Digestibility Studies on Napier (Merker) Grass (Pennisetum purpureum), Giant Pangola Grass (Digitaria valida Stent), and Signal Grass (Brachiaria brizantha)

Abstract

Digestible energy and digestible protein were determined for Giant Pangola (Digitaria valida Stent), Signal (Brachiaria brizantha), and Napier (Merker) (Pennisetum prupureum) grasses. Total digestible nutrients were also calculated. Digestible protein for Napier (Merker), Giant Pangola, and Signal grasses were 3.21, 2.62, and 2.03 percent. Total digestible nutrients in the same order were, 53.95, 66.07, and 64.60 percent. Two digestion trials were made, one when the grasses were about 50 and the other when they were about 80 days old. The average digestion coefficient for energy for Napier (Merker) was 47.65 percent, for Giant Pangola 55.12, and for Signal grass 52.26. Both Giant Pangola and Signal grasses are much higher in dry-matter content than Napier (Merker) at 50 days of age, a very important characteristic nutritionally speaking.