Abstract
It has been found for pasture purposes that the numerous varieties belonging to the species Eragrostis curvula can be grouped into types for which the names curvula, robusta blue, robusta green, robusta intermediate and chloromelas are proposed.The relative palatability of 20 varieties of E. curvula, and 1 variety of E. plana, Chloris gayana and Digitaria smutsii were compared with one another. Chloris and Digitaria were found to be the most palatable. Of the Eragrostis varieties studied, the robusta green, robusta intermediate and robusta blue were the most palatable, chloromelas varieties and E. plana being intermediate and the curvula varieties the least palatable.The grasses with the highest phosphate and potash contents were also those most acceptable to livestock. Results obtained from analyses suggested that crude fibre had little bearing on palatability.The more acceptable grasses were also the more succulent.No relationship between leaf structure and livestock preference could be demonstrated.
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