Nutritive value and safety of greater club rush as livestock feed

The present study was undertaken to assess the nutritive value of greater club rush (Scirpus grossus L. f) and safety of the weed biomass as a livestock feed. The results showed that the nutrient composition of the weed biomass was comparable to some of the popular cultivated fodder crops like guinea grass. Heavy metal content of the sedge plant was mostly within the permissible limits as recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO). However, the cadmium concentration was found to be more than the safe limit, indicating possible risk in allowing free grazing in contaminated soils. The data on the transfer and accumulation of heavy metals from soils to plant shoots/roots as estimated through biological concentration factor (BCF), translocation factor (TF) and bio accumulation coefficient (BAC) also indicated that there is a need for caution when animals are allowed to graze freely on the luxuriant growth of greater club rush in wetland ecosystem.