engleski

Effect of intercropping maize with cowpea on forage yield and quality

Low cost and high dry matter content are the reasons why cereals play an important role in feeding ruminant animals. Nevertheless, maize forage is poor in protein content which leads to low quality and nutritive value. Regarding the high feed costs of protein supplementations, legumes can be used in livestock nutrition for their high protein content, and thus, provide cost savings. In this study, maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) were intercropped in different sowing densities and their monocropping equivalents were tested to determine the best intercropping system on forage yield and quality. Maize was cultivated alone (75 000 plants ha-1 ) and intercropped with cowpea as follows: 75 000 plants ha-1 of maize and 37 500 plants ha-1 of cowpea (M1), 75 000 plants ha-1 of maize and 50 000 plants ha-1 of cowpea (M2) and 75 000 plants ha-1 of maize and 75 000 plants ha-1 of cowpea (M3), in rows alternating with maize. The highest dry matter yield was produced by M3 (20.4 t ha-1 ), and the lowest by M1 (17.3 t ha-1 ). All intercropped systems had higher dry matter crude protein contents, M1 (101 g kg-1 ), M2 (114 g kg-1 ) and M3 (125 g kg-1 ), than the monocrop maize (79 g kg-1). Intercropping of maize with cowpea reduced neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre contents, resulting in increased forage digestibility. Therefore, maize intercropping with cowpea could substantially increase forage quantity and quality, and decrease requirements for protein supplements as compared with maize monocrop.

Intercropping ; Maize ; Cowpea ; Yield ; Quality

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