Research
Persistency of Common Fodder Grasses under Melia Azedarach Based Silvipastoral System
An experiment was conducted from July 2004 to October 2005 at IAAS Livestock Farm, Rampur under 14 years old Melia azedarach tree(maintained 1200 stems/ha) shade to study the dried weight yield potentiality of common fodder grasses, grown with tropical legumes and their persistency. A split Plot Design (SPD) was employed with three replications with three different canopy levels (trees pruned at 3m, 4m and 5m from the ground and one open) as main plots and four forage mixtures as subplots. Shade level was maintained by pruning the trees throughout the experiment. The shade level at the initial phase was measured by LUX-101 Lux Meter (Model No.44147) at August, 2004 and was standardized for low (72%irradiance to open) medium (64%irradiance to open) and heavy (58 % irradiance to open). Number of tillers/plant in fodder grasses decreased as the shade level increased in all the harvests whereas blue panic always had the highest number of tillers/plant (P<0.001) in all shade levels. Likewise, cumulative dried weight yield of (2004 and 2005 harvests) fodder grasses also decreased as the shade level increased. Nevertheless, the effect of shade was similar (P>0.05) Furthermore, highest cumulative dried weight yield was in open condition (63.29 t/ha) followed by low shade 26.50 t/ha (42% to that of open t/ha) whilst, the cumulative dried weight yield in medium shade remained 27% and it was only 21% in heavy shade to that of open. It can be concluded that Panicum antidotale can be grown in summer under high density plantations at least for two harvests. The the selection of forage species is more important criterion of silvipastoral work than the maintenance of shade level.
Botanical Composition and Herbage Mass Estimation in Relation to Quality Status of Mauma Kharka (Rangeland) in the Taplejung District, Nepal
A study was conducted in Mauma Kharka, Olang Chung Gola VDC of Taplejung district, Nepal during June, 2010 to November, 2010 to determine the status of available herbage mass at transhumance system. Accordingly, herbage biomass estimation was done in three different slope categories using RCB design (<4%- plain category; 5-10% gentle slope, and 11-16% steep slope), each replicated for five times. The total fresh and dry weight of herbage mass Was estimated three times (July, August and September), taking 90 days growth period along with the botanical composition. The sample from each slope category harvested during July was also analyzed to determine CP, ether extract, NDF, ADF, ADL, cellulose, hemicelluloses and total ash. Results showed that the proportion of forbs were highest (60%), whereas cyperoids and grasses were similar and lower in proportion at each slope categories. The total dried herbage mass was statistically similar (p>0.05) along the three slope categories, with the mean dried weight 1.8 t/ha, 3.6 t/ha, and 2.6 t/ha for July, August, and September, respectively
