**10. Diseases and pests**

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

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

In most smallholder dairies in sub-Saharan Africa, Bana grass is a popular forage and is used to feed dairy cattle under the cut-and-carry system [2]. The grass is cut at a height of 55–60 cm, that is, 2–3 months after planting and fed to dairy cows [11]. To reduce feed wastage, the grass needs to be chopped into smaller pieces. A mature dairy cow will consume about 10 kg of Bana a day under intensive management. Effective utilization of freshly harvested Bana is affected by its low dry matter content and high fiber content. When supplemented with Leucaena, Bana grass will sustain milk yields of 7–8 l/day. For adequate performance of dairy

Sheep and goats raised for either mutton/chevron production can be sustained by Bana [8]. However, for lactating goats and sheep, there is need to supplement this class of stock with leguminous forages. Legumes supply protein to animals, which is an important component

In tropical countries such as Vietnam, Nigeria, and Mozambique, Bana grass is commonly used as green forage for feeding rabbits. When fresh, Bana grass is moderately palatable to rabbits and is associated with high productivity. Palatability of Bana grass to rabbits is also affected by factors such as season, with high levels of palatability and crude protein during the rainy season, while low palatability during the dry season. Bana grass needs to be fed

**9. Some livestock classes and feeding of Bana grass**

cows, the grass should be supplemented with leguminous forages.

together with other legume forages such as Lucerne for effective growth.

voluntary feed intake.

152 Forage Groups

microbes in the rumen.

**9.1. Dairy cattle**

**9.2. Sheep and goats**

in milk synthesis.

**9.3. Rabbits**

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 fungal disease.
