EFFECT OF DEFOLIATION FREQUENCY ON HERBAGE YIELD AND QUALITY OF RHODES GRASS (Chloris gayana) IN JOS, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of defoliation frequencies on dry matter yield and quality of Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. The experimental treatments were three cutting frequencies; cut 1 (T1), cut 2 (T2) and cut 3 (T3) with six weeks cutting interval between each cuts. The Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used with three replicates per treatment. Results revealed that, Dry matter yield, Fresh biomass yield and plant cell wall constituents viz. NDF, ADF, Lignin and Hemicellulose contents decreased significantly (P < 0.05) from T1 to T3. However,crude protein (CP), Ash and EE contents increased significantly (P < 0.05) from T1 to T3. The various mineral elements as well as the dry matter intake (DMI), dry matter digestibility (DDM), relative feeding value (RFV) and total digestible energy (TDN) contents also increased (P < 0.05) from T1 to T3. CP content increased from 9.1 in T1 to 12.1% in T3, DDM content increased from 57.9 in T1 to 61.6 % in T3 and TDN content from 50.5 in T1 to 56.0% in T3, respectively. The study has shown that harvesting Chloris gayana at later cuts provided more better quality and digestible nutrients which exceeded the minimum trace hold of 7% required by ruminants for body maintenance. Therefore, the forage crops could be grown and harvested up to three cuts within a growing season in Jos, Nigeria.