Notes on the palatability of some tropical grasses and legumes at two stages of maturity

SUMMARY The experiment was conducted to determine the palatability of pure swards of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris var. Bileola), guinea grass (Panicum maximumlocal variety), gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus var. bisquamulatus), Hyparrhenia subplumosa-Iocal variety and mixtures of buffel/stylo (Stylosanthes guyanensis cv. Schofield), buffel/puero (Pueraria javanica) grazed 6 weeks and 4 weeks after cutting. Guinea grass proved to be more palatable than pure buffel grass swards and the other swards when grazed 6 weeks after defoliation. However, there was no significant difference in the palatability of buffe1 grass and guinea grass when grazed 4 weeks after defoliation. The two species were more palatable than gamba grass when grazed 4 weeks after cutting. From the point of view of palatability, stylo seemed to be the best of the three legumes. Buffe1 grass would seem to be more palatable at the preflowering than flowering stage.