Fodder production of some shrubs and trees under two harvest intervals in subhumid southern Ghana

Abstract

The study was undertaken to determine the relative performance of 13 fodder trees and shrubs in herbage production and quality under two forage regrowth periods six and 12 weeks. In primary growth assessment it was found that the species which achieved the most height growth were Cajanus cajan, Sesbania sesban and Gliricidia sepium. In terms of herbage dry matter production the species which performed best were Cajanus cajan, Flemingia macrophylla, Calliandra calothrysus, Codariocalyx gyroidesand Gliricidia sepium. In crude protein content the superior species were Albizia lebbeck, Cajanus cajan, Leucaena leucocephala and Sesbania sesban. Regrowth harvests in the second year showed Gliricidia sepium, Calliandra calothrysus and Flemingia macrophylla achieve the greatest herbage yields with yields in excess of 1 t/ha obtaining at the first 12 week regrowth harvest. Albizia lebbeck, Cajanus cajan, Leucaena leucocephala and Samanean saman produced consistently very high crude protein levels (more than 20%) in the regrowth harvests. Calcium contents of herbage of all test species in the regrowth harvests were in excess of the critical minimum requirement of 0.44% for ruminant feeding.