Application of nitrogen and irrigation to pasture to enhance dry season cattle production in Uganda.
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Date
1970
Authors
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
This study was initiated to ascertain the role of fertilizer nitrogen and/or supplemental irrigation in bridging the dry season shortage gap. Past research on Uganda pastures noted that this has mainly been on species introduced from outside the country and selection from local and introduced species and varieties for adaptation to different ecological zones under various management practices. The role of fertilizer in pasture production has also been reviewed as well as the role of water in the life of the land. Lastly a brief review has been made of the methods of measuring pasture output. The experiment was conducted at Makerere University Farm, Kabanyolo. The climate at Kabanyolo is classified as moist tropical. Annual rainfall is about 51.2 in with two peaks in April and November and two lows in January and July. The upland cultivated soils of Kabanyolo have been described as latosols or ferrallitic soils. A split plot design was employed, the main plots being for irrigation and no irrigation, and the split pots for the four levels of nitrogen. Nitrogen, calcium ammonium nitrate, potash and phosphate were applied. For irrigation a sprinkler system was used. The grazing stock included yearling ¾ Jersey ¼ Nganda crossbred heifers (first year) and yearling ¾-Jersey-1/4-Nganda crossbred steers (2nd year). The first grazing cycle of each year was used for conditioning the animals. Animals were weighed before entering the first replicate and when they completed the fifth replicate. Herbage samples were taken for yield estimation and chemical analyses. Soil samples were taken for moisture and chemical analyses. Statistical analysis using t test for the average moisture percentages of the irrigated and non-irrigated treatments for one year of recording showed that irrigated plots had higher soil moisture content than the non-irrigated plots. Generally the experimental treatments had no significant effects, diminutive or incremental, on the constitution of these nutrients. In both seasons Herbage yields increased as the level of N-fertilization increased, and with irrigation where N was applied. Irrigation had no significant effect on crude protein composition during the dry seasons but had a significant lowering effect during the wet seasons. The crude fibre composition in herbage was not influenced by irrigation but was significantly reduced by fertilizer nitrogen in all seasons. Neither season nor level of N nor irrigation enhanced the accumulation of NO3-N in herbage to a minimum level of CO.20% reported as toxic to livestock. The stocking rate increased with increasing levels of N in both irrigated and non-irrigated treatments. It was evident from the study that a combination of high levels of N with irrigation was able to maintain a steady production of large quantities of herbage yields declined progressively.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS WRE TD365.J67)
Keywords
Pastures, Fertilization in vitro, Human, Pasture irrigation
Citation
Tiharuhondi, E. R (1970)Application of nitrogen and irrigation to pasture to enhance dry season cattle production in Uganda, Masters dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/detail.aspx