Risk of skin, mouth, and stomach injuries
The prickly bristles of the burs strongly adhere to fur and skin. They may alter wool and skin quality, and hurt the mouth and stomach when animals eat the plant after flowering.
Bad reputation
In a 1980 survey, Wodaabe pastoralists in Niger described mature and thorny Cenchrus biflorus grass as a cause of poor health in cattle (diarrhoea, palpitations, cough, etc.) that did not promote lactation (Maliki, 1981).