Effect of cutting frequency on forage yield and quality of Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis) in the highlands.
1996
Getinet Asefa | Tadese Tekletsadik
Chamaecytisus palmensis, commonly called tree lucerne or tagasaste, is a leguminous multipurpose tree, producing quality non toxic fooder for livestock. It is the only productive and promising exotic browse tree adapted to the highlands of Ethiopia. Cutting frequency of tagasaste at two, three, four and six months interval was studied from 1991 to 1994 to assess the productivity, botanical fractions, seasonal yield variations and nutritive value on drained red soil at Holetta. Annual biomass yield was found significantly (p less than 0.01) different among the harvesting intervals. Annual forage yield of 4.7, 6.2, 7.9 and 10.3 t DM ha-1 was obtained for two, three, four and six months interval of harvest respectively. Leaf proportion of the biomass yield of tagasaste decreased as the harvesting interval prolonged in a range of 67 percent (2 months interval) to 45 percent (6 months interval), while, the stem increased from 0.4 to 26 percent respectively. The edible branch however varied in a narrow gap between 27-34 percent among the treatments. Average crude protein (CP) content of 20 percent and in vitro dry organic matter digestibility (DOMD) of 67 percent were found for the leaf fraction and did not show much variation among the different harvesting intervals. Late harvesting at an interval of four to six months during the end of wet seasons help to produce herbage with high proportion of good quality edible matter.
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