Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris cv. Biloela), green panic (Panicum maximum var. trichoglume), Caribbean stylo (Stylosanthes hamata cv. Verano) and Townsville stylo (S. humilis cv. Paterson) in pure stands or grass–legume combinations were established from seed and evaluated for dry matter (DM) yield and crude protein (CP) during the growing seasons of 1977 and 1978. Caribbean stylo or Caribbean stylo–grass mixtures had a greater yield potential than Townsville stylo, but differences between buffel grass and green panic were small and inconsistent.
The highest DM yields of 3.83 t/ha and 4.97 t/ ha in the first and second years, respectively, resulted from Caribbean stylo–green panic swards. However, averaged over all harvesting dates, Caribbean stylo–buffel grass mixtures produced the largest yields of 2.38 and 3.94 t/ha in 1977 and 1978, respectively.
Crude protein (CP) concentration varied from 18.22–5.94% in the legumes and 7.43–2.37% in the grasses. On the basis of CP yield, about 95 days after sowing (1977) and 90 days of regrowth (1978) would be recommended for conducting hay harvest and livestock grazing on all swards. Beyond these periods, most of the swards deteriorated to mere foggages which would necessitate supplementation, were they to be used for hay or livestock grazing.