Estimates of Total Biomass and Proportion of Various Forage Species in Bobi Grazing Reserve of Niger State, Nigeria
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted on Bobi Grazing Reserve, Mariga Local Government Area
of Niger State, Nigeria from May through October, 2014 to 2016 to evaluate the total biomass
and proportion of six forage species; Paspalum commersonii, Cyperus esculentus,
Hyparrhenia chrysergyrea, Digitaria smutsii, Setaria barbata and Brachiaria deflexa in the
reserve. The forages were grazed predominantly by white Fulani cattle. In gramineae total
biomass of Linaceae, Brachiaria, Hyparrhenia, Thymelaceae were not significant (P<0.05)
from May to Oct. 2014. Total biomass of paspalum, Cyperus, Digiteria and Seteria differed
significantly (P<0.05) across the months. Paspalum and Cyperus were observed to be
significantly (P<0.05) lower and higher in September and October, respectively. In legumineae
annual total biomass of Violaceae, Tridax, Bohavia difussa, Clematopsis Nig, Cassia
obtisifolia and Onagraceae showed significant differences (P<0.05) between the months.
However, Brachiaria, Clematopsis Cassia obtisifolia and Onagraceae recorded significantly
low value in August compared to May. Total biomass differed significantly (P<0.05) from May
to October. The dry leaves and bare ground were significantly lower lower (P<0.05) from
August to October. Annual total biomass of forage species in Bobi Grazing Reserve indicated
that Brachiaria, Hyparrhenia, Digiteria and Thymelaceae showed no difference (P>0.05) from
May to October, 2015. Total biomass of Paspalum, Linaceae, Cyperus and Seteria showed
significant (P<0.05) differences among the months, but the Linaceae showed significantly
lower value in August while setaria in June to August. There was significant difference in all
the forages measured (legumes) in 2016 except Sida acuta, Cassia and Onagraceae were the
highest was recorded specifically in the month of July and May. Total biomass of dry grass,
dry leaves and bare ground differed significantly (P<0.05) among the months. The result
showed that as the month progresses, dry grasses and bare ground reduces significantly. Total
biomass of Paspalum Linaceae, Brachiaria and Seteria differed significantly (P<0.05) between
the months. Total annual biomass of Violaceae, Tridax and Seda acute differed significantly
(P<0.05) between the months, but their biomass was low in May, June to October. Proportions
of dry leaves were statistically similar (P>0.05) in 2014 and 2016, but low in 2015. It can be
concluded that forage species such as Paspalum Commersonii, Linaceae, Brachiaria, deflexa,
Digitaria and Seteria together with leguminous species such as Violaceae can be established
as sole forage and legume because of their high composition on the grazing reserve.
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