Description
This study was carried out to investigate the influence of plant spacing and grazing frequency on the in vitro gas production, digestibility, and methane production of Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) and Elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus) in the humid southwest part of Nigeria. The experiment was laid in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement in a split-split-plot design with three replicates, which consisted of two grazing frequency (3 and 6-week) as the main plot, two grass species: Guinea grass (M. maximus) and Elephant grass (C. purpureus) as the sub plot and two plant spacing (1m x 1m and 0.5m x 1m) as the sub-sub plot. A total area of 2496 m2 of an existing plot established April 2019 was used in conducting this experiment. In May 2020, the grasses were cut back at the commencement of this experiment to 15cm above ground surface and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer was applied 8 days after cut back at the rate of 120 kg N/ha. The result showed a significant (Pin vitro gas production, digestibility (IVDMD) and methane gas production. The CP content of C. purpureus (18.14 %) grazed at 3-week GF with 1 m x 1 m spacing was significantly (PM. maximus grazed at 3-week at the narrower spacing with the IVDMD been the highest (64.53% DM) and the least gas volume was produced by C. purpureus grazed at 3-week with a narrower spacing, whereas the least digested was C. purpureus grazed at 6-week with narrower spacing. The methane production of C. purpureus grazed at 3-week with wider spacing was the least (5.53 ml/200mg DM) while the highest methane was produced by M. maximus also grazed at 3-week with 0.5m x 1m spacing though not statistically (P>0.05) different from the methane of same species with same plant spacing at 6-week grazing frequency. It can be concluded that grazing at 3-week grazing frequency and narrower spacing will help reduce methane for C. purpureus and improve digestibility for M. maximus.
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In vitro Digestibility and Methane Production of Two Tropical Grasses: Plant Spacing and Grazing Frequency
This study was carried out to investigate the influence of plant spacing and grazing frequency on the in vitro gas production, digestibility, and methane production of Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) and Elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus) in the humid southwest part of Nigeria. The experiment was laid in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement in a split-split-plot design with three replicates, which consisted of two grazing frequency (3 and 6-week) as the main plot, two grass species: Guinea grass (M. maximus) and Elephant grass (C. purpureus) as the sub plot and two plant spacing (1m x 1m and 0.5m x 1m) as the sub-sub plot. A total area of 2496 m2 of an existing plot established April 2019 was used in conducting this experiment. In May 2020, the grasses were cut back at the commencement of this experiment to 15cm above ground surface and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer was applied 8 days after cut back at the rate of 120 kg N/ha. The result showed a significant (Pin vitro gas production, digestibility (IVDMD) and methane gas production. The CP content of C. purpureus (18.14 %) grazed at 3-week GF with 1 m x 1 m spacing was significantly (PM. maximus grazed at 3-week at the narrower spacing with the IVDMD been the highest (64.53% DM) and the least gas volume was produced by C. purpureus grazed at 3-week with a narrower spacing, whereas the least digested was C. purpureus grazed at 6-week with narrower spacing. The methane production of C. purpureus grazed at 3-week with wider spacing was the least (5.53 ml/200mg DM) while the highest methane was produced by M. maximus also grazed at 3-week with 0.5m x 1m spacing though not statistically (P>0.05) different from the methane of same species with same plant spacing at 6-week grazing frequency. It can be concluded that grazing at 3-week grazing frequency and narrower spacing will help reduce methane for C. purpureus and improve digestibility for M. maximus.
