Brachiaria grass

Brachiaria Grass: The Climate-Smart Forage Your Livestock Need

This group of perennial tropical grasses is native to Africa and has become a game-changer for smallholder and commercial livestock farmers.

Brachiaria grasses are prized for their deep roots, drought tolerance, and ability to thrive in poor, acidic soils. Improved varieties and hybrids such as Mulato II, Cayman, and Basilisk produce high biomass and better crude protein than many native pastures. In East Africa, trials with dairy cattle have shown that replacing natural pasture with Brachiaria can increase milk yield and reduce the need for costly concentrates.

Because it forms dense ground cover, Brachiaria also reduces soil erosion and can improve soil organic matter. It responds well to rotational grazing and can be established from seed or vegetative splits.

Takeaway: If you farm in the tropics or subtropics, Brachiaria is a resilient, productive forage option worth considering.

References

1. Ghimire, S.R., Njarui, D.M.G., Mutimura, M., Cardoso, J.A., Johnson, L., Gichangi, E., Teasdale, S., Odokonyero, K., Caradus, J.R., Rao, I.M., & Djikeng, A. (2015). Climate-smart Brachiaria grasses for improving livestock production in East Africa. Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales, 3(1), 38–46.

2. Maass, B.L., Midega, C.A.O., Mutimura, M., Rahetlah, V.B., Salgado, P., Kabirizi, J.M., Khan, Z.R., Ghimire, S.R., & Rao, I.M. (2015). Homecoming of Brachiaria: improved hybrids prove useful for African animal agriculture. East African Agricultural and Forestry Journal, 81(1), 71–78.

3. CIAT & ILRI. (2016). Brachiaria grass: A climate-smart forage option for East Africa. Nairobi: ILRI.