Determination of suitable cutting height for green fodder Trichanthera gigantea grown for animal feed

Tran Thi Hoan, Tu Trung Kien and Tu Quang Hien

Abstract: An experiment in order to determine the suitable cutting height of Trichanthera gigantea was carried out at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Viet Nam during 2019 – 2020. The experiment consisted of 4 different treatments (NT) respectively to 4 different cutting heights at the first harvesting that were NT1: 30 cm; NT2: 45cm; NT3: 60 cm and NT4: 75 cm measured from ground level. Each treatment was carried out in an area of 23.4 m2 with 5 replicates; the design was in randomize block. The other factors such as density, fertilizer, and cutting intervals were similar among treatments. Results showed that dry matter and crude protein yields were higher in treatments with higher cutting levels; dry matter yield of NT1, NT2, NT3 and NT4 was 7604, 10 972, 12 914 and 12 927 kg/ ha/ year, respectively. That of crude protein was 1959; 2826; 3327 and 3330 kg/ ha/ year respectively. Based on dry matter and crude protein yields and statistical analysis data, it was concluded that for the first harvesting, the cutting height should be 60 cm.

Keywords: animal feed; cutting height; Trichanthera gigantean

Date published: 2022-06-16