Forage value of vegetative leaf and stem biomass fractions of selected grasses indigenous to African rangelands

Kevin Z. Mganga; Aphaxard J.N. Ndathi; Stephen M. Wambua; Luwieke Bosma; Eric M. Kaindi; Theophilus Kioko; Nancy Kadenyi; Gilbert K. Musyoki; Frank Van Steenbergen; Nashon K.R. Musimba

doi:10.1071/AN19597

Forage value of vegetative leaf and stem biomass fractions of selected grasses indigenous to African rangelands

Kevin Z. Mganga^*, Aphaxard J.N. Ndathi, Stephen M. Wambua, Luwieke Bosma, Eric M. Kaindi, Theophilus Kioko, Nancy Kadenyi, Gilbert K. Musyoki, Frank Van Steenbergen, Nashon K.R. Musimba

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Context: Rangeland grasses native to Africa constitute the main diet for free-ranging livestock and wild herbivores. Leaf:stem ratio is a key characteristic used for assessing quality of forages. However, studies to determine the allocation of biomass to leaves and stems as well as chemical components and nutritive value, especially of grasses in African rangelands, are rare. Aim: This study was conducted to establish biomass allocation and chemical and mineral components in leaf and stem fractions of three grasses, Eragrostis superba, Enteropogon macrostachyus and Cenchrus ciliaris, all indigenous to African rangelands. Methods: Plant height, plant densities, plant tiller densities and biomass yields were estimated at the elongation stage, before inflorescence. Chemical and mineral components were determined from biomass harvested at the vegetative phase for all three grass species. Dry matter, ash content, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, and calcium, phosphorus and potassium contents were determined. Key results: Enteropogon macrostachyus displayed significantly greater plant and tiller densities and plant height than the other two species. Leaf and stem biomass fractions varied significantly (P < 0.05) among grasses. Leaf:stem ratio of E. superba was double that of E. macrostachyus and C. ciliaris. Crude protein and organic matter yields and net energy for lactation were highest (P < 0.05) in E. superba leaf biomass, as was Ca content. Conclusions: Eragrostis superba demonstrated greater potential as a forage species for ruminant animal production than E. macrostachyus and C. ciliaris. Implications: Eragrostis superba is a key forage species that warrants promotion in pasture establishment programs in its native environments.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1476-1483
Number of pages	8
Journal	Animal Production Science
Volume	61
Issue number	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1071/AN19597
Publication status	Published - Sept 2021
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research and Science (NWO-WOTRO) for Global Development under the Food and Business Applied Research Fund (ARF) (grant no. 3350). The authors dedicate this manuscript to the late Professor Nashon K. R. Musimba, who passed on during the implementation of this work under the ‘Rainwater harvesting from roads for indigenous pasture production and improved rural livelihoods in Kenya’ (ROFIP) project. Additional information of the ROFIP project can be found here https://knowledge4food.net/research-project/arf3-kenya-rofip/

Publisher Copyright:
© CSIRO 2021 Open Access.

Funding

This work was supported by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research and Science (NWO-WOTRO) for Global Development under the Food and Business Applied Research Fund (ARF) (grant no. 3350). The authors dedicate this manuscript to the late Professor Nashon K. R. Musimba, who passed on during the implementation of this work under the ‘Rainwater harvesting from roads for indigenous pasture production and improved rural livelihoods in Kenya’ (ROFIP) project. Additional information of the ROFIP project can be found here https://knowledge4food.net/research-project/arf3-kenya-rofip/

Keywords

African foxtail grass
buffel grass
bush rye grass
dryland
Maasai love grass
nutrition
pastoralists
reseeding
ruminants
semiarid

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AN19597Final published version, 213 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{801151a148aa4e9d98b13250f514c6d1,

title = "Forage value of vegetative leaf and stem biomass fractions of selected grasses indigenous to African rangelands",

abstract = "Context: Rangeland grasses native to Africa constitute the main diet for free-ranging livestock and wild herbivores. Leaf:stem ratio is a key characteristic used for assessing quality of forages. However, studies to determine the allocation of biomass to leaves and stems as well as chemical components and nutritive value, especially of grasses in African rangelands, are rare. Aim: This study was conducted to establish biomass allocation and chemical and mineral components in leaf and stem fractions of three grasses, Eragrostis superba, Enteropogon macrostachyus and Cenchrus ciliaris, all indigenous to African rangelands. Methods: Plant height, plant densities, plant tiller densities and biomass yields were estimated at the elongation stage, before inflorescence. Chemical and mineral components were determined from biomass harvested at the vegetative phase for all three grass species. Dry matter, ash content, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, and calcium, phosphorus and potassium contents were determined. Key results: Enteropogon macrostachyus displayed significantly greater plant and tiller densities and plant height than the other two species. Leaf and stem biomass fractions varied significantly (P < 0.05) among grasses. Leaf:stem ratio of E. superba was double that of E. macrostachyus and C. ciliaris. Crude protein and organic matter yields and net energy for lactation were highest (P < 0.05) in E. superba leaf biomass, as was Ca content. Conclusions: Eragrostis superba demonstrated greater potential as a forage species for ruminant animal production than E. macrostachyus and C. ciliaris. Implications: Eragrostis superba is a key forage species that warrants promotion in pasture establishment programs in its native environments. ",

keywords = "African foxtail grass, buffel grass, bush rye grass, dryland, Maasai love grass, nutrition, pastoralists, reseeding, ruminants, semiarid",

author = "Mganga, {Kevin Z.} and Ndathi, {Aphaxard J.N.} and Wambua, {Stephen M.} and Luwieke Bosma and Kaindi, {Eric M.} and Theophilus Kioko and Nancy Kadenyi and Musyoki, {Gilbert K.} and {Van Steenbergen}, Frank and Musimba, {Nashon K.R.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research and Science (NWO-WOTRO) for Global Development under the Food and Business Applied Research Fund (ARF) (grant no. 3350). The authors dedicate this manuscript to the late Professor Nashon K. R. Musimba, who passed on during the implementation of this work under the {\textquoteleft}Rainwater harvesting from roads for indigenous pasture production and improved rural livelihoods in Kenya{\textquoteright} (ROFIP) project. Additional information of the ROFIP project can be found here https://knowledge4food.net/research-project/arf3-kenya-rofip/ Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} CSIRO 2021 Open Access.",

year = "2021",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1071/AN19597",

language = "English",

volume = "61",

pages = "1476--1483",

journal = "Animal Production Science",

issn = "1836-0939",

publisher = "CSIRO",

number = "14",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Forage value of vegetative leaf and stem biomass fractions of selected grasses indigenous to African rangelands

AU - Mganga, Kevin Z.

AU - Ndathi, Aphaxard J.N.

AU - Wambua, Stephen M.

AU - Bosma, Luwieke

AU - Kaindi, Eric M.

AU - Kioko, Theophilus

AU - Kadenyi, Nancy

AU - Musyoki, Gilbert K.

AU - Van Steenbergen, Frank

AU - Musimba, Nashon K.R.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research and Science (NWO-WOTRO) for Global Development under the Food and Business Applied Research Fund (ARF) (grant no. 3350). The authors dedicate this manuscript to the late Professor Nashon K. R. Musimba, who passed on during the implementation of this work under the ‘Rainwater harvesting from roads for indigenous pasture production and improved rural livelihoods in Kenya’ (ROFIP) project. Additional information of the ROFIP project can be found here https://knowledge4food.net/research-project/arf3-kenya-rofip/ Publisher Copyright: © CSIRO 2021 Open Access.

PY - 2021/9

Y1 - 2021/9

N2 - Context: Rangeland grasses native to Africa constitute the main diet for free-ranging livestock and wild herbivores. Leaf:stem ratio is a key characteristic used for assessing quality of forages. However, studies to determine the allocation of biomass to leaves and stems as well as chemical components and nutritive value, especially of grasses in African rangelands, are rare. Aim: This study was conducted to establish biomass allocation and chemical and mineral components in leaf and stem fractions of three grasses, Eragrostis superba, Enteropogon macrostachyus and Cenchrus ciliaris, all indigenous to African rangelands. Methods: Plant height, plant densities, plant tiller densities and biomass yields were estimated at the elongation stage, before inflorescence. Chemical and mineral components were determined from biomass harvested at the vegetative phase for all three grass species. Dry matter, ash content, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, and calcium, phosphorus and potassium contents were determined. Key results: Enteropogon macrostachyus displayed significantly greater plant and tiller densities and plant height than the other two species. Leaf and stem biomass fractions varied significantly (P < 0.05) among grasses. Leaf:stem ratio of E. superba was double that of E. macrostachyus and C. ciliaris. Crude protein and organic matter yields and net energy for lactation were highest (P < 0.05) in E. superba leaf biomass, as was Ca content. Conclusions: Eragrostis superba demonstrated greater potential as a forage species for ruminant animal production than E. macrostachyus and C. ciliaris. Implications: Eragrostis superba is a key forage species that warrants promotion in pasture establishment programs in its native environments.

AB - Context: Rangeland grasses native to Africa constitute the main diet for free-ranging livestock and wild herbivores. Leaf:stem ratio is a key characteristic used for assessing quality of forages. However, studies to determine the allocation of biomass to leaves and stems as well as chemical components and nutritive value, especially of grasses in African rangelands, are rare. Aim: This study was conducted to establish biomass allocation and chemical and mineral components in leaf and stem fractions of three grasses, Eragrostis superba, Enteropogon macrostachyus and Cenchrus ciliaris, all indigenous to African rangelands. Methods: Plant height, plant densities, plant tiller densities and biomass yields were estimated at the elongation stage, before inflorescence. Chemical and mineral components were determined from biomass harvested at the vegetative phase for all three grass species. Dry matter, ash content, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, and calcium, phosphorus and potassium contents were determined. Key results: Enteropogon macrostachyus displayed significantly greater plant and tiller densities and plant height than the other two species. Leaf and stem biomass fractions varied significantly (P < 0.05) among grasses. Leaf:stem ratio of E. superba was double that of E. macrostachyus and C. ciliaris. Crude protein and organic matter yields and net energy for lactation were highest (P < 0.05) in E. superba leaf biomass, as was Ca content. Conclusions: Eragrostis superba demonstrated greater potential as a forage species for ruminant animal production than E. macrostachyus and C. ciliaris. Implications: Eragrostis superba is a key forage species that warrants promotion in pasture establishment programs in its native environments.

KW - African foxtail grass

KW - buffel grass

KW - bush rye grass

KW - dryland

KW - Maasai love grass

KW - nutrition

KW - pastoralists

KW - reseeding

KW - ruminants

KW - semiarid

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106896662&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1071/AN19597

DO - 10.1071/AN19597

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85106896662

SN - 1836-0939

VL - 61

SP - 1476

EP - 1483

JO - Animal Production Science

JF - Animal Production Science

IS - 14

ER -

Forage value of vegetative leaf and stem biomass fractions of selected grasses indigenous to African rangelands

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

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