Tropical forages Mulato II and Forage Sorghum for silage conservation and sheep production in St. Kitts and Nevis

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1 Tropical forages Mulato II and Forage Sorghum for silage conservation and sheep production in St. Kitts and Nevis S Borucki 1, A Hosein 2, I Watts 3, J Berry 3 and L E Phillip 1 1 Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; 2 Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Trinidad and Tobago Unit; 3 Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, St. Kitts and Nevis. 49 th Caribbean Food Crops Society Meeting, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Trinidad and Tobago July 04, 2013 CIFSRF, IDRC - CIDA CARICOM Food Security Project

2 INTRODUCTION SMALL RUMINANTS FOR FOOD SECURITY Provide high quality protein food, fibre, income Wide variety of herbage, landscapes Lower investment costs than cattle CARICOM net importer: Consumer demands Closure of sugar industry: Available land, employment Agricultural Development Strategy (Ministry of Agriculture) Agricultural Extension and Economics Dept. UWI (2006)

3 Challenges for Small Ruminant Production Policies Absence or no implementation of policies Land tenure (unsuitable or high cost) No measures to deal with praedial larceny Production Natural disasters Inadequate breeding stock High cost of grains, concentrates, limited supply of by-products Deficient management Market Inadequate support systems (credit/ technical or extension) Market imperfection Competent prices from meat imports Poor support infrastructures for slaughtering and meat processing No established meat quality standards Agricultural Extension and Economics Dept. UWI (2006)

4 Intensive Extensive Semi Intensive Own pastures Free roam and communal areas Leased and rented pastures SURVEY RESULTS FOR ST KITTS AND NEVIS (CARDI, 2008) Almost 100 % of small ruminant farmers graze their animals More than 70% rely only natural pastures of low quality Little or no pasture management is practised Small ruminant production systems SK Farmers practice of small ruminants SK 31% 8% 29% 28% 61% 43%

5 Specific objectives: a) to establish Mulato II and Forage sorghum into feeding systems as alternative species to increase forage production and quality; b) to introduce forage conservation techniques to balance the periods of forage scarcity with the conserved forage from periods of overproduction;

6 MATERIALS AND METHODS Data collection on agronomic practices, management and establishment; Sampling for nutritional quality and biomass production, Observation Measurements: ruler and quadrat Weekly field observation Height, % cover, tillers presence of weeds, physiological state, pests, diseases Biomass (kg /ha), sample for quality analysis Sampling: quadrat MEASUREMENT OF ESTABLISHMENT OF FORAGES: January to June

7 MATERIALS AND METHODS Forage Management Agronomic decisions Forage Sorghum Mulato II Variety Brown mid-rib hybrid, Great Scott TX Mulato II, Tropical Seeds FL Area 2 hectares 2 hectares Planting date and density March 2 nd 2012 November 2 nd 2012 February 3 rd 2012, April 19 th kg seed / ha 22 and 11 kg seed / ha 11 kg and 18 kg seeds / ha; Fertilization No pre-plant fertilization ; 227 kg/ha at 52 d NPK (15:15:15) Pre-plant fertilization with 110 kg urea/ha; Harvest May 24, 2012 January 25, 2013 Weed control No pre-plant or growth stage weed control pre-emergent herbicide and post emergent broad leaf control a. No pre-plant fertilization or during growth until April 2012 b. 110 kg/ha NPK (20:10:10) and 200 kg urea/ha after harvest or brush cut (with rain) 1 st harvest: July 27, nd harvest: November 15, 2012 Brush cut every 6 wk No pre-plant or growth stage weed control (only re-seeded section); Post emergent broad leaf control

8 CHALLENGES: Dry season MULATO II establishment Activity: RE-SEEDED AREA Land preparation Ploughed, harrowed, rotorvated to a fine tilth 2X seeding density to account for low germination rate; Decreased depth of seeding cm depth, with beet seed plate Incorporated fertilizer NPK (20:10:10) rotorvated into soil at rate of 110 kg / ha; -Strategic re-fertilization with -N fertiliser with the rain -incorporated herbicide pre-emergent herbicide pendimethalin (Prowl) applied 2 wk before planting; 2,4 (D ichlorophenoxyacetic acid) applied for broad leaves (July 5, 2012) Emerging Mulato grass at Belle Vue

9 METHODOLOGY silage drum silage bag preparation harvest, filling, compacting, tying, and storage 9

10 Establishment parameters for FORAGE SORGHUM Section D from December 2012 to February 2013 Status/ Management Days of growth Sample n Height (cm) Tillers (#) (%) Area covered by the plant (%) Area covered by weeds (dry or fresh) (%) Bare soil (%) Dry matter (DM) vegetative ± % ± % ± ± ± 2.5 initial bloom ± ± % ± % ± ± 0.9 full bloom ± ± % ± % ± ± 5.8 harvest ± ± % ± % ± ± 1.0 re-growth % ± % ±

11 Days of growth (weeks) Establishment parameters for different sections of MULATO II from July to October 2012 Mulato II Grass Section Sample n Height (cm) (%) Area covered by forage (%) Area covered by weeds (dry or fresh) (%) Bare soil 12 wk A 4 66 ± % ± % ± % ± wk B 6 46 ± % ± % ± % ± wk C 8 56 ± % ± % ± % ± wk A 4 61 ± % ± 8.1 8% ± 8.1 0% - 6 wk B 6 81 ± % ± % ± % ± wk C 8 86 ± % ± % ± % ± wk A 4 99 ± % ± 2.5 5% ± 0 0% - 7 wk B 2 89 ± % ± % ± % - 12 wk C 4 84 ± % ± 5.0 3% ± 5.0 0% -

12 10% mulato grass dry material and weeds bare soil 4 weeks 30% 12 weeks 75% 98% 5 weeks re-growth 12 weeks re-growth 12

13 Kg dry matter/ha 1, d 50 d re-growth Dry season Kg dry matter/ha Rainy season 6, ,818 3, d 46 d 67 d 81 d 23 d re-growth

14 Rainy season kg dry matter per ha 0 kg Dry season 4,783 kg 15,286 kg 12,771 kg 17,424 kg April 20 Jul-10 Aug-22 Sep Oct 12 weeks (dry season) Sections A, B, C 6 weeks (wet season) Sections B, C (B', A') 5 weeks (wet season) Sections A (C') 12 weeks (wet season) Sections C' (A)

15 FORAGE SORGHUM silage, ph measurements Date of silage preparation Date of Measurement Days of silage conservation Sample # ph Conditions of preservation May 24, 2012 July 10, month very good January 22, 2012 February 20, month very good Very good Good

16 MULATO II Silage, ph measurements Date of silage preparation Date of Measurement Days of conservation Batch (if present) Sample # ph Conditions of preservation July 27, 2012 September 20, month acceptable July 27, 2012 January 22, months very good July 27, 2012 February 20, months very good November 10, 2012 January 22, months good November 10, 2012 January 22, months good February 2013 February 20, weeks very good February 2013 February 20, weeks spoiled

17 Forage Sorghum produced 1.8 ton dry matter per ha in 2012 dry season and 6.5 tons in the rainy season in St. Kitts Forage sorghum did not reach the Great Scott BMR variety s potential, 3 X more productive under ideal management conditions and irrigation; Challenges faced were high weed infestation, monkey invasion & destruction of plants, and low fertility of soil Forage sorghum was successfully conserved as forage, but punctures and extreme outdoor weather conditions caused spoilage in 3 of the 5 farms after 4 months

18 Mulato II was successfully established in St. Kitts in 2012 dry season with adequate management Mulato II produced 4.7 ton dry matter/ha in the dry and 17.4 ton in the rainy season with adequate management; Mulato II was able to cover 98% soil in 20 weeks, producing results (rainy season) comparable to results obtained at Research Stations in the Caribbean. Mulato II was successfully conserved as silage for 7 months using the silage bag technique (8 mils plastic)

19 Mulato II and Forage Sorghum forage crops were successfully established in the dry season 2012 in St. Kitts and Nevis, showing promising establishment and production potential for ruminants in the Caribbean Region. Both forages increased their yields in the wet season producing a surplus of forage that was conserved using the silage technique for 3 and 7 months.

20 Mulato II proved its potential to produce a total of 54,7 ton dry matter/ ha a year. Forage Sorghum seeding and growing conditions resulted in only a 50% coverage of the area, producing 3.6 X (6,3 tons) in the wet vs. dry season We only achieved 23% of this Forage Sorghum variety s potential, so there is room to improve In management for this specie

21 Thank you, any questions? CIFSRF - CARICOM Food Security Project SMALL RUMINANTS TEAM J. Berry, I. Watts, R. Guishard, L. Henry, Department of Agriculture MAMR St. Kitts A. Hosein and N. Gibson, CARDI S. Borucki and L. Phillip, McGill University Acknowledgements This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada, and with financial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)