Evaluation of Tropical Grasses on Mine Revegetation for Herbage Supply to Bali Cattle in Sorowako, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate forage quality and absorption of heavy metals in grasses of grazing lands in mine revegetation area. Grazing land was dominated by Brachiaria decumbens (BD), which occupied about 87% in the pasture’ syielding ability of 14.8 Mg DM/ha/year, followed by Centrocema pubescens (CP), Calopogonium mucunoides (CM) and Imperata cylindrica (IC) at 6, 4 and 3%, respectively. Both of in vitro dry matter digestibility and organic matter digestibility were the highest in BD and CM, followed by CP and the lowest in IC. Structural carbohydrates of cellulose and hemicelluloses were the highest in BD, contrary to Acid Detergent Lignin (ADL) concentration, which was the highest in IC and the lowest in BD, while CP and CM showed the middle in ADL and cellulose concentrations among the four forage species. Heavy metals of nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb) were detected in the order of Ni > Cr > Pb in the grasses examined and harvested on mine-revegetation area in Sorowako, Indonesia.