Organic Napier

Napier grass is one of the important perennial tropical forage crop belong to family Poaceae. It is also called Uganda grass or elephant grass. It is native to Africa but is now grown in many tropical countries. It is C4 plant and can grow well in marginal land. The grass grows tall and forms large clumps like bamboo.

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Usage:

Basic requirements : Napier grass is best grown in warm, tropical and subtropical regions. And grows well up to an altitude of 2000 m from sea level. Generally it perform very well at temperature ranging from 25 to 40 degree celsius. Napier grass is very sensitive to frost and water logging conditions.
Planting Napier grass usually produces few full form seeds. So the main mode of propagation is by stem cuttings. The cuttings with five internodes are planted by inserting into furrows at 75 cm apart, both along and between the rows.

FORAGE MANAGEMENT

Establishment and yields : Elephant grass produces very few seeds and is mostly propagated vegetatively through stem cuttings consisting of at least 3 nodes, 2 of which are buried in rows. Row width ranges from 50 to 200 cm and distance within rows is between 50 and 100 cm After planting, elephant grass grows vigorously and can reach 4 m in 3 months Elephant grass is fast growing and has a high annual productivity that depends on the climatic conditions, especially temperature and rainfall Elephant grass requires high levels of fertilizer and a regular water supply . Yields range from 20 to 80 t DM/ha/year under high fertilizer inputs With no, or inadequate, fertilizer, yields are in the range of 2-10 t DM/ha/year Cuttings can be made at 45-90 day intervals, depending on location

FRESH GRASS

The ideal harvest regime depends on the cultivar, weather conditions, soil fertility, management practices and livestock needs. In Kenya, the recommendation is to harvest elephant grass for the first time when it attains a height of 1-1.2 m, usually 3-4 months after planting. Thereafter the grass should be harvested at intervals of 6 to 8 weeks, at the same height. Well-managed elephant grass can be harvested every month in hot and wet environments, or every 2 months in drier areas. Harvesting at longer intervals produces higher DM yields but lower quality forage as protein and ash content, digestibility and leaf-to-stem ratios decline. Leaving 10-15 cm high stubble provides sufficient carbohydrate reserves for subsequent re growth. Elephant grass is often fed fresh in cut-and-carry systems. It can be manually or mechanically chopped prior to feeding to reduce the selection of leaves and stems by the animal. Chopping and then wilting in the sun for several hours reduces moisture, stimulates appetite, facilitates rumination and thus improves forage utilisation

Management:

Irrigation: This grass does not need much water and can be irrigated in a week duration.
Pest: No serious pest is reported
Caution:

Harvesting and Yield

Thereafter the grass should be harvested at intervals of 6 to 8 weeks, at the same height. Wellmanaged elephant grass can be harvested every month in hot and wet environments, or every 2 months in drier areas. Harvesting at longer intervals produces higher DM yields but lower quality forage as protein and ash content, digestibility and leaf-to-stem ratios decline. Leaving 10-15 cm high stubble provides sufficient carbohydrate reserves for subsequent re growth.