Abstract
Sixteen selected small-scale dairy farms were investigated in Kiambu County (Kenya) during the short rains seasonto develop a snapshot of the types of rations fed, milk yields obtained and sources of fodder. On average farmers had1 ha of land and 2.2 lactating cows yielding 8.93 kg milk/cow/d with feed intake of 10.5 kg DM/d. Only 35% of feedconsumed was produced on farm. Boma Rhodes grass hay and green Napier grass were the main forage components(37.9 and 28.3% of total DM). Protein forages used were the herbaceous legumes lucerne and desmodium (19.9 and15.9% CP, respectively) and leguminous shrubs (Leucaena, Calliandra and Sesbania with 21.1% CP and 43.4%aNDFom, on average). Grasses had higher aNDFom digestibility (47.1%) than legumes (39.7%). Napier grass, BomaRhodes grass, lucerne and desmodium had fiber digestibility of 51.9, 48.6, 46.8 and 32.6%, respectively. The energyand protein balances (actual vs. requirements) of the cows were on average -19.3 and -16.4%, respectively, indicatingthat cows utilized body tissues to produce the levels of milk obtained. Mutiple correspondence analysis showed that amilk yield higher than 9.1 kg/d was associated with a level of Boma Rhodes grass <5 kg DM/d, concentration of nonfibrous carbohydrates in the diet >22.0% (DM basis), concentrate level >2.63 kg/cow/d and CP% in the ration >9.1%. To improve milk yields during this season farmers should harvest grass forage at a younger age, include leguminous forage in the diets and increase the level of concentrates fed. These strategies should be demonstrated on farms to show possible benefits.
Highlights
Kenya is becoming a middle-income country with an increasing demand for livestock products (Njarui et al 2016) and is one of the largest producers of dairy products in Africa with about 4.3 million dairy cattle
Sixteen selected small-scale dairy farms were investigated in Kiambu County (Kenya) during the short rains season to develop a snapshot of the types of rations fed, milk yields obtained and sources of fodder
Mutiple correspondence analysis showed that a milk yield higher than 9.1 kg/d was associated with a level of Boma Rhodes grass 22.0% (DM basis), concentrate level >2.63 kg/cow/d and crude protein (CP)% in the ration >9.1%
Summary
Kenya is becoming a middle-income country with an increasing demand for livestock products (Njarui et al 2016) and is one of the largest producers of dairy products in Africa with about 4.3 million dairy cattle. Up to 80% of total dairy farms in Kenya are smallholder farms (Odero-Waitituh 2017), characterized by small landholdings (
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