Comparative Evaluation of Selected Grass Species for Agronomic Performance, Forage Yield, and Chemical Composition in the Highlands of Ethiopia

Table 2

Effect of harvesting stage and improved grass species on chemical composition of the grass.

Factor		Parameter
Harvesting date	Grass species	DM (%)	ASH (%)	OM (%)	CP (%)	CPY (t/ha)	NDF (%)	ADF (%)	ADL (%)
60	Desho	88.8^c	15.8^c	83.2^a	9.34^b	0.23^a	64.1^a	36.2^a	4.67^b
	Brachiaria	92.6^a	16.93^b	83.07^b	12.2^a	0.224^a	55.4^b	35.6^a	4.2^c
	Napier	89.7^b	18.7^a	81.3^c	9.3^b	0.204^a	65.5^a	33.8^b	5^a
90	Desho	90.2^b	15.6^c	84.1^a	7.1^c	0.37^b	65.7^a	36^a	4.81^b
	Brachiaria	92.61^a	16.9^b	83.1^b	13.6^a	0.97^a	56.5^b	36.7^a	4.2^c
	Napier	90.6^b	18.3^a	81.7^c	9.7^b	1.15^a	66^a	33.8^b	5.3^a
120	Desho	90.5^c	13.5^b	86.5^a	7^b	1^a	69.7^b	37.7^b	4.87^b
	Brachiaria	93^a	15^a	85^b	9^a	1.8^a	59.6^c	39.1^a	4.77^b
	Napier	91.3^b	15.7^a	84.3^b	7^b	1.2^a	72.2^a	37^b	5.95^a
	Overall mean	91	16.3	83.7	9.4	0.8	63.8	36.2	4.86
	SE	0.24	0.265	0.265	0.39	0.112	0.92	0.3	0.1
	CV	2	2.5	2.52	5.5	0.45	30.3	3.2	0.3
value	Harvesting date
	60	90.4^c	17.14^a	82.9^b	10.3^a	0.22^c	61.7^c	35.2^b	4.6^b
	90	91.1^b	17^a	83^b	10.12^a	0.83^b	62.7^b	35.5^b	4.77^b
	120	91.6^a	14.7^b	85.3^a	7.7^b	1.32^a	67.14^a	38^a	5.2^a
	Grass species
	Desho	89.84^c	15^c	85^a	7.8^b	0.53^b	66.5^b	36.6^a	4.78^b
	Brachiaria	92.76^a	16.25^b	83.7^b	11.6^a	0.98^a	57.1^c	37.12^a	4.4^c
	Napier	90.5^b	17.6^a	82.4^c	8.7^b	0.85^ba	67.88^a	34.89^b	5.4^a
	Harvesting date×grass species

, , , DM = dry matter content, ASH = ash content, OM = organic matter, CP = crude protein, CPY = crude protein yield, NDF = neutral detergent fiber, ADF = acid detergent fiber, ADL = acid detergent lignin, SE = standard error, and CV = coefficient of variation.