Stop Buying Expensive Hay: These 8 Perennial Grasses for Goat Nutrition

Since annual grasses require seeding, land preparation, and tillage every year, and grass is often not available throughout the year, we need to focus on perennial grasses to avoid these problems. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss some important perennial grasses.

We will discuss some important perennial grasses.

1. Desmodium spp

It is a perennial grass found in the Terai and mid-hills. In our country, 2-3 species of Desmodium grasses are found. It is mainly grown for grazing. But green grass can also be cut and collected from pastures. This grass can tolerate drought. It can also be preserved as hay and silage.

In the field where this crop is grown, microorganisms can fix up to 900 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year from the atmosphere in the soil, which is the highest among all fodder crops. This grass can be successfully grown in hot and cold (up to 2000 meters altitude). It can be cultivated in sandy and normal clayey soil.

The pH of the soil should be between 5 and 7.5. The suitable time for sowing its seeds is the months of June-July, when grown as a single crop or mixed with other non-food crops. 2/3 kg of seeds are required per hectare, while 10,000 slips are required per hectare when planting from Desmodium branch pieces. It is best to treat its seeds with rhizobium and plant them. From this, 40/50 metric tons of green grass can be produced per hectare. In the case of seeds, up to 600 kg of seeds can be produced per hectare.

2. Dactylis glomerata

Dactylis glomerata is a perennial grass that grows in the cold climate of the mid to high hills. It has become a grass of choice for pasture development, especially in the high hills, due to its genetic properties. This grass has the characteristic of being more tolerant of frost and cold than others. It can also survive in adverse and dry weather.

This grass is sown in the mid hills during the months of June-July, while in the high hills it can be sown from May to June (especially when the snow has not melted). The seed rate is usually 2/3 kg per hectare.

This grass can also be planted in a mixture with Lolium perenne, or Lolium perenne, Trifolium Repens, and Dactylis glomerata can be planted together. When planting in this way, it has been found that a ratio of 30:30:40 of Lolium perenne, Trifolium Repens, and Dactylis glomerata seeds has yielded good yields. However, planting Dactylis glomerata alone yields an average of 10/14 tons of green grass per hectare.

3. Lolium perenne

It is a perennial grass that grows in cold climates with high rainfall. It is a very nutritious, tasty grass and can be planted well in high hilly areas. Since this grass has a large tuft and has the ability to grow again quickly, even under grazing by animals, it is considered suitable for use in pastures. This grass is planted at an altitude of 1200 to 4000 meters.

This grass can tolerate colder temperatures. This grass can also be used for silvipasture. The land should be ploughed well 3-4 times, and the seeds should be sown. The seeds should be sown at the rate of 15 kg per hectare. In mountainous areas, it can be sown in MAR-APR, and in lower areas, in June-July.

In advanced farming, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash are required in the ratio of 100:60:40. The grass is usually ready to be cut 4/5 months after sowing. After mowing once, the grass should be cut again after about a month. From the second year after sowing, the grass can be cut 6/7 times per year.

Green grass can be harvested at a rate of 40/60 tons per hectare. Up to 200 kg of seeds can be produced per hectare.

4. Paspalum Atratum

It is a perennial grass that grows in the climate of the mid-hills and the Terai. Its height is usually only 1 m. Although it can reach 2 m after flowering. To identify it, the leaves are relatively flat at the base, shiny, the stems are slightly red at the base, hairless and rough, and the stalks are densely packed together. If its seed is 5/8 kg per hectare, it is suitable for planting in the months of June and August.

Since it can be grown sustainably in pastures, open land, and in the shade of trees, it can also be used as a suitable grass in agroforestry. Since its leaves are sharp, it can be difficult to cut and transport. Another feature of it is that it can be planted in poorly drained, acidic, and loamy soils. It can also be transplanted by separating the seeds and the roots. Since the seeds remain dormant for 3-4 months, it is better to remove the outer husk of the seeds and plant them. It can also be planted in a mixture with almond, centro, and desmodium grass.

Its seed production is up to 150 kg per hectare on average. The production of green grass is 50/100 MT. However, since the seeds start falling as soon as they ripen, they need to be collected on time. Since it blooms less in the first year, seed production is also low, and seeds start to set 4/5 weeks after flowering. If you want to produce seeds, you should not mow the grass 2.3 months before flowering. Similarly, since its seed germination power ends in 1 year, fresher seeds should be planted than old ones, but it is better and faster to grow seedlings from cuttings than from rooted cuttings.

This grass has been growing in popularity in recent years because it can be planted in areas with some standing water or poor drainage, can tolerate more shade than other crops, can be planted on land unsuitable for other crops, and is a perennial grass that produces high yields.

5. Setaria sphacelata Stapf var. anceps

It is a perennial grass. It is also called golden timothy. The leaves of Setaria are blue-green with a mixture of blue and grey, while Sumba Setaria has a higher amount of grey-green colour.

This grass requires moisture to grow. However, it cannot be planted in areas where waterlogging occurs. However, varieties like Karjugula and Narok can tolerate soils with poor drainage to some extent. It can also be planted in the months of May and June by seed and slip (separating the stalks).

If it is planted from seeds, 3/5 kg of seeds are required, while if it is planted separately, 10,000 slips are required per hectare. From this, an average of 70 to 80 MT of green grass can be produced, and an average of 50/80 kg of seeds can be produced.

This grass contains a slightly higher amount of inedible material called oxalate, and sometimes using straw and this grass alone can cause stomach problems in animals. Since the dry matter content in it is 5/7 % oxalate, it can also be a problem if it is fed constantly. But if you do it little by little, the microflora in the rumen of the goat’s stomach develops the ability to degrade oxalate.

6. Brachiaria species

Since it is a grass that grows in hot climates, it can be planted in the mid-hills and terai of Nepal. This grass, which grows and spreads quickly, has also become very popular in recent times. This grass can also be planted in slightly acidic soils (pH 4.5 or less). It is a perennial monocotyledonous grass, but hybrid grasses like Mulato 1 and Mulato 2 are monocotyledonous, and their leaves contain about 14.15 per cent protein.

It is usually not more than 1 m tall when not in flower and is covered with leaves. The yield of this grass is up to 125 MT per hectare. However, since it is a hybrid, seed production is low, and farmers should be encouraged to propagate it from stems and slips (from cuttings) rather than from seed production. If propagated from seeds, 5/6 kg of seeds are required per hectare, and the grass is ready in about 50 days after sowing, after which the grass can be cut very quickly in 2 months.

Since it is a perennial grass, its seedlings are also transplanted in May, jun, for which the seeds are sown in March-April. But when propagated from stems and cuttings, it is transplanted in the rainy season. This grass can also tolerate some shade. It is recommended to plant this grass in combination with grasses such as Badame, Veenkesia, and Sendro.

This grass has been widely used abroad for pasture development, and it has great potential in our country too. Both hay and napier can be made from this grass.

7. Trifolium Repens

This is the first grass introduced to Nepal for pasture development. This grass seems to be very suitable for the pastures of the northern part of Nepal because, even in conditions of heavy grazing, this grass can grow quickly. Trifolium Repens is a very popular perennial mountain grass.

It can be planted from 1500/4000 meters above sea level. After the snow melts, after good tillage, the seeds are sown in Mar-Apr or before the snow falls in Sep-Oct in the mountain areas and in May-June in the lower areas. This grass can be planted in fruit gardens, tree plantation areas, floodplains, and areas covered by landslides or new soil etc. The seeds should be sown at a rate of 4/5 kg ​​per hectare.

In mid-hill areas, green grass can be fed for the first time about 4 months after sowing. After that, the grass can be cut or grazed in about 35 days.

If fed too much, the animal’s stomach will become bloated. For this reason, it should be fed mixed with other coarse grasses. Nitrogen and phosphorus should be sown in the ratio of 25:50 in the fertiliser. Up to 40 tons of grass can be produced per hectare, and 400 kg of seeds can be produced. This grass is mixed with Lolium perenne and Dactylis glomerata to develop pasture.

8. Hybrid Napier

Goats prefer Napier less than soft grasses like Mulberry, Epile, Barshim, Joint Vetch, Lursan or Clover. However, since the grass is highly productive and perennial in nature, goat farmers should also cultivate Napier to emphasise professionalism.

Napier is a popular perennial non-stalk grass crop, whose geographical expansion has been the largest in Nepal compared to other grasses. After planting it once a year, it does not need to be replanted for 6/7 years. After making new cuttings of it and transplanting it, one can be sure of it for another 6/7 years. Since it is a non-cellular grass, the protein content of this grass is only 8/9 per cent.

However, the protein content is high in hybrid Napier. Good silage can also be made from this grass. This grass can be cultivated in hot and temperate climates. This grass can be cultivated in all types of soil, except clay and sandy soil. However, loamy soil that does not stagnate is very suitable for it. Generally, the soil that can be used for sugarcane cultivation is suitable for this grass.

After harvesting the crop or if there is vacant land, it should be ploughed twice, and the soil should be broken up by breaking the sward and making it loose and even by applying a cracker. Since this grass is to be planted with Napier rootslips or cuttings, it is easier to apply cuttings and rootslips if the field is ploughed deeply. Since this grass provides continuous green grass for 6/7 years after planting, 20 to 25 metric tons of cow dung per hectare should be applied to the soil and mixed well when planting this grass for the first time.

Similarly, if possible, before planting Napier cuttings, 50 kg. Nitrogen, 50 kg. Phosphorus and 40 kg. Potash should be applied per hectare in the final preparation of the land. After that, 30 kg. Nitrogen can be applied after each cutting to obtain more production. The most suitable time to plant Napier grass in the mid-hills and Terai is May-June, but it can also be planted in the months of October and mar. The grass planted at this time requires irrigation.

Since this grass grows in the rainy season, it does not require much irrigation in areas with high rainfall, but in winter, 2/3 irrigations are required from jan to April to get more production. Napier is usually planted as a single crop, but to increase the nutritional value of Napier grass, kudzu, epil (leucocephala), Vigna, seritro and centro can be planted between two rows. This grass is suitable for cutting after three months of planting.

Cuttings can be taken at an interval of 7/8 weeks during the rainy season. But in winter, it is suitable for cutting at an interval of 10/12 weeks. When cutting, it should be taken at a height of 6 inches to 12 inches from the ground surface. If you do this, it will grow well when you take the next cutting. If you cultivate it with proper fertilisation, you can produce 120/150 tons of fresh grass per hectare or up to 30 tons of dry matter