In order for a grass crop to be properly established on the surfaces of livestock agroecosystems, they must first of all have suitable soil and climatic factors for their growth and development, but in addition to this, the producer must provide the necessary management so that said crop can be established and remain on the surface for a long time to provide the necessary fodder for animal food and nutrition. Within the management of forage species, there are agronomic practices, which are essential to provide crops with the necessary conditions for production.
The following are some of the agronomic practices that can be provided to the grass destined for cutting known as Cuba OM-22.
- Selección de la semilla para siembra
For the sowing of this plant vegetative seeds are needed, which are part of the same plant, in this particular case they are fractions of the stem, technically known as cuttings, for the selection of this seed Padilla and Ayala (2006), mention that the age of the vegetative seed for planting depends on the time of the year in which it is produced, with this it mentions the period in which it is sown for surface when it is destined for seed production, indicating that if sowing in rainy seasons the obtaining of the seeds will be obtained faster since, there is availability of water which favors growth, otherwise in rainy season where its growth may be slower.
The seed to be used should be between 3 and 5 months old, when the plant reaches its maximum biological potential without the stems getting old and its buds starting to germinate in the field. The age cannot be assumed absolutely because it can be higher or lower depending on the climatic conditions and the fertility of the soil prevailing during the biological process of the formation of the stems or vegetative buds. After the stems are chosen, we proceed to make a diagonal cut of the stem and take fractions that have between 5 and 6 knots, obtaining in this way the seeds (cuttings), then the leaves are removed, since according to some specialists it favors germination.
- Plantación y establecimiento
For the sowing it is important to take into account the time of the year, preferably in the rainy seasons so that the soil has enough moisture to favor the sprouting of the cuttings, in case the production unit has an irrigation system the sowing can be carried out at any time of the year, because obviously the water resource will be available. For sowing it is recommended to open furrows of approximately 20 to 30 cm deep, to then place the cuttings and make them coincide the basal and the upper section so that they are superimposed on each other, the furrows should be separated with a distance between 90 and 100 cm approximately. According to Alonso (2003), the amount of seed needed for one hectare fluctuates between 3 and 4 tons.
- Fertilization
The cuba OM-22 grass, as we have mentioned in other articles, is one of the fodder species for cutting that has been introduced in Venezuela with many expectations for the yields per hectare of green and dry matter that it can provide. But in order to comply with these yields, researchers such as Herrera (1990), mention that it is necessary to provide nutrients through fertilization, especially of elements such as phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N), these elements can be provided through synthetic commercial products, or through organic fertilizers based on bovine manure, worm leachate, among others.
- Harvest or cutting
The Cuba OM-22 grass as mentioned is used for cutting and to be supplied to the animal, either fresh or preserved, that's why it is necessary to establish cutting frequencies. Initially, after sowing, it is recommended to make the first cut at 120 days after possibly its root system is well developed, after that, frequencies can be established between 60 and 90 days, depending on the yields and quality observed by the producer and at a height between 10 to 15 cm above the ground. Some reports have shown data on the yield of dry matter from 16 to 27 tons per hectare and the percentage of protein between 15 and 17%.
Dear readers, it was possible to show some of the agronomic practices of the cuba OM-22 pasture, it is important to mention that these are carried out in all the cutting pastures, but it varies in the cutting frequencies since, depending on the conditions of the ecosystem where they are sown. These crops can solve the food deficiency in livestock ecosystems when there are critical times, that's why always having some spaces planted with this forage resource could manage to maintain along with other resources the nutritional sustainability of the herd present in the system.
If you want to know a little more about the grasses intended for cutting, you can visit the following links:
| Bibliographic references |
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Padilla, C and Ayala, J (2006). Planting and establishment. In: P. purpureum for tropical livestock, Eds. Herrera, R; Febles, G and Crespo, G. EDICA. Instituto Ciencia Animal, Mayabeque, Cuba. 31-39 pp.
Alonso, O (2003) Manual of Pastures and Forages. Cuban society for the production and use of pastures. SOCUP. Main species of grasses and legumes used as pastures and forages. 35-42 pp.
Herrera, R (1990). Introduction and Botanical characteristics in: King Grass. Plantation, establishment and management in Cuba. Editorial EDICA. Institute of Animal Science, Havana, Cuba. 1-9 pp.
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