Themeda triandra

Red oat grass, kangaroo grass, bluegrass

Tufted perennial, very variable in size and habit, normally 30-90 cm high, but sometimes 3.5 m high, with blue or green hairy or smooth leaves. Grows on clay soils and with annual rainfall of 600-1 000 mm. Kept dominant by annual burning, from which it recovers after rain has fallen; not found in areas that are persistently overgrazed or protected from fire. Poor nutritive value. Easily overgrazed when young, and unpalatable when mature. Low carrying capacity. The most common grass on the natural grasslands of Africa.

							As % of dry matter
						DM	CP	CF	Ash	EE	NFE	Ref
Fresh, vegetative,
South Africa							6.9	32.3	12.0	3.0	45.8	63
Fresh, mature,
South Africa							2.7	34.2	12.5	1.9	48.7	"
Hay, mean value, Uganda							3.3	39.3	8.3	1.2	47.9	313
Hay, mature, Kenya						91.6	4.4	40.4	10.3	1.6	43.3	481
							Digestibility (%)
					Animal		CP	CF	EE	NFE	ME	Ref
Fresh, vegetative					Sheep		51.9	59.2	50.4	56.9	1.90	63
Hay, mature					Zebu		7.4	70.6	40.7	52.1	1.95	313
Hay, mature					Sheep		13.5	59.2	25.4	39.6	1.54	481