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By Joshua Kato
Dairy expert Prof. Jolly Kabirizi says feeding accounts for over 60% of the total cost of production in a profitable dairy cattle enterprise.
She advised farmers to ensure adequate feeding to keep animals healthy and productive. Below are some ways to ensure this:
- Producing your own feeds (fresh, conserved and compounded) is a very good option and reduces the feeding costs per animal. So, determine the amount of pasture required for the animal.
- Working with a nutritionist to develop balanced rations for your lactating cows, dry cows and heifers if these animals are to be raised on the farm. Raising your own feed takes land and time, not to mention equipment for planting and harvesting the crops.
- Hiring operators to plant and harvest crops, or making arrangements with neighbours to share equipment and labour can reduce your capital investment as you start your dairy business and build capital. Some of the major feed resources in the animal’s diet are mineral licks and/or mineral supplements, dairy concentrates for optimum milk production, utilising agricultural farm products (including cereal stovers and sweet potato vines) and agro-industrial byproducts (including molasses).
