Chloris gayana

Rhodes grass

Fine-stemmed leafy turf-forming perennial up to 1.5 m high. Varieties selected for grazing (prostrate) and hay (erect). Grows in areas with 600-1200 mm of summer rainfall and a four- to six-month dry season. Found on many soils, but prefers fertile soils. Persistent and drought resistant when well grazed and fertilized, but disappears after a few years if not well managed. New pastures should not be heavily grazed or cut until seeds have set once. Cuttings taken at monthly intervals. Palatable and one of the most satisfactory tropical grasses for hay; not suitable for silage. A popular grass very easily established by sowing. Herbage yields reasonable, but not particularly high quality except for the first one to two months. Usual productive life of three years, which can be extended by heavy fertilization. Combines with a number of legumes, such as lucerne and centro. The Giant Rhodes variety is more palatable and drought resistant.

							As % of dry matter
						DM	CP	CF	Ash	EE	NFE	Ref
Fresh, pasture, Zimbabwe						28.2	8.9	37.9	6.0	1.0	46.2	499
Fresh, first cutting, early
bloom, Tanzania						20.0	9.5	32.5	11.8	1.7	44.5	175
Fresh, second cutting, early
bloom, Tanzania						25.0	7.1	38.7	10.2	1.0	43.0	"
Fresh, mature, Hawaii						28.8	8.0	37.2	13.1	2.0	39.7	515
Hay, dry season, 6 weeks,
55 cm Thailand						84.1	9.9	33.4	8.9	27.0	45.1	219
Hay, dry season, 8 weeks,
60 cm Thailand						91.5	9.0	35.6	8.3	2.5	44.6	"
Hay, dry season, 10 weeks,
95 cm Thailand						88.1	6.8	36.5	8.6	2.4	45.7	"
Hay, dry season, 12 weeks,
95 cm Thailand						90.1	4.1	38.2	6.7	1.8	49.2	"
Hay, first cutting, Tanzania						87.0	3.7	43.5	8.7	1.3	42.8	175
Hay, second cutting, Tanzania						87.0	3.7	42.0	8.7	1.2	44.4	"
Silage, Nigeria						23.6	4.5	37.2	13.4	2.2	42.7	58
							Digestibility (%)
					Animal		CP	CF	EE	NFE	ME	Ref
Pasture					Cattle		62.3	75.2	36.0	67.4	2.42	499
First cutting					Sheep		69.5	83.7	47.0	77.8	2.58	175
Second cutting					Sheep		62.0	74.4	30.0	63.3	2.24	"
Mature					Oxen		58.0	70.0	50.0	60.0	2.08	515
Hay, 6 weeks					Sheep		55.0	60.0	45.0	56.0	2.81	219
Hay, 8 weeks					Sheep		54.0	62.0	54.0	56.0	2.01	"
Hay, 10 weeks					Sheep		43.0	61.0	58.0	55.0	1.95	"
Hay, 12 weeks					Sheep		17.0	51.0	36.0	52.0	1.71	"
Hay, first cutting					Sheep		31.4	56.6	46.0	50.9	1.77	175
Hay, second cutting					Sheep		32.4	55.5	42.0	46.6	1.68	"
Silage					Cattle		8.9	72.0	22.7	52.7	1.83	58
					Nylon bag degradability
						a	b	c		12hr	48hr	Ref
						(%)	(%)	(/hour)		(%)	(%)
Rhodes grass					DM	20.1	55.9	0.0454			70.7	627
	[P (rumen degradability at time t) = a+b*(1-exp(-c*t))]