Use: pastejo and fenao. Plantation: changes with more than 100 days of age spaced (1 x 1,5m). Capim Elephant – Pennisetum purpureum Schum common Name: Elephant, Napier or Capim-sugar cane. The Napier is a variety, the given name of wrong form the almost all varieties of forrageira. Origin: Africa (Rodsia) in Brazil in 1920 from dumb comings of Cuba. Requirements: high in fertility of ground, and draining. Use: it presents good palatabilidade, to be used in pastejo or fodder plant for cut and or ensilagem.
For ensilagem one sends regards to use rich additive in carbohidratos (sugar cane, molasses, sorgo, maize) with high text of humidity, and low in carbohidratos. Daily pay-drying in the improvement of the quality of the ensilage sends regards to it. Characteristics: it is a grassy cespitosa, perennial, rizomatosa, that it can reach until 6m of height, being common average height between 3 – 4 m, sends regards the cut with average height enters 1,3 m the 1,8 m, it presents wide and long leves, and colmos with up to 20 between – we with good resistance the plant. Handling: recommended to the entrance of the animals with 60-80 cm of height and withdrawal (exit) the 30-40 cm, with period of occupation between 1 – 7 days and period of rest with not desirable plants (PND). Capacity has supported: 3 – 8 U.A/ha in waters and capacity reduced in the droughts, paralyzed growth and reduction in the proteinic text. In pastejo rotacionado with fertilizao use it allows rise in the Capacity of Support.
Productivity: of 20-40 t/MV/corte 20cm of the ground with height of the plants between 1,3 -1,5 m. t/MV/ha/ano in 4 – 5 cuts can reach 180 productions of. Tolerance: grassy rustic, that it supports well to the pisoteio, with moderate tolerance to the cold and fire, being parched in the occurrence of frosts.