Factors Affecting Kenya Alpine Dairy Goat Milk Production in Nyeri Region

Mburu Monica,Muhoho Simon,Makhoka Anselimo,Mugendi Beatrice

doi:10.5539/jfr.v3n6p160

Mburu Monica, Muhoho Simon + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5539/jfr.v3n6p160

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Abstract

<p>In Kenya use of exotic dairy goats in breeding programmes for smallholder production systems has become popular, but information on the milk production is scarce. A study was carried out to assess the milk yield of dairy goats reared in high potential and semi arid areas of Nyeri County. This involved 190 smallholder farmers rearing Alphine dairy goats in Nyeri County and registered with Dairy Goat association of Kenya (DGAK). Which formed 100% sampling of the population under study. The grade, feeding practices and age of the dairy goats were evaluated. The dairy goat average milk production was 1.90 litres per day, with the appendix grade in Kieni East giving the highest production of 2.69 liters per day while foundation grade in Mukurweini gave the lowest, 0.98 litres per day. The higher milk production in Kieni East, which is a semi arid area, was noted to be due to good feeding practices where 43% of the farmers used concentrates during milking and also 48% supplemented the feed with minerals. In the high potential area of Mukurweini none of the farmers used mineral supplements with only 5% using concentrates during milking. The age of the dam significantly affected the average milk production, with the onset of production being the age of 2.0 years, reaching the peak at the age of 6.5 years. Kieni East, gave the highest production of 4.2 litres at the age of 6 years. The results demonstrated that the low-input farming conditions affected the Alphine goats milk production.</p>

Highlights

Dairy goats have become increasingly popular among development agencies that target the resource poor smallholder farmers in mixed crop-livestock production systems in the Eastern African highlands where farm sizes are small, and crop yields are low(Peacock, 2005)
The higher milk production in Kieni East, a semi arid area, was due to good feeding practices, where 43% of the farmers used concentrates during milking and 48% supplemented the feed with minerals
The results demonstrated that poor feeding practices, dam age and grade, significantly (p≤0.05) affected the Alpine dairy goat milk production

Summary

Introduction

Dairy goats have become increasingly popular among development agencies that target the resource poor smallholder farmers in mixed crop-livestock production systems in the Eastern African highlands where farm sizes are small, and crop yields are low(Peacock, 2005). Goat improvement programmes, when well planned and executed, offer great opportunities for improvements of livelihoods of some of the poorest farmers in developing countries (Okeyo et al, 1999; Peacock, 2005). These goats can play a significant role in improving the livelihoods of poor smallholders in these areas. Dairy goats enable households to access milk especially for the www.ccsen et.org/jfr

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