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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

This is what to do for better quality breed

Smart Harvest

By Mercy Kahenda | May 18, 2019

**35-year-old Josphat Getitu attending to his dairy cows at home at White house in Nakuru county on May 7,2019. [Kipsang Joseph/Standard]**

Securing a job after completing a diploma in Electrical Engineering was a challenge to 35-year-old Josphat Getitu, who then decided to look after his father’s dairy herd.

While taking care of the herd, he attended a dairy training programme organised by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). This inspired him to join agribusiness.

He began with two Friesian dairy cows, that have gradually increased to a herd of thirteen. Each cow produces 25 litres of milk each day, which he sells at Sh60 a litre.

Feed

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“Quality and quantity milk can only be attained if dairy cows are supplied with feeds in right amounts, supplemented by minerals,” he says. The cows are feed adlibitum (continuously); in the morning, noontime and evening in large quantities accompanied by adequate clean drinking water.

The cows are also supplied with salt to supplement minerals and boost their appetite.

Each cow feeds on an average 16 kilos of silage daily including 30 kilos supplemented by sunflower and cotton seeds.

Getitu grows hay on his four-acre parcel of land in Solai, Subukia Sub County that he supplements with other feeds - maize jam, dairy meal, maize germ, soya, cotton, sunflower and wheat bran -, purchased at local market and agrovets .

The cows are fed on dry matter to avoid wastage and for maintenance purposes. Dry matter contain less water. During milking, he feeds the cows at least 3 kilos of dairy meal.

Challenges

The main challenge in milk production is poor quality of feeds sold in the market.

Most feeds in the market do not have the required ingredients, an issue the government is addressing by sampling feed to save farmers from falling in the hands of crafty dairy feeds manufacturers.

“Though I produce a number of concentrates on my farm, I still require raw materials to make feeds like dairy meals to supplement protein. However, I am never certain of their ingredients,” he said.

High taxation on animal feeds also affects farming.

Breeding

Getitu prefers use of Artificial Insemination (AI) as compared to natural method to breed his heifers for better quality breed.

His heifers are inseminated after 18 months. The farmer purchases semen from an agrovet in Nakuru at Sh3,000. However, at times the quality of semen supplied through AI is substandard, which affects breeding.

“On several occasions, I’ve had to inseminate my heifers several times because the semen is infertile. There are occasions that I get a pedigree that is not of my choice,” he says pointing at an Ayrshire heifer on the farm, whose semen, he had been informed, was of a Friesian breed.

Regular vaccination is also encouraged in dairy production to prevent diseases like mastitis, aplasmosis and pneumonia especially during rainy weather.

Knowledge

“Farming cannot be a success without knowledge hence why I get guidance from experts on best farming practices,” said the farmer. The farm also acts as a training ground for upcoming farmers and students undertaking veterinary courses.

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