The Australian Red Napier grass is steadily gaining popularity among Kenyan farmers due to its superior characteristics that make it a high-value fodder compared to the traditional Napier grass.
The crop is known for its high protein content of over 20 percent, making it a good feed for dairy cows, as proteins help in high milk production.
Stephen Kariuki, a 38-year-old farmer in Githunguri, Kiambu county, says the feed has significantly transformed his venture.
The farmer who manages a 10-acre farm replaced half of his traditional Napier crop with the Australian Variety in 2023 and has since experienced an improvement in his milk production.
The farmer says his cow initially produced 15 litres of milk daily, but after adopting the Australian red Napier, production increased to 25 litres daily.
“When I started dairy farming I never knew grass could be this valuable. Now people come from other counties to buy it from me. The grass is more nutritious and it grows back quickly after harvest,” he says.
The farmer also dries and bales the fodder for sale to other dairy farmers in Murang’a, Kajiado, Nyandarua, and also in the neighboring countries of Uganda and Tanzania.
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Dairy experts say that Australian Red Napier has more biomass than most other fodders, noting that its biomass ranges between 180 and 200 metric tonnes per acre per year compared to the regular Napier grass, which produces between 50 to 70 tonnes per acre annually.
According to MOO Fodder Supermarket founder Githaiga Kihara, the fodder can also be used to feed Dorper sheep and can also be processed into pellets for chickens.
“Presently in Kenya and across the world, this is the only Napier which has the highest crude protein. Its protein content ranges from 20 to 25 percent depending on the time you harvest it,” he stated.
“This is a Napier that you harvest between 6 to 8 times per year which means you can support 10-15 cows on one acre of this,” he added.
Australian Red Napier can also be processed to silage to prevent loss of proteins after harvesting.
