Effect of morphological stage and clipping intervals of Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and Setaria (Setaria anceps Stapf.) on biochemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility in mid hill Himalayan region

Four varieties of Tall fescue and three varieties of Setaria were analyzed for variation in chemical composition viz., dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), hemicellulose, oxalate content and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) at different morphophysiological stages and clipping intervals. In Tall fescue the crude protein (11.81%) and IVDMD content (55.20%) were higher while NDF (63.65%), ADF (48.22%) and hemicellulose content (15.46%) were low during early growth stages. In Setaria the crude protein (10.92%) and IVDMD (62.34%) was high during early growth stages, but the same stages were also having high levels of oxalate (4.87%), which is one of the important anti-nutrient in Setaria associated with low milk production. With the advancing age there was decrease in the oxalate content in Setaria . The NDF, ADF and hemicellulose content increased with an increase in the age of plants. The results of the study revealed that to have balance among nutritive and anti-nutritive components Setaria should be harvested in the month of September and tall fescue in the month of March or April in mid hill Himalayan region.