acres) has over 400 metres (1280 ft) of external boundary, plus additional sites (along internal boundaries, along contours, around the homestead) where calliandra can be planted.
Calliandra, being a leguminous species, has root nodules that fix nitrogen from the air. This fixation process helps in improving soil fertility because nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for plant growth. Animals fed with calliandra produce high quality manure.
Calliandra has a deep root system. When planted along soil conservation structures, it plays a significant role in holding the soil together. It performs well in soil conservation when planted adjacent to lines of napier grass on “fanya juu” and “fanya chini” terraces. The trees need to be planted at a closed spacing of 0.5 metres (1½ ft). They should also be 0.5 metres above the napier line.
It is advisable that you preserve some calliandra trees for seed production so that you will not need to rely on external sources for future planting. The same trees provide excellent bee forage, so you have additional benefit of honey production. Leave one tree uncut every 20 metres (about 20 steps) and make sure the total number left is more than 30. This improves the chances of cross-pollination and ensures that the seeds produced are of high genetic quality. In case you leave less than 30 trees, exchange seeds with neighbors and mix seeds from different sources before sowing.
If left to grow uncut, calliandra produces quality fuelwood. The wood burns better and has less smoke if left to dry well before use.
Stakes produced by calliandra are good support for other plants such as climbing beans and tomatoes.
Locate your nursery near a reliable water source such as a river, a spring, a borehole, a dep well, or reliable piped water. Ensure that the nursery has access to water throughout the 3 – 4 months it will be in use.
The seedbed should be about 1 metre (3 feet) in width and can be as long as the available space allows, but 3 metres is the usual length. A path of 0.6 metres (2 ft) should be left between two adjacent seedbeds for ease of access to both beds. A bed of 1 x 3 metres can produce 400 seedlings.
After you have decided on the nursery area, apply manure to the beds at the rate of 1 part of manure to 4 parts of soil; this translates to 1 “debe” of manure for every 3 metre length of the nursery. Mix the soil and the manure well.
Pile up the soil and manure mixture to make a raised seedbed with a height of about 10 – 15 centimetres (4 – 6 inches), and then level the soil.
Support the sides of the bed with materials like banana stems, timber or stones and prop them firmly with wooden pegs or stones.
It is very important that the bed is level and texture of the soil is fine, so as to increase the rate of seed germination.
A seedbed of 1 x 3 metres produces about 400 seedlings and requires 40g of seed. 1½kg is sufficient for planting a nursery bed 40m long. This bed will produce about 5300 seedlings, enough to feed 10 cows. This means that 100g of seeds would need a seedbed of about 7.5m that can produce approximately 1000 seedlings, adequate to feed 2 cows.
To ensure good germination, you need to soak the seeds in cold water for 2 days (48 hrs).
Make a furrow about 2cm (1 inch) deep in your bed for accurate sowing. Place the seeds in the furrow and cover them lightly with soil. Space the furrows 10cm (4 inches) apart, and leave 5cm between seeds within the furrow. Avoid putting the seeds too deep into the soil because this will make them rot.
Water the bed thoroughly immediately after sowing. You can use a watering can, perforated tin or leafy branches. If termites are not a problem in your area, cover the seedbed with dry grass until the seeds germinate.
If you can afford tubing materials, remove the seedlings after they produce 2 leaves and plant them in tubes filled with soil mixed with manure at the same rate as that for raised beds. Using the tube is an extra cost, but it improves the survival rate of the seedlings, especially if there is shortage of water.
It is important to have a level nursery bed and fine soil texture, so as to improve on seed germination.
Use your hand to estimate distances if you do not have measuring equipment. For example, the width of the palm is about 10cm (4 inches) and the length of the first digit of the pointing finger is about 2.5cm (1 inch).
As with beans, calliandra roots have the ability to join with Rhizobium to form root nodules that fix nitrogen.
In most cases the Rhizobium population in the soil is not enough to form adequate amounts of root nodules for nitrogen fixation. It is therefore important to get Rhizobium from external sources.
The inoculant can be applied to calliandra seeds or young seedlings. For seedlings, mix the inoculant with water in a bucket and stir thoroughly using a stick. A packet of 200g of inoculant can make a solution of 60litres, which is enough for 40 metres of nursery bed in which about 500g of seed has been sown. Water the seedlings thoroughly before applying the inoculant in the soil. Apply the Rhizobium using leafy branches, repeatedly dipping them into inoculant solution and shaking it off on the seedlings.
If the inoculant is to be applied to seeds, mix it with water to make a solution. Mix the pre-soaked seeds with the solution and sow immediately avoiding excessive exposure to heat and light.
If the Rhizobium is obtained from the soil beneath mature calliandra trees, scoop the topsoil and spread it on the nursery bed before sowing seeds. The Rhizobium will be incorporated into soil and will assist the plant to grow.
Rhizobium inoculants consist of microorganisms that are destroyed by heat and light, therefore it is best to apply it in the late evening.
The following management practices are recommended for calliandra seedlings to enhance their survival:
Carefully observe the moisture level in the nursery bed and water whenever it becomes dry. It is important to water the bed sufficiently (but not too much) in the first 10 – 14 days after sowing before the seeds germinate. The seedlings should never look limp from moisture stress or suffer from damping off because of excess water.
It may be necessary to water the seedlings twice a day – in the morning and evening – especially within the first 2 months after sowing the seeds. Use a watering can, perforated tin or leafy branches. Watering may be reduced to once a day, preferably late in the evening.
Make a shade structure 1m in height and cover lightly with grass or tree leaves ensuring that some light passes through. Avoid using branches from eucalyptus tree since its fallen leaves inhibit germination of other plant species. As the seedlings grow, gradually reduce the shade to get the seedlings used to full sunlight.
Remove all types of weeds as soon as you notice them to ensure better growth of the calliandra seedlings. Never allow your seedlings to be choked by weeds.
Pests like crickets, grasshoppers and cutworms can cause heavy losses of seedlings if left unchecked. A good and cheap remedy against cutworm is fresh ash, which should be sprinkled around seedlings. Some farmers apply mixtures made from plants like tobacco and garlic to repel insect pests.
Calliandra seedlings are ready for transplanting 3 – 4 months after sowing. Depending on the weather, 2 weeks before planting you should reduce watering to once every 2 – 3 days. By this time you should have completely removed the shading materials covering the nursery bed to prepare the seedlings to withstand the field conditions when they are transplanted.
Prepare the planting holes in advance on an appropriate site before removing the seedlings from the nursery. If manure is available, apply a 1kg tin of manure to every hole and mix well with the soil.
Remove the seedlings carefully from the nursery bed after watering the bed thoroughly. The best method involves using a sharp panga to first cut between the rows, then between the seedlings to form squares, and lastly under the seedlings so that you can lift the seedling with a cube of soil attached to the roots. This improves survival in the field.
Place a number of seedlings in a container such as a bucket or basin for safe and convenient transportation to the field. Cover the seedlings with moist cloth or paper and take them to the planting site immediately. Prepare only as many seedlings as you can plant in one hour.
By xtalia farms Setaria (Setaria sphacelata) is a densely tufted perennial grass that is widely distributed in Kenya. It originated from Nandi in 1935. There are three varieties, i.e. Nandi setaria, Narok setaria and Kazungula.
It grows to a height of 2m and has short rhizomes and noded stolons. The leaves are long and narrow without hairs. The leaf sheaths are firm and leaf blades have long narrow and parallel veins having a characteristic tapering pointed ends. The plant forms a broad base and provide sufficient cover in a uniform sod.
The grass is readily established from seeds. It can persist well when moderate grazing is practiced where rainfall is between 1500 and 2900mm annually.
The grass becomes coarse and stemmy if not properly managed. It als forms stemmy structures on the onset of dry periods even under good management. It can tolerate little frost and water logging. Young seedlings have deep bluish green leaves which arise from black purple tinged basal shoot.
Under fertile and good moisture conditions leaves can grow to 50cm in length and this signifies maturity of the grass. Once this stage is reached tall stems appear from the central position of the plant. Seed head emerges which are long, cylindrical in shape and densely packed. Growth, maturity and flowering are not uniform between the plants. Once properly established, setaria are more persistent than Rhodes grass and therefore forms very good grazing areas if properly managed.
The herbage is of good quality if the grass is grown in moderate to high fertile soil and this drops in low quality soil. Soils should therefore be fertile, in good rainfall and careful grazing management to eliminate the coarse material that occurs under bad management.
The dry matter (DM) production is high at 8 – 10 ton/ha/yr if mowed at intervals of 8 weeks. Seeding rate is at 4 – 6 Kg/ha. The seeds are small therefore should not be planted too deep.
| Climate | It can grow in a wide range of areas but is more common in medium to high altitude areas with rainfall ranging from 700 to 2000 mm per year. |
| Soil | Will grow under a wide range of soil conditions but does best on sandy or loamy soils of good fertility. It withstands water logging. |
| Site | Setaria can be grown in cut-and-carry as well as grazed plots. It can also be grown in strips along contours for soil erosion control. |
| Preparation | Prepare a fne seedbed by ploughing and harrowing at least once. Harrow after the weeds have emerged to reduce competition during establishment. Sow immediately after harrowing. |
| Planting | Plant early to middle of the rainy season. Where there are two rainy seasons, it is best to plant during the short rainy season. Setaria can be established from seed, splits or rooted cuttings but is best estab lished from seed. Sow seed when the soil is loose (dry). Make furrows 25 cm apart using a peg. Drill the seeds in the furrows no deeper than 2 cm, using a seed rate of about 12 kg per hectare. Cover the seeds lightly by pulling light tree branches over the furrows. If using splits or cuttings, plant on ridges, using a spacing of 20 cm between plants and 50 cm between rows. |
| Fertilizer |
If manure is available, a generous amount should be worked into the soil during seedbed preparation or put into the planting furrows/holes and thoroughly mixed with soil. In addition, apply 125 kg NPK fertilizer per hectare at planting time. After the frst harvest apply 250 kg NPK fertilizer per hectare each year. |
| Weeding | Keep the plot weed-free especially during the initial period of establishment. After the grass is well established, it competes well with weeds. |
| Pests | General pests such as army worm and locusts may pose a threat to setaria but there are no important diseases. |
| Feeding |
Start harvesting or grazing soon after flowering. Initially it should be lightly grazed but once well established, graze heavily to prevent it becoming tough. When cutting, cut to 10 cm from the ground. |
By Peter Muiru Improved mobile feed troughs can be open or sheltered. Regular shifting to avoid muddy and wet conditions ensures that cattle are fed on a clean and hygienic environment. The sheltered improved mobile feed trough is better because it protects the feed and reduces losses associated with the weather.
The cost of constructing a zero grazing unit is normally high for most farmers but owing to small land sizes they are forced to raise dairy cattle in systems akin to zero grazing. But the feeding environment is usually so bad such that losses outweigh the benefits. It is estimated that about 50% offered this way is usually wasted.
Farmers have devised many ways of enclosing their animals and feeding them
there. Most of them are roofless enclosures on earth floors where feed and water troughs are provided. Some farmers just place the feeds on the ground. Accumulation of urine, dung and mud particularly in the wet season rapidly worsens the hygienic condition and predisposes the cows to pests, parasites and diseases. The animal becomes extremely uncomfortable which ultimately results in reduced milk production.
This situation need not continue because there is an affordable and better way of presenting the feeds to the cows without constructing a conventional zero grazing unit. Feeds constitute over 70% of the cost of production and all efforts should be made to improve its utilization for the farmer to realize maximum benefits. The use of improved feed trough will help the farmer to reduce the cost of feeding in the farm.
Use a 2 or 3m iron sheets mounted on 4 pillars. It should be elevated to prevent direct sunlight and rains.
The three sides should be open and one half closed to prevent cows feeding from any direction. This is important to reduce feed losses out of cattle feeding habits. Timber or suitable local materials can be used.
Timber is the most suitable material because of ease of cleaning. Other materials may be used. The feed trough should be large enough to contain roughage and long enough to accommodate all the animals. A spacing of 2.5 – 3.0ft (80 – 90cm) per adult animal is required.
Raise the floor of the feed troughs 6 inches (15 cm) above the floor. The inner wall should not be very high; the top should just touch the dew lap when the animal is feeding. Raise the outer wall high enough to prevent the animals approaching the feed trough from the opposite side and wasting feeds.
By Maurice Rangoma Feed planning and budgeting is the practice of planning the livestock feed supply to meet the nutritional requirements of the herd and production targets of the farm. In the process you as the producer will be able to:
Producers rely on pasture and fodder as a cheap source of feed for their ruminant animals where it constitutes 60 – 100% of feed intake. As fodder and pasture comprise 60 – 80% of the total production cost, farm profits depend on how well they are managed.
When planning for feed, take into account the farm plan, grazing plans and feed budget. Farm plans are long term plans that set production targets for homegrown feed and farm produce. Feed budgets are medium term plans that inspect management options that can overcome feed imbalances and make the best use of pastures and fodder, supplements and conserved feeds. Grazing plans are short term plans that maximize production and utilization of pastures and fodder through various grazing strategies. Integrate all these plans in a manner that maximize profit for the farm.
You will need to have an accurate knowledge of the seasonal pasture and fodder growth in the farm, the ability to estimate the pasture forage mass in the field, and knowledge of the grazing habits of dairy cows to be able to accomplish these.
As a first step, calculate the daily feed requirements of all the animals. Having estimated the total amount of pastures and fodder in the farm determine the length of time that the pastures and fodder can sustain the animals in the year. Finally draw a feed budget that takes into account any needed supplementation.
Differences in productivity and income between farms arise from differences in continuity of feed supply and level of feeding. Feed planning and budgeting foresees periods of surplus and deficit hence preparing the producer to maximize feed utilization and minimize wastage during surplus, and mitigate low feed intake during periods of deficit.
By Maurice Rangoma The table shows typical nutrient composition of commonly used grasses and legumes for feeding ruminants in Kenya. It is useful for formulating home made rations for dairy cattle, sheep, goats and other ruminants if their nutrient requirements are known. However in using this table, it should be noted that the compositions of feedstuff are never constant and vary because of various causes such as climate, soils and husbandry. Figures from actual analysis of feeds should be used where possible because they are more accurate. These are typical values arising from many years of research and should be used as a guide. Expect the figures to vary between 10 – 15% from actual feed analysis. These values are provided because it is often impossible to analyze all the available feedstuff.
This is usually a measure of the moisture content of a feedstuff such that the higher the value, the lower the moisture content. It can vary greatly causing variation in feedstuff composition. Chemical composition in a feedstuff is based on dry matter.
This is a measure of energy value of feedstuff expressed as Mega joules or Kilo calories per kilogram.
This has been the standard system for expressing the energy value of feedstuff usually expressed as percentage.
CP gives an indication of the protein content of feedstuff.
This is another measure of protein level of a feedstuff.
CF is a measure of fibre in a feedstuff.
These are two very important minerals in cattle.
Fodder |
% DM |
ME(MJ/Kg) |
% TDN |
% CP |
% DCP |
% CF |
% Ca |
% P |
GRASSES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chloris gayana (Rhodes grass) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 – 13 cm tall |
55 |
8.6 |
57 |
14.4 |
9.3 |
30 |
0.26 |
0.13 |
|
25 – 35 cm tall |
47 |
9.1 |
60 |
12.8 |
8.0 |
27.2 |
0.35 |
0.18 |
|
With some flowers |
23 |
8.8 |
58 |
6.6 |
2.9 |
29.8 |
0.36 |
0.18 |
|
Full flower |
23 |
9.1 |
60 |
7.2 |
3.4 |
29.1 |
0.41 |
0.20 |
|
Star grass (Cynodon dactylon) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 – 15cm tall |
53 |
9.5 |
63 |
25 |
20.4 |
22.7 |
0.27 |
0.13 |
|
15 – 17cm tall |
23 |
9.4 |
62 |
18.9 |
14.04 |
22 |
0.35 |
0.18 |
|
18 – 23 cm |
22 |
9.4 |
62 |
11.5 |
7.0 |
24.5 |
0.45 |
0.22 |
|
Full flower |
25 |
9.1 |
60 |
8.3 |
4.2 |
30.3 |
0.46 |
0.23 |
|
Hyperrhenia dissoluta |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Young leaf |
29 |
8.9 |
59 |
14.5 |
9.5 |
27.1 |
0.3 |
0.15 |
|
Leafy |
20 |
8.2 |
54 |
9.1 |
4.6 |
35 |
0.23 |
0.12 |
|
Stemmy |
14 |
7.3 |
48 |
4.6 |
1.4 |
41 |
0.15 |
0.07 |
|
Flowering / very stemmy |
12 |
7 |
46 |
3.8 |
1.0 |
42.3 |
0.15 |
0.08 |
|
Guinea grass (T/Nzoia variety) – full flower |
14 |
8.3 |
55 |
12 |
7 |
34.7 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
|
Guinea grass (Mackinon Road variety) – full flower |
14 |
8.2 |
54 |
8.3 |
4.3 |
37.0 |
0.27 |
0.13 |
|
Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Young |
24 |
9.4 |
62 |
20.8 |
15.9 |
22.8 |
0.22 |
0.11 |
|
Medium |
29 |
9.2 |
61 |
16.9 |
11.9 |
24.1 |
0.31 |
0.15 |
|
Mature / Dry |
17 |
9.5 |
63 |
10.9 |
6.5 |
22.3 |
0.27 |
0.13 |
|
Napier grass (Penisetum Purpureum) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Young |
22 |
8.3 |
55 |
11.4 |
66 |
32.7 |
0.21 |
0.11 |
|
Mature |
35 |
8.9 |
59 |
7 |
- |
31.4 |
0.24 |
0.12 |
|
Pennisetum schimperi (Early flowering) |
14 |
8.2 |
54 |
9.0 |
4.5 |
35.6 |
0.24 |
0.12 |
|
Pennisetum stramineum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Young |
12 |
8 |
53 |
6.1 |
2.4 |
37.2 |
0.35 |
0.17 |
|
Medium |
10 |
7.9 |
52 |
4.6 |
1.5 |
37.6 |
0.31 |
0.16 |
|
Mature / Dry |
6 |
6.1 |
40 |
2.4 |
0.4 |
40 |
0.21 |
0.1 |
|
Nandi setaria (Seteria sphacelata) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Young – 23cm |
23 |
9.4 |
62 |
15.1 |
10.3 |
22.9 |
0.25 |
0.13 |
|
Medium – 56cm |
22 |
9.2 |
61 |
12.5 |
7.8 |
26.8 |
0.21 |
0.1 |
|
Mature |
9 |
7.4 |
49 |
5.2 |
1.8 |
42.4 |
0.17 |
0.09 |
|
Red Oat (Themeda triandra) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Young |
12 |
8.3 |
55 |
6.7 |
2.9 |
35.2 |
0.16 |
0.08 |
|
Medium |
9 |
8.2 |
54 |
3.8 |
1.14 |
34.9 |
0.31 |
0.16 |
|
Mature |
7 |
6.4 |
42 |
2.7 |
0.5 |
34.7 |
0.26 |
0.13 |
|
Columbus grass |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Young |
17.6 |
|
|
9.8 |
|
31.3 |
- |
- |
|
Mature |
23.2 |
|
|
7.6 |
|
36.4 |
- |
- |
LEGUMES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Indigofera subulata (Early flowering) |
24 |
9.7 |
64 |
14.9 |
10.3 |
18.6 |
1.18 |
0.59 |
|
Kenya White Clover |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Early flower |
20 |
9.7 |
64 |
20.7 |
16 |
20.9 |
1.2 |
0.6 |
|
Advanced flowering |
19 |
9.1 |
60 |
14.3 |
9.4 |
25 |
1.23 |
0.61 |
|
Lucerne |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30 – 46cm |
30 |
9.5 |
63 |
24.4 |
19.6 |
24.1 |
0.8 |
0.4 |
|
Prebudding |
30 |
9.1 |
60 |
21 |
15.8 |
26.9 |
0.78 |
0.39 |
|
Budding / some flower |
30 |
8.9 |
59 |
18.9 |
13.7 |
28.3 |
0.78 |
0.39 |
|
Flowering |
25 |
8.6 |
57 |
19 |
13.6 |
30.8 |
0.85 |
0.42 |
|
Seradella |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
46cm |
10 |
10 |
66 |
24.9 |
20.1 |
17.6 |
0.81 |
0.4 |
|
Early podding |
10 |
9.2 |
61 |
11.2 |
6.7 |
25.6 |
0.89 |
0.45 |
|
Subterranean clover |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Early flower |
22 |
10.3 |
68 |
18.2 |
13.8 |
14.6 |
0.72 |
0.36 |
|
Full flower |
25 |
10.4 |
69 |
10 |
6 |
16.7 |
0.75 |
0.37 |
|
Common vetch |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Young |
17 |
- |
- |
34.5 |
- |
23.4 |
- |
- |
|
Mature |
88.5 |
- |
- |
19.2 |
- |
30.2 |
- |
- |
|
Leucaena |
24.5 |
- |
- |
24.5 |
- |
33.6 |
- |
- |
OTHERS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rape (Brassica) |
15 |
10.6 |
70 |
19.7 |
15.6 |
9.9 |
0.97 |
0.49 |
|
Kale (Thousand head) |
16 |
9.7 |
64 |
17.5 |
12.8 |
20 |
0.97 |
0.49 |
|
Maize (at tasselling) |
17 |
8.6 |
57 |
8.1 |
4 |
32 |
0.29 |
0.15 |
|
Oat |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31cm |
15 |
10.9 |
72 |
35.3 |
32.7 |
15.9 |
0.29 |
0.15 |
|
46 – 61cm |
20 |
9.4 |
62 |
30.2 |
15.4 |
21.9 |
0.23 |
0.11 |
|
Early flower |
23 |
9.7 |
64 |
9.1 |
5.0 |
22.0 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
|
Sudan grass (Sorghum Sudanese) |
19 |
8.9 |
59 |
15.8 |
10.7 |
28.3 |
0.25 |
0.13 |
|
Sweet potato tops |
17 |
10.6 |
70 |
18.1 |
13.9 |
10.7 |
0.55 |
0.28 |
|
Chicory (mature) |
12 |
10 |
66 |
15.4 |
11 |
15 |
1.11 |
0.56 |
|
Banana leaves |
20 |
9.7 |
64 |
16 |
11.3 |
20 |
0.35 |
0.18 |
|
Cana edulis leaves |
18 |
10 |
66 |
13.1 |
8.7 |
18 |
- |
- |
|
Fodder beet (Hunsballe) |
13 |
11.7 |
77 |
9.5 |
5.8 |
7.5 |
- |
- |
|
Mangold yellow gold |
13 |
11.2 |
74 |
12.4 |
8.4 |
7.5 |
- |
- |
SILAGE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maize performing cob |
28 |
8.6 |
57 |
9.8 |
5.3 |
31.8 |
- |
- |
|
Oats at piping |
30 |
8.7 |
56 |
6.7 |
2.9 |
33.3 |
- |
- |
|
Oats / Lupins |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23cm |
24 |
8.8 |
58 |
10.9 |
6.2 |
31 |
- |
- |
|
46cm |
25 |
8.9 |
59 |
15.9 |
10.8 |
28.3 |
- |
- |
|
61cm |
27 |
8.8 |
58 |
10 |
5.5 |
31.5 |
- |
- |
|
92cm |
28 |
8.6 |
57 |
7.6 |
3.6 |
32.8 |
- |
- |
|
Napier grass (Penisetum Purpureum) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Young |
26 |
8.3 |
55 |
11.4 |
6.6 |
32.7 |
- |
- |
|
Mature |
28 |
8.9 |
59 |
7.0 |
3.2 |
31.4 |
- |
- |
|
Pennisetum schimperi (Early flowering) |
10 |
8.2 |
54 |
9.0 |
4.5 |
35.6 |
- |
- |
HAY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
- |
|
Young and leafy |
78 |
8.8 |
58 |
14.7 |
9.73 |
28.9 |
0.33 |
0.16 |
|
Full flower |
83 |
8.5 |
56 |
7 |
2.71 |
33.1 |
0.33 |
0.16 |
|
Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) - Young and leafy |
79 |
8.8 |
58 |
14.1 |
9.1 |
28.4 |
0.33 |
0.16 |
|
Nandi setaria (Seteria sphacelata) - Young and leafy |
90 |
8.8 |
58 |
15.1 |
10 |
28.7 |
0.13 |
0.07 |
|
Oat |
90 |
9.1 |
60 |
6.1 |
2.6 |
29.4 |
0.17 |
0.09 |
|
Lucerne flowering |
88 |
8.6 |
57 |
18.9 |
13.6 |
28.9 |
0.67 |
0.34 |
STRAWS AND STOVERS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dolichos leaves / vines |
90 |
9.5 |
63 |
19.9 |
15.1 |
20.5 |
0.96 |
0.48 |
|
Maize stover |
88 |
7.4 |
49 |
3.7 |
1.0 |
39.6 |
0.07 |
0.04 |
|
Oat straw |
88 |
7.3 |
48 |
5.3 |
1.8 |
41.9 |
- |
- |
|
Sorghum stover |
88 |
5.7 |
38 |
2.8 |
0.5 |
43.1 |
- |
- |
|
Soyabean stover |
86 |
8.5 |
56 |
6.0 |
2.4 |
33.7 |
- |
- |
|
Banana leaves |
20 |
9.7 |
64 |
16 |
11.3 |
20 |
0.35 |
0.18 |
|
Cana edulis leaves |
18 |
10 |
66 |
13.1 |
8.7 |
18 |
- |
- |
|
Fodder beet (Hunsballe) |
13 |
11.7 |
77 |
9.5 |
5.8 |
7.5 |
- |
- |
|
Mangold yellow gold |
13 |
11.2 |
74 |
12.4 |
8.4 |
7.5 |
- |
- |
Page 3 of 8