Evaluation of new Urochloa hybrid forage grasses in Northern Vietnam: Preliminary report

Five Urochloa hybrid forage grasses - Cayman, Camello, Cobra, Confort (now called Okapi) and Mestizo - are being evaluated in an on-station trial in Thai Nguyen Province, Northern Vietnam. The evaluation is a prerequisite for the registration of these new forage varieties in Vietnam and will generate evidence on their performance and adaptation under local conditions. The trial was established in March 2026 and will continue into 2027 to assess performance across repeated harvests and seasonal conditions. This preliminary report presents results from establishment, early growth and the first harvest. Germination among the Urochloa hybrids ranged from 35% for Camello to 62% for Cobra. At the first harvest, Mestizo, Cobra and Confort recorded the highest dry matter yields (11.2-13.1 t DM/ha) and crude protein yields (0.85-0.99 t/ha), while Camello was the least productive. Differences in forage quality were also observed, with Confort recording the lowest NDF and ADF concentrations among the
evaluated varieties. These findings represent only the establishment and first-harvest phase of the trial and should therefore be considered preliminary. Regrowth, repeated harvest productivity and dry season performance are still being assessed, and relative performance may change over time. The complete multi-harvest dataset will support the registration process and provide the basis for assessing the adaptation and potential suitability of the hybrids for livestock-based systems in Vietnam.