DRY MATTER YIELD AND NUTRITIVE QUALITY OF NATIVE RANGLAND FORAGES IMPROVED BY STRIP SOWN LEGUME WITH OR WITHOUT FERTILIZER TYPE IN GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the Dry matter yield and nutritive quality of Native Rangeland forages improved by strip sown legumes with or without fertilizer harvested at early-flowering stage for hay in Gombe State, Nigeria. The result showed that Dry matter yields from the strips sown legume show that the yield was highest in S. hamata/ssp (3.79t DM/ha), both in Late rain season (LRS) and early dry season EDS. The dry matter yield from the native pasture with or without fertilizer were higher in native pasture with NPK (5.59tDM/ ha) in late rain season, the Results of Nutritive value shows no significant differences (P<0.05) in value recorded for dry matter (DM)) across the treatments.There was a significant (P<0.05) difference in crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), Ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), ash. and Nitrogen free extract (NFE) The content ranges from 6.57 – 11.50%, 1.39 – 2.15%, 28.44 – 35.11%, 51.50 – 59.50%, 38.50 – 47.50% , 4.93 – 13.39%, and 42.11- 50.75 respectively. The result showed that total scores for hay physical characteristics were 87, 90, 89 and 90 for Stylosanthes alone, Stylosanthes/ssp, Centrocema alone and Centrocema/spp, respectively.Ranking the legume by their quality, Stylosanthes/ssp, and Centrocema/spp, scored excellent grade, while Stylosanthes alone, andCentrocema alone were scored good with respect to their physical characteristics.Use of Strip sown legumes with or without fertilizer type to rehabilitee range land are hereby recommended for smallholder farmers and livestock owners in the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria.