Digestibility Class and Range (%)

Confidence Interval Digestibility ~ 5% (DM)

Pasture Species

Plant Components/Seasonal Timing^2,3

Very high 75 - 85

white clover, Persian clover, tetraploid and hybrid biennial ryegrass¹

April-July: young leaves

High 70 - 80

perennial ryegrass, phalaristall fescue, alfalfa, subterranean clover, Balansa clover, Cape weed

April-July: young leaves

Moderate 65 - 75 60 - 70

orchard grass, annual Bromus spp., barley grass wallaby grass, fog grass, weeping grass²

August: old leaf/young stems

Low 55 - 65

onion grass, sweet vernal, fox/rats tail fescue, spear grass, weeping grass¹kangaroo grass, silver grass.

November: mature green stems

40 - 55

Senescent annual grasses and forbs of all types

Jan-Feb: recently dead material

30 - 40

All material in absence of summer rain to support perennial species

March: old dead plant material