My previous post on how to efficiently feed ruminants at a lower cost suggested the establishment of pastures. I further explained that it is necessary to consider the type, class and nutritive characteristics of the grasses and legumes to cultivate on the intended pastureland for the feeding of Cattle, Goats, Sheep, Rabbits, Oxen, Buffalo and even Horses. Below are the recommended forage grasses and legumes that you can cultivate and they thrive well in the tropics and savannahs with good nutrients.
Please note that grasses are basically rich in fiber while legumes are majorly proteins and very rich in nitrogen. Also you need the combination of the two on your established pastureland.
Forage Grasses That Thrives in the Tropics and Savannahs
| Botanical name | Common name | Native region |
| Andropogon gayanus | Gamba grass | Tropical Africa |
| A. tectorum | Southern gamba | Tropical Africa |
| Axonopus compressus | Carpet grass | Tropical and subtropical America |
| Axonopus scoparius | Imperial grass | Central and South America |
| Brachiaria decumbens | Signal grass | Tropical Africa |
| Brachiaria mutica | Para grass | Tropical Africa and South America |
| B. brizantha | Palisade grass | Tropical Africa |
| B. ruziziensis | Rugi, congo grass | Tropical Africa |
| Cenchrus ciliaris | Buffel grass | Afica, India, Indonesia |
| Chloris gayana | Rhodes grass | Africa |
| Cynodon dactylon | Bermuda grass | Tropics and subtropics |
| Cynodo nlemfuensis | Giant star grass | Tropical Africa |
| Digitaria decumbens | Pangola grass | South Africa |
| Hyparrhenia rufa | Jaragua grass | Tropical Africa |
| Melinis minutiflora | Molasses | Tropical Africa |
| Panicum maximum | Guinea grass | Tropical and subtropical Africa |
| Panicum coloratum | Klein grass | East Africa |
| Panicum antidotale | Blue panic | South East Asia |
| Pennisetum purpureum | Elephant grass | Tropical Africa |
| Panicum pedicellatum | Kyasuwa grass | Tropical Africa and India |
| Panicum clamdestinum | Kikuyu grass | East-Central Africa |
| Saccharum officinarum | Sugar cane | India |
| Setaria anceps | Setaria | Africa |
| Imperata cylindrica | Spear | Guatemala |
| Tripsacum laxum | Guatemala grass | |
| Eleucine indica | Stubborn grass | |
| Eragrostis tremula | Weeping love | |
| Aristida stipondes | Wutsiyar jaki | |
| Sporobolus pyramidalis | Drop seed | |
| Cymbopogon citratus | Lemon grass |
Forage Legumes That Thrives in the Tropics and Savannahs
| Botanical name | Common name | Native region |
| Cajanus cajan | Pigeon pea | Africa, Asia |
| Calopogonium mucunoides | Calopo | South America |
| Centrosema pubescens | Centro | South America |
| Desmodium intortum | Green leaf | Tropical Africa |
| Desmodium uncinatum | Silver leaf | Tropical Africa |
| Gliricidia sepium | Gliricidia | Central Africa |
| Lablab purpureus | Hyacinth bear | Africa, Asia |
| Leucaena leucocephala | Lucaena, lead tree | Tropical America |
| Neonotania wightii | Gycine | Africa |
| Pueraria phaseoloides | Kudzu | Eastern Asia |
| Stylosanthes guyanensis | Stylo | Tropical America |
| Stylosanthes humilis | Townsville | South America |
| Medicago sativa | Alfalfa | Central Asia |
| Mimosa pudica | Mimosa | |
| Alysicarpus viginalis | Buffalo leaf |
Your comments are welcomed