An aggressive grass as cattle feed

In this article, farmer VS Gilbey wrote about the good results he achieved by using rescue grass as cattle feed.

The conditions on the [then] Bloemfontein municipal sewage disposal farm may be exceptional when compared with those of other Free State farms, but the solution to our stock-feeding problems may be of interest to farmers faced with a shortage of the usual feeds.

We’re growing out and fattening large numbers of oxen on grass alone. And what a wonderful grass it is; it grows so fast that no other crop or weed can compete with it. It is so soft that even old oxen without teeth don’t have any difficulties in tearing it off. It stands up to grazing very well, and it doesn’t die out like Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and perennial ryegrass (L. perenne) do here.

As I’ve mentioned, our conditions are exceptional, as we have 3,8 million litres of sewage per day at our disposal. This doesn’t go very far in summer, but winter is more difficult and rescue grass (Bromus catharticus) came to our rescue.

PLENTY OF WATER