BERHAN TAMIR, ADANE KITABA
Abstract
The effect of harvesting stage and nutrient levels on nutritive values of natural pasture was studied in the central highlands
of Ethiopia. The treatments consisted of four harvesting stages with six N + P nutrient levels. Advancing harvesting stage significantly (p?0.05) decreased the mean crude protein and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), while the mean values of cellulose and Neutral and Acid detergent fibers (NDF and ADF) were significantly (p?0.05) increased with advancing harvesting stage. The mean values of hemicellulose and total ash showed an increasing trend with advancing
the harvesting stage. Nutrient levels significantly (p?0.05) improved the mean crude protein and total ash contents and
IVDMD. Nutrient application at 22.5 kg N + 25.9 kg P/ha improved the mean crude protein, total ash and IVDMD from
6.8 to 11.8 %, from 12.3 to 22.5 % and from 67.8 to 79.7 % at 30 days of harvesting stage, respectively. Nutrient levels did not affect the contents of hemicellulose, cellulose, NDF and ADF. In vitro dry matter digestibility, crude protein and total ash contents were significantly (p?0.05) negatively correlated to stage of harvesting with correlation coefficients (r = -0.87, -
0.81 and -0.16), respectively, but were significantly (p?0.05) positively related to nutrient levels with correlation coefficients
(r = 0.42, 0.51 and 0.12), respectively. While harvesting stage was significantly (p?0.05) positively related to NDF, ADF, cellulose and hemicellulose with correlation coefficients (r = 0.98, 0.95, 0.92 and 0.37), respectively, nutrient application did not relate significantly (p?0.05).
Key words:
Fertility levels, Harvesting stage, Natural pasture, Nutritive values