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CROPPING SPARTINA SALT MARSH FOR SILAGE
Author(s) -
Hubbard J. C. E.,
Ranwell D. S.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1966.tb00475.x
Subject(s) - silage , salt marsh , hay , spartina , marsh , agronomy , silo , acre , biology , forage , environmental science , zoology , wetland , ecology
About half an acre (0·40 ha) of the salt marsh grass Spartina townsendii (s. l.) was cut from a Bristol Channel marsh using a small tractor modified for use on estuarine marshland. The cut grass was ensiled with molasses in a plastic silo. Chemical analyses were carried out on samples of fresh grass and silage. Silage was fed ad libitum to Halfbred × Suffolk wether sheep. Intake, digestibility values and crude protein content were similar to those of medium quality hay.