Indian Journal of Animal Nutrition

Stylo (Stylosanthes hamata) hay was prepared after harvesting the crop at two maturity stages viz., 90 and 150 days after sowing and fed as sole feed to eight local goats (b.wt. 17.05±0.52 kg), randomly divided into 2 groups of 4 each for 45 days. There was a significant (P< 0.05) variation in the chemical composition of hay between maturity stages. The average DM intake as well as nutrients digestibility were higher (P<0.05) for early cut hay as compared to late cut. The higher DCP and TDN contents for early cut hay Indicated that for the optimum utilization of nutrients, S. hamata should be harvested 90 days after sowing for hay making.