Species information
Itchgrass is a useful fodder grass when young and suitable for ensiling. When tall, its stiff hairs cause irritation and unpalatability (Göhl, 1982). Tanzanian farmers rank it third behind Pennisetum purpureum and Megathyrsus maximus for growth, milk yield and general animal health. It can be mixed with other grasses to feed cattle, which results in a higher dry matter intake (Komwihangilo et al., 2007a).
In Pakistan, itchgrass was not found nutritious enough for animal requirements and supplementation was recommended (Sultan et al., 2007). In Samoa, wilting itchgrass gave better results than hay as a dry season forage for goats and resulted in higher voluntary dry matter intake, energy intake and crude protein digestibility (Aregheore, 2006).