Cultivation of Odot Grass

As a breeder, providing continuous feed is a must. One of the fodder green solutions that can be developed is cvmott elephant grass (Pennisetum purerium) cvmott, or more commonly known as Odot Grass. Odot grass is one of the varieties of elephant grass  ( Pennisetum purpureum ) , this grass is often known as  Dwarf Elephant Grass  or  Mott Elephant Grass .. Odot grass has a very high potential as animal feed such as cows, goats, sheep. The difference between odot grass and elephant grass is Elephant grass or can be called (king grass) is generally planted and cultivated by farmers who have a height of about 4.5 m, while odot grass only has a height of about 1 meter, odot grass is very similar to pandan whose leaves are closely spaced. Odot grass is very efficient in terms of land use for planting.

Benefits of Odot Grass

As an efficient livestock feed, which has a high protein content that can make livestock such as cows, goats and buffaloes become fat. This odot grass can grow faster than other similar grasses.

Odot grass has a short stem and not too hard, soft leaves and not hairy, causing livestock to prefer this grass to other grasses. Odot grass can adapt to critical soils though, no special care is needed, there are 50-80 stems in one clump. Almost all parts of odot grass can be eaten by cows, while ordinary elephant grass is only about 60-70 %.

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Contents of Odot Grass

From the research results of some researchers, Odot grass production can reach more than 60 tons per hectare. The first harvest at the age of odot grass about 3-4 months, the next harvest we can do every 50-60 days. The advantage of odot grass is that it can be stored for up to 3 days without special treatment, and can still be eaten by cows or goats voraciously. There are 6 contents of Odot Grass as follows:

• Crude protein 14 %
• Crude stem protein 8.1 %
• Leaf crude protein 14.35%
• Stem crude fat content 0.91
• Leaf crude fat content 2.72%
• Digestibility of leaves 72.68%

 

Characteristics of Odot Grass

This odot grass is like elephant grass in general, but odot grass has characteristics and characteristics that are different from other grasses. Here are the characteristics of odot grass as follows:

1. Fast growth
2. Grows in clumps and sprouts or rhizomes
3. Strong and deep rooting
4. Leaves and stems delicate not hairy
5. Soft stems are easily eaten by livestock

 

Odot grass is very suitable for cows, goats, sheep after a long journey or dehydrated livestock. Because odot grass has a high water content of up to 80% with a protein content of fresh ingredients above 14%, so it is very helpful to eliminate dehydration while providing energy and protein that is not less and not excess (enough) for reconditioning, plus its soft texture makes voracious cattle eat the grass. The more you eat, the more stable your body fluids, the faster the recondition.

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Odot Grass Nursery

Odot grass seedlings come from cuttings, the seedlings are cut along 15 cm to 25 cm and then buried into the land, before planting do basic fertilization first on the land using manure. In general, the land used in the cultivation of odot grass must get enough sunlight. Here's how to make an odot grass nursery:

• The length of the cuttings is at least 20 cm
• Trunk large, smooth, and not hairy
• Yellowish green color
• Eligible for planting
• The chances of planting failure are small
• Age is old.

 

Odot Grass Planting Patterns

Monoculture means that the land is only planted with odot elephant grass. Because this plant is shorter in size, this grass can be planted as an intermittent plant in combination with other fodder greens. This grass can also be used to resist soil erosion by planting in the ground.

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How to Grow Odot Grass

• Clear the land to be planted with weeds from weeds and shrubs.
• Make a mound of soil approximately 60-80 cm wide and 20 cm high.
• Plant grass seedlings in the form of cuttings with 3 segments, where 2 segments are planted in the ground in the middle of the mound and 1 segment outside. Planting distance in rows 50-75 cm, planting distance between rows 75-150 cm.

Odot Grass Fertilization

• For fertilizing odot grass we can use basic fertilizer, mixed with manure in the amount of 3 tons/ha.
• If you want to accelerate growth, you can do fertilization at the age of 15 days after planting with urea fertilizer or with NPK fertilizer as much as 60 kg / Ha.
• Liquid manure (livestock urine) of cows, goats, fermented rabbits can also be used as liquid manure for fertilization with application sprayed to soil crops.

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Odot Grass Harvesting

• Use a sharp sickle to cut it.
• Cut short in line with the ground, if the cut is high the stem will be smaller and if exposed to continuous rain it will rot and die.
• At the first planting odot grass can be harvested at the age of 60-70 days
• The characteristics of grass that can be harvested is the presence of segments on the stem measuring at least 15 cm
• Harvest age in the rainy season is 35-40 days. Harvest age in the dry season is 40-50 days
• If you want to keep the optimal harvest in the dry season, do digging. 
• The number of seedlings in one clump after harvesting 2 and so on is at least 40 stems with production potential can reach 15 kg per clump in good nutrient conditions.