The national Animal Production and Research Institute, Shika, Zaria, heralded the ongoing national agric show with different varieties of grasses that will make animal and dairy production efficient.
The Institute said a number of its improved grasses and sorghum are designed to increase livestock feed efficiency for milk and beef production, which takes away the stress of taking animal distances in search of food.
Ishiaku Yinusa Muhammed from the Institute explained to Daily Trust that the Institute has some of the nation’s indigenous improved varieties grasses like the brachiaria Ruziziensts, andropogon gayana and centrosema.
He said farmers can decide to plant it, bale and sell them, adding that farmers can also make them into silage.
“You see this Muguna and santhes are very important. One of the advantage is that is serves as wind blockage, control erosion and feed the animals with leaves and yam farmers can use it as stick to raise their yams” he said.
He stressed that muguna is very important and good forage adding that if the farmers want to improve milk yield of the animals, they can feed them on lablap purpurreus. The seed can also be processed and mixed with the concentrate that helps improve the milk yield. The Institute also came with ‘Centrosema’ which are very good for small ruminants.
Responding to affordability question, Mohammed said they sell the 1kg of Congo grass for N1000 and the ‘Wooly finger grass at N25,000 per 25 square metre which covers one hectare.
Source: Daily Trust News
