Nihon Danchi Chikusan Gakkaihou
Online ISSN : 2185-1670
Print ISSN : 2185-081X
ISSN-L : 2185-081X
Original Articles (Full Papers)
Adaptability of Dwarf Napiergrass under Cut-and-carry and Grazing Systems for Smallholder Beef Farmers in Southern Kyushu, Japan
Renny Fatmyah UTAMYYasuyuki ISHIISachiko IDOTANaoto HARADAKiichi FUKUYAMA
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2011 Volume 54 Issue 1 Pages 87-98

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Abstract

Smallholder beef farmers, particularly in isolated islands, were highly aged, holding limited arable lands with poor machinery equipment. Demand for herbage production increases rapidly due to high cost of imported herbage supply. We investigated the adaptability of dwarf napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) of late-heading type (dwarf-late, DL) to 12 sites including isolated islands in 3 Prefectures of southern Kyushu by determining soil properties, plant growth characters, herbage yield and quality, and overwintering ability in 2007.2009. The dry matter (DM) yield of DL napiergrass ranged in 0.7-13.6 and 0.2.15.8 Mg/ha/yr in 2007 and 2008, respectively. There were significantly positive correlations between N fertilizer supply and DM yield (r = 0.844, P < 0.01 and r = 0.928; P < 0.001 in 2007 and 2008, respectively). However, not only by the rate of fertilizer application, DM yield was also variable depending on soil fertility and weed control across the examined sites. Herbage quality in leaf blade and stem inclusive of leaf sheath, as assessed by in vitro DM digestibility and crude protein (CP) content, ranged in 56.76% and 6.18%, respectively. In some cases, CP content declined below the critical level as a feed for breeding cows, since the herbage quality in leaf blade had significantly negative correlation with cutting interval (P < 0.05). Results revealed that DL napiergrass should adapt to the examined sites including isolated islands in the established and subsequent years. However, it is necessary to maintain the satisfactory level of herbage yield and quality by the minimum fertilizer application at least more than 100 kg N/ha/yr, and the optimum soil condition, cutting interval and weed control after establishment.

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© 2011 Warm Regional Society of Animal Science, Japan
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