Bloubuffel / Blue Buffalo Grass Seed (Cenchrus ciliaris) – For forage / fodder / pasture / grazing!
Bloubuffel / Blue Buffalo (Cenchrus ciliaris) pasture grass seed
Varieties: Molopo, Gayandah
Sowing rate: 6kg per hectare when planted in rows of +/- 200mm, or 10kg per hectare for full coverage.
Planting time: Sow Bloubuffel / Blue Buffalo grass seeds from September to March.
Planting method: A fine, compacted seedbed is necessary to establish Bloubuffel / Blue Buffalo grass.
Fertilizer: For Bloubuffel / Blue Buffalo grass (based on soil analysis findings) you would require around 200kg – 300kg of N /ha during summer growing season. Irrigation / rainfall is essential when applying N chemical fertilizers.
Description: Bloubuffel / Blue Buffalo grass is a tufted, shrubby perennial with rhizomes, Molopo grows up to 1,6m tall, Gayandah grows to a height of 1m (finer texture.)
Mainly used by beef cattle farmers, dairy cattle and sheep (esp. Gayandah)
Grows best in a subtropical climate with a minimum 300mm per annum, and prefers heavier soils, but can grow on most types of soil.
Yearly aeration of the soil to a depth of 15-20cm as well as cutting back of dead material to stimulate new tillers is required. Bloubuffelgras / Blue Buffalo grass should be grazed during early, succulent stage.
There are a number of advantages for using Bloubuffel / Blue Buffalo grass –
It’s palatable with high leaf production, extremely drought resistant, lifespan of 30+ years, high grazing value, recovers rapidly after defoliation and develops new shoots from rhizomes, has the ability to re-seed, no danger of bloating, outstanding disease tolerance.
Disadvantages include that it will survive water logging for a short period only and has poor frost tolerance.
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