Tropical perennial grasses - pasture quality and livestock production
Summary
Fertilised perennial tropical grasses have higher quality forage than other summer-growing forages such as forage sorghum and native pastures dominated by summer-growing grasses.
Pasture quality is optimised with good plant nutrition and grazing management.
Application of nitrogen increases crude protein levels by up to 5% which are maintained throughout the growing season.
Grazing management strategies that maintain the pasture in the vegetative growth stage and reduce the proportion of stem and dead material will also enhance feed quality.
Animal production will be highest when pasture quality is optimised.
With good management and average seasonal conditions tropical perennial grass pastures are capable of playing an important role in both cattle and sheep production systems in north west NSW.
Topics covered by this Primefact include:
- Achieving high quality tropical perennial grass pastures
- Animal production
- Role of tropical perennial grasses in cattle production systems
- Role of tropical perennial grasses in sheep production systems
- Animal health issues
