**8. Animal production and Bana grass**

#### **8.1. Ruminants**

Bana grass is one of the most vital fodder grasses for feeding ruminant in sub-Saharan Africa, mainly due to its high productivity. The grass can be grazed, fed as hay, cut fresh, and fed to animals or ensiled [13]. Voluntary intake of the grass is affected by variability among cultivars.

#### **8.2. Palatability**

Bana grass is very palatable during its early growth stages (young and leafy). However, as it matures, it becomes coarse and unpalatable. In light of this background, fresh elephant grass is often chopped to prevent animals from selecting the best parts.

#### **8.3. Digestibility and intake**

The high cell wall content of Bana grass reduces its protein and energy content. In situ digestibility trials revealed that there is a general decrease in crude protein content and an increase in the fiber content as the grass matures. Young Bana grass has a high nutritive value like most grasses [4]. Bana retains a high level of digestibility over a longer period because its cell wall content increases at a lower rate as it approaches maturity when compared to other grasses such as Kikuyu. Studies with steers in Brazil reported a decline in dry matter intake and organic matter digestibility with days of regrowth. OM digestibility varied from 75% at 33 days to 56% at 93 days. The authors then recommended use of Bana grass between 30 and 35 days of regrowth for effective organic matter digestibility and voluntary feed intake.

**10. Diseases and pests**

**11. Source of planting material**

ministry of agriculture, agriculture colleges, and universities.

**12. Limitations in Bana grass production**

fungal disease.

**13. Conclusion**

Bana grass just like other grasses and crops can be attacked by various disease-causing agents, but it has shown a greater degree of resistance compared to other forages [10]. In parts of sub-Saharan Africa like Central Kenya, reports of the grass being attacked by head smut caused by *Ustilago camerumensis* were received [3]. However, some varieties of Bana were found to be resistant to the disease. *Helminthosporium* spp. has also been reported in Bana, but a lot of work is being done to look for varieties that are tolerant to this disease-causing agent. During the rainy season, now mold fungal disease is common to most species of Bana grass with the exception of Clone3. Nevertheless, herbage production is not threatened by snow mold

Bana Grass Growing in Sub Saharan Africa http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82367 153

In most sub-Saharan African countries, Bana grass planting material can be obtained from various places and sources such as research institutions, farmers who are into production,

Despite its robust growth and the big production potential, Bana has its own limitations. Bana matures rapidly and becomes stemmy, making it highly unpalatable if growth is not controlled [2]. Bana is also propagated vegetatively and rarely from seeds, since most varieties produce seeds that are not viable. In order for Bana to realize its maximum yield, it needs to

Bana grass has always had a valuable role in the world of agriculture over the years. The potential of the grass for improving agriculture and bringing stability to the ecosystem is enormous in sub-Saharan Africa. Nevertheless, its future use in agriculture is limited by the knowledge gap and poor adoption in general. The current impacts of climate change together with the high cost involved in feeding animals justify the need to improve establishment and utilization of the miracle grass. Bana grass is relatively easy to propagate and can reach up to a height of 3 m in 3–4 months and has high leaf to stem ration compared to most improved grasses. The grass can also be grown on hard-to-irrigate areas but of course on soils with good irrigation, making it suitable for the sub-Saharan climate. The grass is also native to sub-Saharan Africa. The author calls upon researchers, government structures responsible for agriculture, and development partners to promote establishment and utilization of the

be established on soils with high inherent fertility or on heavily manured soils.

Due to a fill intake caused by water intake when Bana grass is very young, voluntary intake will be usually low. Some results suggest that, at restricted level of intake, maturity can result in an increase of metabolizable energy available in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies in Pakistan revealed that the use of N fertilizer increased the protein concentration of the Bana grass, but these fertilizers failed to reverse the adverse effects of maturity on nutrient digestibility in buffaloes. Bana grass can be chopped and roller-milled to increase voluntary feed intake of the grass and overall value of the grass and consequently a reduction in feed costs. This is made possible by the increase in cell wall surface area available for digestion by microbes in the rumen.
