Comparison of productivity and feed value of different forage plants in the semi-arid regions of the Loess Plateau, China

In order to select suitable forage plants for semi-arid regions, three typical forage crops, including forage corn (Zea mays), forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and sudangrass (Sorghum sudanense), and two forage grasses alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and siberian wildrye (Elymus sibiricus), were selected to compare and analyze their dry matter yield, nutritional quality and forage value. The results showed that the plant height of sorghum (from Japan) was the highest (289.25 cm), which was approximately 10% higher than that of sweet sorghum and maize. The plant height of sudangrass SP20 (from America) was the lowest (172.80 cm). The dry matter yield of sweet sorghum was the highest (17.38 kg·m^–2), followed by sorghum (12.35 kg·m^–2), both of which were higher than that of maize (P < 0.05). The content of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) in sudangrass was relatively low, and the difference between sweet sorghum and forage maize was not significant (P > 0.05). The relative feed values (RFV) of sudangrass and alfalfa were highest (135～143), followed by forage maize and sweet sorghum (107～109), and sorghum and siberian wildrye were the lowest (95～102). It was concluded that sweet sorghum had similar forage value to forage maize, but had a higher yield, which has greater development potential in semi-arid areas.