News

ILRI News
ILRI News

Establishing nutritional profiles of improved Brachiaria grass cultivars

Worldwide livestock contribute about 40% of agricultural gross domestic product and provide livelihoods and incomes for at least 1.3 billion people . Livestock are a source of employment, income, social status, and livelihoods for millions of African smallholder farmers. Moreover, livestock are a...

ILRI News
ILRI News

Genomic selection for tropical forage grasses: A solution to meet the growing global demand for animal-source foods

A recent review by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) published in Frontiers in Plant Science looks at how genomic selection could accelerate genetic gains in the development of new tropical forage cultivars, which...

ILRI News

A gendered assessment in the production and use of feeds and forages: Insights from intensive and extensive livestock production systems in Uganda

A Gendered Feeds Assessment Tool (G-FEAST) study in Uganda that assessed gender differences in forage use and production constraints in three forage production clusters has highlighted the need to engage both men and women in production, management and use of improved forages. The study was part of...

ILRI News
ILRI News

New ILRI podcast series 'The Boma' launched

Today we are launching The Boma , a new international podcast about livestock across the developing world! The Boma is named after the Swahili word for the traditional circular thorn bush enclosures of East Africa built to hold livestock and keep them safe from predators. Like a boma, each episode...

ILRI News
ILRI News

Scientists find genomic regions associated with better quality stover traits in maize for animal feed

Researchers from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) and the International Livestock Research Institute(ILRI) have identified new genomic regions associated with maize stover quality allowing maize breeders to select for stover quality traits quickly and most cost effectively. Results demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating genomic prediction as a tool to improve stover traits, circumventing the need for field or lab-based phenotyping.

ILRI News
ILRI News

Higher quality and more accessible forage seeds - a pathway to better feed Ethiopia's livestock

Ethiopia faces a major challenge in feeding its large livestock population in a sustainable way. Most animals are fed on low-grade crop residues or graze natural pastures, which are suffering serious degradation. As a result, livestock remain relatively unproductive despite the key role they play...

ILRI News
ILRI News

Updated CGIAR feed database provides best-cost livestock feed rations for sub-Saharan Africa

Fifty three new accessions of Napier grass received at Forage Genebank, ILRI, Addis Ababa from EMBRAPA, Br azil (photo credit: ILRI) An updated CGIAR livestock feeds database for sub-Saharan Africa is now available. Containing the nutritive values of over 44,000 forage and fodder samples, the...

ILRI News

New alliance for better dairy animal nutrition in Kenya will work to advance ‘human nutrition, success and progress’

Lilian Satia, a young dairy entrepreneur in Nakuru, Kenya (photo credit: ILRI/Georgina Smith). Yesterday (7 Sep 2020) the International Livestock Research Institute ( ILRI ) and four partners— Bidco Land O’Lakes , Corteva Agriscience , Forage Genetics International ( FGI ) and Land O’Lakes...

ILRI News

ILRI Forage Genebank supports development of improved forage varieties to increase livestock productivity in Ethiopia

Alieu Sartie in the seed storage cold room at the ILRI forage genebank (photo credit:ILRI/Apollo Habtamu) The recent release of the CGIAR Genebank Platform 2019 annual report highlights that, for the third year in a row, germplasm distribution to requesters outside of the CGIAR exceeded that to...

ILRI News

ILRI feed technology research platform makes more fodder available to developing-world livestock keepers

Gujar nomads with buffalo near Mussorie during the workshop to develop a tool for Feed Technology Screening and Prioritisation, Dehra Dun, India (photo credit: ILRI/Nils Teufel). Located at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) campus in Patancheru, India,...

ILRI News

ILRI Forage Genebank duplicates one-third of its collection for safe, long-term storage in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Alieu Sartie in the seed storage cold room at the ILRI Forage Genebank in Jan 2020 (photo credit: ILRI/Apollo Habtamu). For the third time, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) last month shipped a set of its forage genebank collection, comprising 302 accessions representing 74...

Livestock Feed and Fodder blog

The Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) – new developments

G-FEAST – a gendered version of FEAST Feeding cows; Tana River watershed, Kenya; Credit Georgina Smith CIAT Feeding livestock involves multiple tasks including planting, weeding and harvesting of forages, collecting and storing crop residues and purchasing of concentrate feeds. In every farming...