Jane Nansamba travelled from Kibinge village in Bukomansimbi district to attend the Harvest Money Expo with one goal in mind: to learn about feeding and feed management before transforming her dairy farm.
“I am planning to replace my cows and introduce high milk producers, but I was advised to first have enough pasture before stocking. This is why I could not miss the Harvest Money Expo, especially with its training sessions on feeds, particularly pasture,” she explains.
To Nansamba’s satisfaction, the training was spot on.
“The trainers were well-versed with the topic, and I received all the information I needed,” she says.
Nansamba adds that by visiting the stalls of various exhibitors, like Itungo Pastures, she gained additional information and acquired quality seed for different pasture varieties.
She is now ready to move forward, as they also promised to provide extension services, both by phone and through farm visitations.
Nansamba is among hundreds of livestock farmers who attended the expo to learn about feeding and feed management.
This is because livestock production depends on several factors, including genetics, management practices and feeding, which account for over 60% of the total cost of running a farm.
Feeds and feed management were key focuses for many livestock farmers at the Harvest Money Expo, where a number of companies exhibited feeds and offered training sessions on feed management.
One such training was organised by Vision Group under The Opportunities in Growing Pastures for Cash, presented by Allan Iga and Martha Namabiro.
Additionally, companies like Tunga Nutrition held one-on-one training sessions for farmers on proper feeding and feed management for optimal productivity.
Importance of feeds on a farm
Prof. Jolly Kabirizi (PhD), an expert in animal feeds and feeding, who previously worked with the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and is the director of Kyakuwa Farm in Makindye Ssabagabo Municipal Council, Wakiso district, says the continued improvement of animal genetics, especially for dairy cows with larger frame sizes, can exacerbate nutritional deficiencies — particularly for lactating dairy cows. This can negatively affect reproductive functions, lactation and growth.
“Inadequate nutrition, caused by low-quality and insufficient feed, as well as limited knowledge on productivity-enhancing technologies, has been identified as a major constraint in smallholder dairy production systems in urban areas,” says Kabirizi.
The inadequate feed supply is due to several factors, including land shortages, high feed costs, climate risks (such as prolonged droughts and floods), poor-quality feeds and outdated practices used by farmers in utilising available local feed resources.
Growing pastures
Namabiro advises farmers to always ensure they have enough pastures for their animals before stocking, as insufficient feed will lead to poor production and financial losses.
She says due to shrinking land availability, farmers should start growing their own pastures, as open grazing, where animals freely roam to feed, is no longer a viable option.
“There are many pasture varieties, but as a farmer, you do not need all of them. A few varieties that meet your animals’ nutritional needs will suffice and ensure better growth and performance,” Namabiro says.
She advises farmers to choose pasture varieties based on their nutritional value. For example, carbohydrates — the largest component of animal feed — can be obtained from varieties such as:
New Pakchong Napier Grass, which grows well in various conditions n Maize, especially the Tembo variety, which has good biomass and is resistant to diseases and drought
Sugar Graze (Sorghum), which is high in nutritional content, drought-resistant and can be harvested up to three times n Cloris Guyana, which thrives even in dry areas such as the cattle corridor.
“For proteins, you should plant alfalfa and Katambura, a new hybrid. These varieties serve as cover crops and nitrogen fixers,” Namabiro advises.
Given natural constraints such as dry spells, farmers need to preserve pastures for tough times by making hay and silage. For hay-making, she recommends growing Cloris Guyana alongside legumes such as Centrosema, Glycine, Sirotro and Stylo.
Hay is beneficial for rumen development and encourages cows to drink more water, which can increase milk production.
Best practices
Pison Busingye and his wife Jolly Asiimwe of Itungo Pastures were among the exhibitors at the pasture business section.
Busingye told farmers that before planting pastures, one should first understand the environment because different pasture varieties have different climatic requirements.
“For example, farmers in swampy areas should grow elephant grass and Guatemala, while those in dry areas such as Masaka, Mubende, Ankole, Buleme and Isingiro should plant Cloris Guyana, as it can withstand drought,” Busingye explains.
These pastures are beneficial because they can be fed fresh, but also used to make hay or silage to feed animals during the dry season when pasture is scarce.
The amount of pasture grown should depend on the number of animals a farmer has. For example, one acre of pasture can be enough for two cows.
However, before stocking, the pasture should be harvested twice, with each harvest taking about three to four months. The harvested pasture should then be stored as hay or silage.
Some pasture varieties, such as Russian comfrey and elephant grass, take about three months to reach maturity, while others, such as Caliandra and Guatemala, take about six months.
Pastures also require fertilisers, with Busingye typically using dung for this purpose.
Management of napier grass fodder
Kabirizi explains that pastures should be managed just like other crops to ensure the best quality, which maximises livestock production and productivity.
Weed Control: After planting, weeds should be controlled by performing at least two weeding sessions: one three weeks after planting and another three to four weeks after the first weeding, before the first harvest. Weeds in Napier grass fields can be reduced by intercropping with forage legumes.
Fertiliser Application: It is important to recognise that the nutrients in pastures come from the soil they grow in.
Therefore, it is essential to add nutrients to the soil, such as inorganic fertilisers like urea and NPK, bio slurry and leftover feed.
Irrigation: Irrigation is crucial for improving herbage biomass yields during the dry season. However, it is important to avoid waterlogging the grass, so ensure the area has good soil drainage.
Feed processing
Asiimwe explains that farmers should use simple yet effective machines to ease the process of cutting pastures. Fodder choppers typically cost between sh300,000 for manual models and sh7m or more for motorised ones.
Asiimwe adds that after chopping the pastures into small, palatable pieces, they should be preserved for hard times such as dry spells, by making hay and silage.
“There are also hay balers, which are metallic and cost around sh450,000. After that, you will need tractors, with each bale costing sh10,000. Because space is limited, you can also use silage bags, which cost sh40,000 and hold about 400-600kg of silage,” she says.
Processed feed
Tunga Nutrition, producer of Hendrix feed and concentrate, was among the companies that exhibited processed livestock feed for pigs, dairy, poultry and fish.
Dr Samuel Ssewagudde, the commercial manager at Tunga Nutrition Uganda Ltd, explains that feed quality is crucial for the production and productivity of any farm because the nutrients animals or birds receive directly affect their output.
“Farmers need to be cautious about the quality of feed they provide because poor-quality feeds will result in underperformance — animals will not grow as expected, and production will be low. Tunga Nutrition offers quality feed solutions to maximise production and productivity,” he says.
Ssewagudde emphasises that feed quality starts with quality inputs, such as grains (maize), bran, soya, and other ingredients.
These inputs must be regularly checked to ensure they remain free from contamination, which could compromise the feed’s quality.
Feeding
Isaac Ssekibaala, who works with Tunga Nutrition, explains that feeding should be consistent throughout the production value chain because each stage of an animal’s life requires different nutritional needs to achieve maximum growth and optimise production.
“Some farmers only feed at certain stages, but expect the best results. For example, in piggery, some farmers feed their animals only during the last stages of pregnancy or after delivery and then complain that the sows do not have milk,” he explains.
Ssekibaala advises farmers to learn how to mix their own feed using Hendrix concentrate, as this reduces feed costs while ensuring quality.
More importantly, farmers should know how much feed to give their animals and the appropriate intervals to avoid underfeeding, overfeeding and feed wastage.
