Maintaining the nutritive value of Pennisetum clandestinum for milk production.

Abstract

The amount of milk which can be produced by cows grazing Pennisetum clandestinum (kikuyu) is dependant on several management factors. These factors relate to the nutritive value and intake of the herbage on offer and include palatability, TDN, protein and moisture content. On Kikuyu pastures at Cedara in the Natal mistbelt (bioclimatic gp. 3), grown on high potential soils, daily milk yields without supplementation of 45 l per hectare can be attained over a 195 day summer grazing period. The milk yield can be increased to 66 l per hectare with an energy supplement such as maize meal. Similar results have been reported for cows grazing kikuyu pastures grown on high potential soils at Eston, near Pietermaritzburg, (bioclimatic gp. 2) in the coast hinterland region.

Keywords: animal performance; cedara; cows; energy; grazing; herbage; intake; kikuyu; kikuyu pastures; management; milk production; moisture content; natal; palatability; pastures; pennisetum clandestinum; pietermaritzburg; protein; south africa; summer grazing; yield