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Super Napier after 90 days of planting
- Normally first harvest can be done after 90 days of planting and can be fed to cows and buffaloes
- It has other uses aside from fresh feed for farm animals.
- If there is excess harvest because there are not enough animals to eat the newly cut grass, the same could be shredded and made into silage.
- The shredded leaves and stalks could also be made into organic fertilizer by mixing the same with cattle manure.
- When shredded into fine particles, the same could be fed to vegetable-eating fish like tilapia and Pangasius.
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Super Napier grass after 75 days of planting
- 75 days old Super Napier plants can be fed to chickens, ducks, horses and rabbits
- The Super Grass is very palatable because the stalks are tender
- It has a wide range of adaptability so that many farmers can benefit from it.
- Harvesting is done at intervals of 60 to 70 days.
- The first harvest, however, is made three months from planting.
- Then succeeding harvests are every 60 to 70 days.
- The stalks are cut close to the ground, and in no time, new shoots or ratoon will come out.
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Super Napier after 45 days of planting
- Super Napier grass will become robust, tufted and has a vigorous root system, developing from nodes of its creeping stolons.
- Super Napier by this time would have grown up to 4 m to 7 m in height.
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Super Napier after 30 days of planting
- Weeding has to be done in the Super Napier Farm as weeds rob your plants of the benefits of the fertilizer you apply.
- Hence after 30 days, weeding has to be done for the plants.
- If necessary, second spell of weeding can be done after 45 days
- After that, Super Napier grass will grow very fast and densely.
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How to fertilizer Super Napier
- 2 tons of organic fertilizer is recommended per acre or apply four bags of 14-14-14 fertilizer.
- 20 days after planting, apply cattle compost manure close to the stems
- Plow the land deep enough for the plant roots to penetration deep into the ground that make the plant drought resistant.
- After fertilizing the farm, the plants has to be irrigate well
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How to irrigate Super Napier plants
- Watering should be done on the third day.
- Irrigation should be done every 7 days depending on type of the soil
- Wastewater from the cattle shed can also be used for irrigation and is best source of manure.
- Super Napier grows well in all types of water.
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How to plant Super Napier grass stems
The soil should be well pulverized with the use of a rotavator
The furrows are made 3 feets apart.
The cuttings are planted flat in the furrows, 2 feets apart, and covered with soil one to two inches thick.
10,000 to 12,000 stems can be planted per acre
After planting, irrigate to enhance germination.
Always irrigate when necessary.
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Super Napier – Organic Farming in Tamil Nadu
Super Napier is a high yielding green fodder.
Super Napier can yield 180 to 200 tonnes per acre per year
Its leaf length are 6 – 8 cm broad.
They grow up to a high height 12 feet to 15 feet
Super Napier has high crisp leaves.
They have high leaf stem rate
Super Napier can be harvested eight times a year
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How to Fertilizer Super Napier farms?
- Firstly plow the land deep enough for the plant roots to penetrate deep into the ground making it drought resistant.
- For the Super Napier grass, fertilization should be done when the new leaves emerge.
- That is after 20 days of planting the stems, we can give fertilizer to our plants.
- The best method for obtaining maximum yields from the Super Napier is to broadcast the fertilizer all over the surface of the soil but closer to the stems.
- Broadcasting is the easy means to apply the fertilizer. Also it helps in uniform fertilizer distribution to all the plants.
- Cattle Manure is the best fertilizer for the Super Napier Grass or any other organic manure rich in NPK can be used as well.
- Nitrogen in the manure causes leaf growth and the formation of stems and branches.
- Phosphorus promotes the development of healthy roots.
- Potash helps the plant to maintain good growth and protects against the pest, disease damage.
- We recommend 2 tons of organic fertilizer per acre or apply four bags of 14-14-14 fertilizer.
- After completing the fertilization, irrigate the Super Napier plants thoroughly.
- Continue to feed every 2 to 4 months during the growing season so that maximum yield can be achieved from the Super Napier.
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Is Super Napier good for Cows?
Super Napier grass is a high yielding green fodder and is very good for dairy cows.
Besides yield, Super Napier has crude protein ranging from 17 to 18 percent. It is very palatable because the stalks are tender. The leaves are smooth and hairless and animals love to eat them as its juice is sweetish.
It has a wide range of adaptability so that many farmers can benefit from it increases milk production of the dairy cows because of its high protein content.
Shredded Super Napier leaves and stalks could also be into silage and can also be fed to cows