The new grass, brachiaria is helping Dairy farmers overcome fodder crises caused by over-reliance on napier grass. Research shows that the grass is highly drought torelant and grows in major agroecological zones in Eastern Africa.
Varieties
Mulato and Mulato II
Other cultivars include Murandu and MG4
NB: Mulatto II is adapted to most agro-ecological zones
Ecological requirements
Rainfall: At least 700mm annually. The grass responds well under irrigation in arid and semi-arid areas and under rain fed conditions wet areas.
Altitude: Above 1800m above sea level
Temperature: 19-300C
Soils: Well drained soils with medium fertility and PH ranging from 5-8.
Propagation
The grass is propagated either through seeds or vegetative materials (root splits and stem cuttings).
Seedbed preparation
Plough the land early before the rains. Harrow the seedbed to fine tilth and add well decomposed organic manure at a rate of 4 tons per acre. Add 100kg TSP fertilizer incase the soil has phosphorus deficiency.
Planting
Ensure that planting coincide with the rains for easy grass establishment.
Planting from seeds: Make small furrows on the nursery 1-2cm deep and sow seeds. Cover the seeds lightly with soil and then mulch using dry grass. Transplant seedlings 6-8 weeks after sowing.
Alternatively direct seeding can be done, make furrows 2cm deep in the main seedbed then drill seeds in the furrows and cover lightly with soil. Mulch using dry grass to conserve soil moisture for easy grass establishment.
Seed range ranges from 2.5kgs to 3kgs per acre.
Planting from root splits and stem cuttings: Obtain root or stem cuttings from healthy and mature mother plants, plant the materials on each hill at a spacing of 25cm by 50cm. One acre will require roughly 32000 splits.
You can buy bracharia seeds from Amiran Kenya or Kenya Agriculture Research and Livestock organization (KARLO)
Fertilization
Fertilizer and manure application depend on pasture production system used. Grass grown under cut and carry production system will require fertilizer and manure application as pasture under this system removes most of plant nutrients from the soil.
Under such pasture production system add 4 tones of manure and 80kg CAN per acre to improve pasture production, quality and quantity
Weed management
Remove all weeds from the pasture field especially during early stages of pasture establishment. Achieve this through manual weeding through light tillage.
Pest management
Red spider mite and Shoot borers are the main pests though hardly do they compromise pasture yield.
Disease management
Smut, Ergot, Rust and Leaf spots are the main diseases but the grass tolerates attack.
Harvesting
Harvest the grass 4-5 months after planting. Cut the grass 5cm above the ground. Re-harvest the pasture grass in 8-12 weeks depending on soil moisture status and soil fertility. The grass can remain productive for 20 years under better pasture stand management.
Pasture conservation
Conserved as hay or silage.
View Comments (41)
Hi, for all that are interested in establishing Brachiaria Grass kindly get in touch with me on +254722722189. Am selling planting splits in Gakindu, Nyeri and Nairobi. Am also delivering all over East Africa.
How much is bracharia Mulato and Mulato II and seedlings quote the price and place?
1 kg goes for 3500. You can buy from Karlo +254 722206986/722206988 or Amiran contacts 0800720720.
Your Commenthi.. hi... a hay of brachiaria goes for how much.. and where can I sell it after planting. ?
Hi Benedicta, the market prices for a bale of quality hay ranges from 150-250 but you should also factor in your production costs. Brachiaria is quite new in the market and very few farmers are baling it
Your Comme
where can you get seeds or slits of
the following brachiaria grasses :MG4, marandu and mulatto 1 and 2?
Dear Antonny, you can buy from KARLO Naivasha or Amiran Kenya
Brachiaria High protein Grass seeds for all varieties available at Marchlyn Green Forest Farm contact Martin on 0719545244.
Hi , where can get brachiaria seeds and how many bales can I harvest in one acre in western Kenya. Thanks
Bracharia yield estimates at 20tonnes per acre equivalent to 1250bales of 16kg weight
Hi Abraham, Bracharia yield estimates at 20tonnes per acre equivalent to 1250bales of 16kg weight. you can harvest the crop for 6 years of high productivity after the first planting. We sell the seeds at Advantage crops limited and offer free delivery. You are lucky because I am in western Kenya and will take you through the production process; even up to hay making. At advantage crops, we ensure that you get the right yield.
contact me; Jabuto on 0723375091 to get your first delivery of the seeds and start feeding your livestock on the best forage
My company in Thailand, Ubon Forage Seeds ( https://www.ubonforageseeds.com/en/) produces Mulato II hybrid brachiaria seed. Some of this seed is exported to Kenya every year.
The name brachiaria grass is very confusing. This name seems to be used as the same name for several cultivars of brachiaria cultivars. It is better to use the proper cultivar name. Piata brachiaria brizantha, Mulato II hybrid brachiaria and so on.
Mulato II seed is only produced in three areas in the world. Thailand, Mexico and Brazil.
I have read that in Kenya Mulato II is being sold as a F1 hybrid. This is false information. It is a hybrid (three way cross) but it is not a F1 hybrid.
Brachiaria is a common name for many different cultivars of brachiaria. It is very confusing. It seems that only in Kenya this brachiaria nanme is used. Most other countries refer directly to the cultivat name. Seed is therefore sold as Mulato II or Piata and so on.
Mulato II is a hybrid three way cross. (Mulato was taken off the market 20 years ago due to poor seed yields). Most of the Mulato iI seed sold in Kenya comes from my company in Thailand, Ubon Forage Seeds.
https://www.ubonforageseeds.com/en/
Piata is a Brachiaria brizantha. Seed is produced in Brazil. Xaraes (or Toledo) is also a brizantha but has very sharp leaves which can cut hands when hand cutting. Seed is produced in Brazil.
What I am saying is that all these brachiaria grasses being promoted in Kenya are very different to one another. Different in quality, production, drought tolerance, waterlogging tolerance.
I read that Mulato II is being sold in Kenya as a F1 hybrid. This is not true. It is not a F1 hybrid.
As the producer of the Mulato iI seed being sold in Kenya, I am pleased that the farmers there are finding it a productive plant. wE at ubon Forage Seeds (https://www.ubonforageseeds.com/en/), have been sellin Mulato II seeds to kenya for over five years. of concern to me is the extemely high prices seed is being sold for in kenya and calling it a F1 hybrid. Mulatro II is a three way cross between ruzi grass, marandu brizantha and signal grass. It is not a F1 hybrid. it also does not have 98% germination. the highest gdermination is about 80-85%.
As the producer of the Mulato II seed being sold in Kenya, I am pleased that the farmers there are finding it a productive plant. We at Ubon Forage Seeds (https://www.ubonforageseeds.com/en/), have been selling Mulato II seeds to Kenya for over five years. of concern to me is the extremely high prices seed is being sold for in Kenya and calling it a F1 hybrid. Mulato II is a three way cross between ruzi grass, Marandu brizantha and signal grass. It is not a F1 hybrid. It also does not have 98% germination. The highest germination is about 80-85%.