Researchers at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization have released four varieties of high quality and nutritious fodder to boost dairy production.
Eliud Kireger, Kalro director-general, said the brachiaria grasses have the potential to revolutionize the livestock industry by improving the availability of high-quality feed.
He said the grass is also high in crude protein content, fibres, minerals, and it is easily digestible.
Kireger spoke on Tuesday in Kangundo, Machakos, during the announcement of Kenya’s approval to commercialise brachiaria grass.
Kenya has registered four Brachiaria or Urochloa grass cultivars for commercialization. The registered cultivars are Toledo, Piata, MG-4 and Basilisk.
He said livestock productivity in Kenya is low, with slow weight gain that has led to low milk production with a national average of seven to eight litres per cow per day.
He said about 80,000 smallholder farmers have benefited from the grass which is fast-growing, highly palatable and increases milk when fed to lactating cows.
Foustine Wandera, director of livestock research at Karlo, explained that seasonal scarcity and low-quality feed resources is one of the major challenges in improving livestock productivity.
“Lack of suitable forage options that are better adapted and resilient to climate change, recurrent drought and emerging pest and diseases contribute to low productivity,” he said.
It is estimated that Kenya will require 12 billion litres of milk by 2030, from the current production of about five billion litres.
Wandera said to bridge the gap, improvement of quantity and quality of feed is paramount since feeds account for 60 per cent of the cost of production in dairy farming.
He said the four Brachiaria cultivars officially released have shown the potential of significantly contributing to increased livestock productivity, with farmers reporting 15 – 40 per cent more milk compared to local feeds.
Donald Njarui, the lead researcher of the Climate Smart Brachiaria grass at Kalro said Urochloa consists of over 100 species distributed in the tropics and sub-tropical regions of Africa.
About 33 species have been reported in Kenya where they occur in natural habitat.
Urochloa grass is commercialised in South America, Australia and South East Asia.
In Brazil, over 120 million hectares are planted with Urochloa grass and it has contributed to making the country the leading beef exporter in the world.
“Although Kenya, is one of the centre of origin and diversity of Urochloa grasses in Eastern and Central Africa, their contribution to livestock productivity has been negligible because of a limited selection of suitable species for cultivation,” Njarui said.
He said the research started in 2017 in Kwale, Kilifi, Machakos, Makueni, Nyandarua, Embu, Trans-Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Busia and Nakuru Counties.
This was done through collaboration and funding from Biosciences eastern and central Africa, International Livestock Research Institute Hub, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and USAID.
The National Variety Release Committee granted the registration of four Urochloa grass cultivars with Kalro as licensee owner on April 9.
This paved way for the increased availability of seeds to livestock farmers in Kenya.
Jonah Malika Mueke, a dairy farmer from Makueni, said if the grass is planted and managed well, a farmer can harvest up to 250 bales per acre compared to 80 bales from Boma Rhodes grass.
“There is a huge increase in milk production and improved health of my dairy cows,” Mueke said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
