Australian Red Napier is a perennial hybrid Napier grass valued for its vibrant red coloration (stems and often leaves) and superior fodder qualities. It is promoted as a robust, high-performance variety developed or improved in Australia through selective breeding of Napier/elephant grass lines, sometimes described as involving crosses for better traits.
Key Characteristics:
Appearance: Distinctive deep red/purplish-red stems and foliage. It grows tall (up to 10-17 feet if left uncut, typically harvested at 7-8 feet). It has broad, soft, palatable leaves and forms thick, vigorous clumps with a strong root system.
Yield: High biomass producer, with reported annual yields of 180-200 tons of fresh green fodder per acre (some sources note 120-180+ tons depending on management). It supports 4-8 cuts per year, with the first cut around 80-90 days and subsequent cuts every 60-65 days. It is perennial, lasting 4-7 years.
Nutritional Value: Stands out for high crude protein (commonly 18-20%, with optimal management claims reaching 20-25%). It also offers good energy, minerals, and digestibility, making it excellent for boosting milk production in dairy animals and supporting growth in beef, goats, sheep, and other livestock.
Adaptability: Drought-tolerant with a deep root system. It performs well in various soils (alluvial, red, loamy; prefers well-drained) and climatic conditions with moderate to high rainfall. It shows good resilience compared to standard Napier varieties.
Management: Propagated by stem cuttings/slips (sterile hybrid, no viable seeds). Best used as green chop, cut-and-carry, or silage. Responds well to fertilization and irrigation but can tolerate marginal conditions better than many alternatives.
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