Brachiaria Grass: A Must For Livestock Farmers in Jamb Expo

For those who keep livestock the scarcity of green fodder is at its peak right now.Brachiaria grass is a highly nutritious source of feed for animals. Its of African origin yet 'travelled out' for several years and is now back . (Remember Agric Minister Audu Ogbeh's comments on Importing grass years back?) Below are some interesting facts about it:

Brachiaria grass

1. It looks like ordinary napier/elephant grass from a distance. But on a closer look you’ll see that is has thicker leaves and does not have scratching and cutting hairs like Elephant grass. Brachiaria also produces seeds unlike Napier grass, and the seeds do not lose their hybrid vigor, meaning that you can plant the seeds and get good results.... Jamb runs 2023

2. It originates from Africa, but has been improved through scientific methods in South America into a grass with better yield and pest resistance.

3. It has more than 15% crude protein on a dry matter basis. It can reach 20% with good management.

4. It grows fast with little amount of water producing 18 to 20 tonnes of green forage per acre per harvest.

5. It is.more.drought-tolerant than Elephant grass.

6. Unlike Elephant grass, Brachiaria grass does not take up an excessive amount of nutrients from the soil. this means It will perform better even when planted in poor soils.

7. Napier/Elephant grass is vulnerable to diseases like Napier stunt and Napier smut diseases. Brachiaria is resistant to these diseases.

8. Some common names for Brachiaria are 'Congo Grass' or 'Signal Grass'

9. With Elephant grass, the animals can’t graze on it because growth after trampling is poor. This is not so with Brachiaria. It regrows fast after grazing and save you time of cutting and carrying the grass to the animals. However, you should not over-graze it.

10. Brachiaria can be propagated by seeds, root splits or stems. Mulato Brachiaria is best propagated by seeds, though it can also be planted from vegetative material. If you want to plant large area of land, it is better to use seeds. You’ll need 2.5-3kgs seeds per acre.

11. Where to buy: You can buy the seeds from Healing Field Farms. We were blessed with some of the precious seed when we started our dairy farm

12. Once the grass is established, you can harvest it every 3-4 weeks, when the nutrient content is highest.... Waec Expo 2023