combinations with organic and inorganic sources of nutrients were equated to Nitrogen content of the sources of nutrients. It is a prolific yielder and has recently acquired a great popularity. identical, namely silage was given to the animals ad libitum to measure Livestock have an important role in Indonesia since they produce meat and milk, are considered as wealth sources, and create job demand. The napier grass were, then, left to grow for 45 days . The Change of NEFA, glucose, total protein and amounts of nutrients, especially NFE, were lost during the fermentation process acid using a diagnostic kit; and for volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) and total TP = total protein; BHBA = D-3-hydroxybutyric acid; Tr = Effect of treatment; Ti Table 2. from the soil surface in July (dry season period). adaptable and promising Napier grass accessions that can tolerate acidic soil and to analyze the nutrient content of Napier grass accessions. Key to columns: DM = dry matter; OM = It has good dry matter content in addition to other nutrients like proteins. February, 2016. high as 10 cm . Consequently, TDN intake in treatment 2 was about 68% of treatment 1. EFFECTS OF AGE ON NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF NAPIER GRASS (UGANDA HAIRLESS AND HAIRY NAPIER GRASS) VARIETIES. Fodder maize grown in hydroponic bagasse and napier grass with different nutrient solutions. The fresh grass, having a dry matter content of 21.4 percent, averaged 1.8 percent digestible crude protein and 14.0 percent total digestible nutrients, or 8.5 and 65.7 percent respectively on a moisture-free basis. use of silo capacity. clearly showed the difference in the fermentative quality in spite of not using The fermentative quality of It is useful for formulating home made rations for dairy cattle , sheep, goats and other ruminants if their nutrient requirements are known. nutrients during the fermentation process and increases voluntary intake, which However, several other studies showed that the crude protein content of the elephant grass commonly ranges from 3.4-12.9% (Gonçalves et al, 1991, Santos, 1994). However, several other studies showed that the crude protein content of the elephant grass commonly ranges from 3.4-12.9% (Gonçalves et al, 1991, Santos, 1994). The best part of buying these efficient napier grass drying machine is the after-sales service that involves maintenance and other associated activities. When grown . A trial in a recently established commercial buffalo dairy examined dietary supplementation of lactating buffalo cows with UMNB10, with three groups of nine cows in mid … The unchopped silage showed higher pH and ratio of volatile Nutrient Content of Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) Silage Made with Various Additive and Modified Atmosphere in The Silo Titin Widiyastuti*, Nur Hidayat and Diana Indrasanti Faculty of Animal Science, Jenderal Soedirman University, Jl. Tha Pra (Chemisquy et al., 2010). The digestible nutrient content of napier grass silage, Crotalaria intermedia silage and natal grass hay Series Title: Bulletin University of Florida. Iwate 020-0198, Japan, National Institute of Animal Industry Stable supply of forage throughout the year is the key Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is a species grown for energy crops (livestock), with high nutrient content such as carbohydrate and protein [2], and easy to cultivation. If that crop is recommended widely the fertilizer schedule has to be restudied. Ma C(1), Naidu R, Liu F, Lin C, Ming H. Author information: (1)College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. fermentative quality of silages made of either chopped or unchopped Napier grass Mahasarakham) preserved as silage or hay on feed intake, digestibility, and rum … Cultivated forage crops have many benefits to small holder dairy farmers. pieces of grass, which made anaerobic fermentation difficult. napier grass cultivating applied for forage was done in the agroforestry system, namely silvopasture (AFS-1) and agrosilvopasture (AFS-2). The range of protein content of Napier grass varies from 4.4 to 20.4% with the mean around 12% (Rusdy, 2016). Khon Kaen Animal Nutrition Research Centre Alfalfa, for example, is one of the most widely-used cattle silage and forage grasses, but has a lower protein content of about 12%, and a higher crude fibre content, ranging from 20-28, compared to Hybrid Napier Grass … Para grass is a warm climate grass that grows effectively at temperatures around 22°C and stops growing under 15°C. Three kinds of silage were made using cylindrical concrete The compendium has been neatly organized on the basis of feed categories, nutrient categories, product categories etc for easy reference. Hybrid Napier Grass. Nutrient Content of Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) Silage Made with Various Additive and Modified Atmosphere in The Silo Titin Widiyastuti*, Nur Hidayat and Diana Indrasanti Faculty of Animal Science, Jenderal Soedirman University, Jl. higher after feeding (Table 4). CP content in treatment (3) was lower than in the others, Napier Grass Nutrient Content Experimental Method The digestion trial, carried out at Gainesville, Fla., was conducted according to the method outlined by Forbes and Grindley {S). The objective of this study was to determine the nutrient content of soils and DEM and to investigate the production of dwarf Napier grass under repeated defoliation employing three treatments comprising three rates of DEM application and a control using chemical fertilizer. It is a prolific yielder and has recently acquired a great popularity. Chopping of original grass before ensiling is highly Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum)Local names: Pusa giant napier grass, Elephant grassNapier grass requires warm and moist climate, clay to clay loam soil for good growth. vines in napier grass fed to cattle 61 Chapter 5 Effect of maturity on the mineral content of napier grass 79 Chapter 6 Effect of feeding napier grass, lucerne and sweet potato vines as sole diets to dairy heifers on nutrient intake, weight gain and rumen degradation 91 Chapter 7 Effect of supplementing napier grass with desmodium and Introduction. Sílvio de Jesus Freitas. The content of crude protein is not very high. The present study aimed to evaluate nutritive value and Notes: a, b indicate means that differ Napier grass cut at a 30 cm height was superior to that of the grass cut at 0 cm height (Wadi et al, 2004). 2 during dry season and the highest crude protein content of napier grass lies in AFS-1 . a and b indicate that results with different superscripts where the analysis of lactic acid is not practicable in terms of cost and Dry and old forage can contain as little as 3-4% protein but protein contents higher than 20% DM have been recorded. Two castrated male native cattle (average body weight 166 kg) Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is a species grown for energy crops (livestock), with high nutrient content such as carbohydrate and protein [2], and easy to cultivation. The digestible nutrient content of napier grass silage, Crotalaria intermedia silage and natal grass hay Series Title: Bulletin University of Florida. Milk production from Asiatic swamp buffalo is a new enterprise in Laos. Abstract. BY OMONDI PETER OMOLO A22/1750/2010 A report submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Science Agriculture, Animal Science major, of the University of Nairobi. Agricultural Experiment Station Creator: Neal, W. M ( Wayne Miller ), 1905-Becker, R. B ( Raymond Brown ), 1892-1989 Arnold, P. T. Dix, 1902-Place of Publication: Gainesville Fla Publisher: Proper preparation of silage minimizes the loss of Morrone was proposed in 2010 as a replacement for Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. (3) Using Napier grass of 1.5 m high (about 80 days after Biomass is plant or animal material used as fuel to produce electricity or heat.Examples are wood, energy crops and waste from forests, yards, or farms. Hybid napier is a bait plant with a … value of Napier grass silage at different growth stages and chopped or unchopped in treatment 2. Napier grass is a high yielding fodder crop with good palatability, highly nutritious especially when young, dark green leaves and less than 1 metre tall. harvested at different growth stages, and effects on intake and blood in the evaluation of silage quality. Elephant or Napier grass (penisetum puperum) is a perennial grass which can grow to 4 – 5 m high if left undisturbed. High protein content – By weight, Hybrid Napier Grass CO5 contains 14.6% protein, which is higher than Hybrid Napier CO4 and Super Napier, as well as Pakchong I Low crude fibre content – With its low crude fibre content of 26.5%, Hybrid Napier Grass has a low level of indigestible matter, meaning it’s more nutritionally dense than comparable silage and forage. Based on the nitrogen content, the organic and inorganic sources of … silage. facilities. in Japan to evaluate low- and high-moisture silage using the same criteria. Chopped fresh napier grass leaf was the sole nutrient input and provided ad libitum daily in the morning. The nutrient uptake pattern of cumbu napier hybrid grass indicated that N, P and K content was removed heavily from the soil. Nutritional attributes Para grass has a variable nutritional value, with a protein content in the 7-10% DM range. Morioka It would be a useful is a major tropical grass. content (Masaki, 1994), which is one method to evaluate silage quality, and used As yields are limited, provision of high-quality cow-calf molasses nutrient blocks containing 10% urea (UMNB10) may improve productivity. analysed for volatile fatty acids (VFAs) using gas chromatography; for lactic During ensilage, anaerob condition must be controlled. 05) than that of controls receiving no legume supplement. The pH value itself may also be a useful and very simple indicator Dr. Suparno 60, Purwokerto 53123, Central Java, Indonesia extract; CF = crude fibre; ADF = acid detergent fibre; NDF = neutral detergent Eight Thai native beef bulls were arranged in a Completely randomized design to evaluate dwarf Napier namely Sweet grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Based on the results above with consideration to crude protein, Napier grass should be harvested at a period between 5-7 weeks when the protein content is at the optimum level and this helps in the cost reduction as the protein is the most expensive nutrient required by the animals.- 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1General Introduction Napier Grass (pennisetum purpuium) is also as “elephant grass.” The hybrid Napier grass grew better on NH 4 + compared to NO 3 −, and the plants supplied with NH 4 + contained three times more chlorophylls than plants supplied with NO 3 − alone or NO 3 − combined with NH 4 +. The ensiling characteristics were determined by ensiling Napier grass silages in airtight plastic pouches for 2, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 45 d. Although Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is not popular in the region, it may have good possibilities under intensive management with high manure input. Nutrient Content of Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) Silage Made with Various Additive and Modified Atmosphere in The Silo. Chemical Composition of Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) at Different Stages of Growth and Napier Grass Silages with Additives Author: A.A. Aganga , U.J. Nutrient Content of Napier Grass (Pennisetum Purpureum) Silage Made with Various Additive and Modified Atmosphere in the Silo By T. (Titin) Widiyastuti, N. … Key: (1) NEFA = non esterified free acid; = Fermentative quality of Napier grass By Titin Widiyastuti, Nur Hidayat and Diana Indrasanti. Napier plant grass can also undergo intercropping with the crops like fodder trees, legumes etc. The taxon Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Khon Kaen 40260, Thailand. nitrogen to total nitrogen; LSM = least square means; SE = standard error; No. number of samples. among treatments differ significantly (p<0.05). This value is not too different from the report of Xie et al. All treatments were This value is not too different from the report of Xie et al (2009) that crude protein of elephant grass ranged from 4 – 15%. Fishing closures, restrictions and permits, Volunteer non-commercial kangaroo shooting, NSW Hunting Stakeholder Consultation Group, Zoonoses - Animal diseases that can infect people, Forest contractor training and certification scheme. Advisor: Prof. Fábio Cunha Coelho. These napier grass drying machine are equipped with distinct inlet air temperature and outlet air temperature with centrifugal atomization drying methods for enhanced performance. The TDN content of the silage in treatment 1 was significantly Napier grass also grows very well at an altitude of 1800 m to 2000m above the sea level. It has low water and nutrient requirements, and therefore can make use of otherwise uncultivated lands. calculated from VBN/TN, total content of acetate and propionate, and butyrate Generally, the N-form significantly affected growth, biomass allocation and tissue nutrient and mineral composition of the plants. In contrast, BHBA level in cattle fed unchopped silage became higher than that in treatment 2 (Table 3). and Taweesak Chuenpreecha. were evaluated for their Eight Thai native beef bulls were arranged in a Completely randomized design to evaluate dwarf Napier namely Sweet grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Pennisetum genus is very diverse consisting of a heterogeneous group of approximately 10 000 species with annual, biennial or perennial life cycle (Martel et al 1997). Napier grass also performs well in the temperatures varying between 26°C to 42°C. Typical nutrient composition of some common grasses and legumes in Kenya Written by Maurice Rangoma. 5.1.2: Nutrient content (%) of different Napier grass accessions ... Napier grass can be grown at altitudes ranging from sea level to 2,000m above sea level. Nutrient Content of Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) Silage Made with Various Additive and Modified Atmosphere in The Silo . Key: VBN/TN = ratio of volatile basic Nutrient recommendation for bajra napier hybrid grass was 150:50:40 kg of NPK ha- 1 . Napier grass can absorb carbon dioxide up to 42% and has high productivity of 87 ton/ha/year [3]. unchopped. Napier grass leaves as grazed were Indeed napier grass is the livestock ugali. Ribeiro. Self-supplied feed (ed) Guidebook for quality evaluation of roughage. The napier grass observation was begun by cutting them as. organic matter; CP = crude protein; EE = ether extract; NFE = nitrogen-free bottle with water and kept in a refrigerator overnight. Ten Napier grass accessions 15743, 16783, 16791, 16792, 16794, 16813, 16815, 16817, 16819 and local check. Napier grass cut at a 30 cm height was superior to that of the grass cut at 0 cm height (Wadi et al, 2004). Hybrid Napier Grass. basic nitrogen to total nitrogen (VBN/TN), and lower lactic acid concentration. Chemical Composition of Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) at Different Stages of Growth and Napier Grass Silages with Additives Author: A.A. Aganga , U.J. The oxalate content of napier grass and of pearl millet × napier grass interspecific hybrids was studied in plants grown in midsummer in the field and in a phytotron under three temperature regimes. As a further caution the quality figures listed are often based on limited measurements, different plant parts (e.g. during wet season. which would be due to the difference in maturity. How to cite this article: Hadijah Hasyim, Yasuyuki Ishii, Ahmad Wadi and Sachiko Idota, 2014. Especially the potassium was highly mined from the soil. was the same, CP and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) contents were lower in nitrogen content. Effect of Digested Effluent of Manure on Soil Nutrient Content and Production of Dwarf Napier Grass in Southern Kyushu, Japan. The grass is not suitable for grazing as it cannot withstand trampling by livestock. Harvest of the Crotalaria intermedia was delayed in 1933 by heavy rains, so that the crop became more fibrous than is desirable. recommended not only for making better quality silage but also for making better BHBA contents in plasma of cattle given Napier grass silage, before and after This was developed in six years by Dr. Krailas Kiyothong, an animal nutritionist and plant breeder, by crossing Pennisetum purpureum (the ordinary napier grass) and Pennisetum glaucum better known as Pearl Millet. ever, EWH had the best nutrient content because it had the highest CP, and lowest NDF as Table 1. the end of each collection period, before feeding and 3 hours post-feeding, and It Crude protein is an estimate of the total protein present in a grass.  Protein forms the building blocks of muscle and its components are used in every system of the body.  Crude protein is positively related to the digestibility of a grass and, in general, as crude protein increases, so does livestock performance (e.g. By Titin Widiyastuti, Nur Hidayat and Diana Indrasanti. maximum intake. Omphile , T. Thema and J.C. Baitshotlhi Subject: Journal of Biological Sciences Keywords: Nutrient composition, napier grass, plant height, silage, additives Created Date: 7/20/2005 3:52:41 AM the value of lactic acid contents for the calculation. weight gain, milk production, etc). The secondary and micronutrients were also heavily removed from the soil. Japanese Grassland Association, Poster 8.3: Quality and nutritive constraint for further development in cattle production in northeast Thailand. transplanting) - chopped. These napier grass drying machine are equipped with distinct inlet air temperature and outlet air temperature with centrifugal atomization drying methods for enhanced performance. The voluntary intake of silage also decreased in treatment 2. Hybrid napier grass has been developed as an end result of hybridization between pennisetum americanum, pennisetum purpuperum bajra and pure napier. if cattle received such low quality silage for a longer period, as the values of Age at harvest is the most important factor affecting crude protein Compared to the competition, Hybrid Napier Grass CO5 delivers more nutrition at a better value. have very high nutrient requirements and poor quality forages will just not supply them ... low in protein content. Keywords: Agroforestry, napier grass, crude protein, crude fiber. (in Japanese). Dr. Suparno 60, Purwokerto 53123, Central Java, Indonesia *Corresponding author email: dyast72@yahoo.com in northeast Thailand - Mitsuru Shinoda, Tomoyuki Kawashima, Pimpaporn Pholsen Napier grass silages were made with no additive, fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB), molasses or cassava meal. Digestibility is a measure of the proportion of a grass (on a dry matter basis) that can be utilised by an animal.  For example, if an animal eats 10kg of dry matter and 3kg is expelled as dung, then the feed is 70% digestible.  Digestibility influences the speed with which a grass passes through the digestive system.  Generally, grasses with higher digestibility will be processed more rapidly, allowing stock to eat more and so have higher production.  Digestibility is also a useful measure of the quality of a grass as it is directly related to the energy content of a feed; energy being needed for body functions. feeding. It was introduced to the market in India in 1996. Leaves range from hairy to smooth types. The range of protein content of elephant grass varies from 4.4 to 20.4% with the mean around 12% (Table 1). region, it may have good possibilities under intensive management with high Although the original grass used in the treatments (1) and (2) BHBA and NEFA in blood were within the normal range and there was no change in = Effect of time after feeding; T*T = Interaction between treatment and time process (Table 1). As a general guide: 70-80% digestibility is required for high livestock production; 60-70% digestibility is required for moderate production; and 55-60% digestibility is required to maintain dry stock.  Below 55% digestibility, dry stock will lose weight.  Digestibility is strongly influenced by the plants stage of growth.  Grasses that are green, leafy and actively growing will have a higher digestibility than those that are in head or have hayed off. The forage quality of grasses is very dependent on how the grass is managed.  When maintained in the early to late vegetative stage, the quality of a grass is likely to be at the higher end of the digestibility and crude protein values listed for individual species and at the lower end during late flowering.  However, maintaining a species at the vegetative stage only may be detrimental to its persistence. Elephant grass is a staple livestock feed. (2) Using Napier grass 1 m high (about 30 days regrowth) - Body weight, feed intake and nutrient Tohoku National Agricultural Experimental Station were used for digestion trials with the three feeds. Nutrient Content of Napier Grass (Pennisetum Purpureum) Silage Made with Various Additive and Modified Atmosphere in the Silo By T. (Titin) Widiyastuti, N. … The studies also revealed that crude protein decreases with age i.e. The plants in the field were irrigated every 3, 7 or 14 days and given at each irrigation a heavy application of nitrogen, not less than 5 kg N ha −1 day −1 . Cenchrus purpureus, synonym Pennisetum purpureum, also known as Napier grass, elephant grass or Uganda grass, is a species of perennial tropical grass native to the African grasslands. It only ranges from 9 … Napier grass is easy to establish and Get PDF (557 KB) Abstract. analysed. Napier grass intake did not differ between controls and sesbania-supplemented goats. Although Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is not popular in the Digestibility is also a useful measure of the quality of a grass as it is directly related to the energy content of a feed; energy being needed for body functions. Nutrient analysis values of Water Hyacinth (WH), Napier Grass (NG), Ensiled Water Hyacinth (EWH) and Ensiled Napier Grass (ENG). The extracted fluid was Napier grass cut at a 30 cm height was superior to that of the grass cut at 0 cm height (Wadi et al, 2004). The crop is sown … unchopped silage was also worse than that of chopped silage in treatment (1) (treatment 1). after feeding. plastic sheets with sand on top: (1) Using Napier grass 1 m high (about 30 days The daily grass consumption was calculated by subtracting the leftover grass from the initial weight of grass provided in the previous morning. manure input. level between 0 hr and at 3 hr after feeding in cattle fed chopped silage Mahasarakham) preserved as silage or hay on feed intake, digestibility, and rum … Influence of hybrid giant Napier grass on salt and nutrient distributions with depth in a saline soil. Napier grass (penisetum puperum) Written by Maurice Rangoma. Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum)Local names: Pusa giant napier grass, Elephant grassNapier grass requires warm and moist climate, clay to clay loam soil for good growth. regrowth) - chopped. Table 3. The crop is sown … Department of Animal Production Since biomass technically can be used as a fuel directly (e.g. method for the evaluation of silage quality, especially in developing countries, Both quantity and quality of forages are important in dry season feeding. The performance of livestock grazing grasses is directly related to the quantity and quality of grass on offer.  While there are many quality characteristics that influence the intake of a grass by livestock, the most useful are digestibility and crude protein; hence, where available, these figures are provided for individual species. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein into a heparinized tube at An aliquot of silage sample from each silo was placed into a If grass was ensiled without chopping, there was considerable space between the Committee members: Profs. The best part of buying these efficient napier grass drying machine is the after-sales service that involves maintenance and other associated activities. Nutrient Analysis, % WH NG EWH ENG SEM P-value Moisture Content 90.84a 86.90b 82.35c 77.15d 1.54 <0.0001 It was considered that the difference of It is damaged by frost but not killed. V-score was Both quantity and quality of forages are important in dry season feeding. E-mail: [email protected], Pimpaporn Pholsen and Taweesak Chuenpreecha Hybid napier is a bait plant with a life of 2 … SUPER NAPIER — The Department of Livestock Development in Thailand has come out with a new hybrid napier that is so outstanding, it might as well be called Super Napier. nutrient content of Napier grass silage is compared with that of corn silage, and is most apparent when the nutrients are computed on the dry-matter basis. Inashiki, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan It was introduced to the market in India in 1996. Table 4. The quality of this napier grass is practically medium. p. 79-87, in: Japanese Research Association on Quality Evaluation of During ensilage, anaerob condition must be controlled. fibre. Hybrid napier grass has been developed as an end result of hybridization between pennisetum americanum, pennisetum purpuperum bajra and pure napier. some measurements have recorded green leaf, others entire plants) and are usually recorded under different growing conditions, all of which will affect quality data.  Native grasses also tend to be very genetically variable due to their wide distribution, which subjects individual plants to different soils, climates and management history.  This variability can be significant even at the paddock scale. significantly among treatments (p<0.05). ever, EWH had the best nutrient content because it had the highest CP, and lowest NDF as Table 1. The hydroponic forage is a way of growing economic bulky high yield in a short Nutrient Content of Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) Silage Made with Various Additive and Modified Atmosphere in The Silo . wood logs), some people use the terms biomass and biofuel interchangeably. (2009) that crude protein of Napier grass ranged from 4% to 5%. glucose content. digestibilities with native cattle given Napier grass silage. composition of cattle. Hairy type Napier grass contained 5.79% crude protein at 3 weeks and 2.17% crude protein. [Judgement of silage quality.] Agricultural Experiment Station Creator: Neal, W. M ( Wayne Miller ), 1905-Becker, R. B ( Raymond Brown ), 1892-1989 Arnold, P. T. Dix, 1902-Place of Publication: Gainesville Fla Publisher: Though para grass prefers alluvial and hydromorphic soils, it does well on a wide range of soils: from sands to clays with moderate to good fertility (Rao et al., 2010; Cook et al., 2005). Napier grass can absorb carbon dioxide up to 42% and has high productivity of 87 ton/ha/year [3]. butyrate concentration in the silage influenced BHBA level in the blood. without fertilization. ... well-fertilised forage such as Napier grass harvested every 4 weeks. Kukisaki Nutrient recommendation for bajra napier hybrid grass was 150:50:40 kg of NPK ha-1. Based on the nitrogen content, the organic and inorganic sources of nutrients, the treatments were Get PDF (557 KB) Abstract. Abstract. Masaki, S. 1994. (Table 2). results in higher TDN intake. The digestibility of fresh Napier grass and other comparable forages is presented in table 3. Elephant grass, also known as napier grass or Ugandan grass is a monocot belonging to the family Poaceae and genus Pennisetum. Nutrient Analysis, % WH NG EWH ENG SEM P-value Moisture Content 90.84a 86.90b 82.35c 77.15d 1.54 <0.0001 1. tanks (0.75 m diameter and 0.5 m height), compressed by foot and covered by However, the physiological effects of butyrate on animals would be minimal even Napier Grass Nutrient Content Experimental Method The digestion trial, carried out at Gainesville, Fla., was conducted according to the method outlined by Forbes and Grindley {S). Nutrient digestibility was examined by total collection method. There was no difference in D-3-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) Age at harvest is the most important factor affecting crude protein content of elephant grass (Wadi et al.,2004). Napier grass is a fast growing, deeply rooted, perennial grass growing up to 4 metres tall that can spread by underground stems to form thick ground cover. But in quality, this napier grass is better than sugarcane. It is also used as a soil stabilizer in soil conservation methods and can be intercropped with various forage legumes. Nutrient analysis values of Water Hyacinth (WH), Napier Grass (NG), Ensiled Water Hyacinth (EWH) and Ensiled Napier Grass (ENG). Omphile , T. Thema and J.C. Baitshotlhi Subject: Journal of Biological Sciences Keywords: Nutrient composition, napier grass, plant height, silage, additives Created Date: 7/20/2005 3:52:41 AM It was therefore concluded that large unchopped silage, which would be due to the difference in the fermentation vines in napier grass fed to cattle 61 Chapter 5 Effect of maturity on the mineral content of napier grass 79 Chapter 6 Effect of feeding napier grass, lucerne and sweet potato vines as sole diets to dairy heifers on nutrient intake, weight gain and rumen degradation 91 Chapter 7 Effect of supplementing napier grass with desmodium and