Researchers : M.M. Loresco, M.J.C. Andal, J.E. Opeña and A.A. Angeles.

ABSTRACT

The availability of forage species with high herbage yield and feeding value is important to sustain ruminant production. To address this concern, an in-house evaluation of two newly-introduced improved grasses, Mulato II and Mombasa, was conducted. The herbage dry matter yield and crude protein content of these two grasses and their close relative species, Signal and Guinea in pure stand and as mixture with Arachis and Centrosema were determined at two cutting intervals. Mulato II and Mombasa in pure stand produced higher herbage dry matter yield at the 30-
day cutting interval than their relative grass species. When mixed with either Arachis or Centrosema, Mulato II produced lower yield than Signal while Mombasa outperformed Guinea. Higher crude protein (CP) was measured in Mulato II than Signal in pure stand for both cutting intervals while lower CP was obtained in pure stand of Mombasa compared to Guinea. Overall, Mulato II had the highest crude protein content while Mombasa produced the highest herbage dry matter yield both in pure stand and when mixed with a forage legume. There was lower herbage yield in grass-legume mixtures compared with the pure grass as significant space was occupied by the forage legume, and which produced only low herbage yield at the early phase of evaluation.