ASSESMENT OF CONSTRAINTS IN DAIRY CATTLE PRODUCTION, KIAMBU COUNTY. Presented to. The Department of Animal Production. University of Nairobi

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "ASSESMENT OF CONSTRAINTS IN DAIRY CATTLE PRODUCTION, KIAMBU COUNTY. Presented to. The Department of Animal Production. University of Nairobi"

Transcription

1 ASSESMENT OF CONSTRAINTS IN DAIRY CATTLE PRODUCTION, KIAMBU COUNTY Presented to The Department of Animal Production Of University of Nairobi By LOCHOMOI K. PHILIP A22/0066/2009 SUPERVISOR: PROF CHARLES K. GACHUIRI In partial fulfillment of requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Animal Science option) May 2013 i

2 DECLARATION This dissertation is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other University. NAME:...SIGN...DATE... This dissertation has been submitted with my approval as University Supervisor Prof Charles K. Gachuiri, Department of Animal Production SIGN... DATE... ii

3 DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my beloved parents, brothers, sisters and their families for their full moral support, patience and the many sacrifices they made during the period of my four years of study away from home. iii

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE (i) DECLARATION. (ii) DEDICATION... (iii) TABLE OF CONTENTS (iv&v) LIST OF TABLES.. (vi) LIST OF FIGURES. (vii) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT (viii) DEFINITIONS...(ix) LIST OF ACRONYMS (ABBREVIATION). (x) ABSTRACT. (xi) 1. CHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTION, BACKGROUND Statement of the problem Justification Purpose of the study Main objectives Specific objectives Study questions..4 iv

5 1.7 Expected benefits of the study CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY, MATERIALS AND METHODS The study Area Sampling procedures Data collection CHAPTER FOUR:RESULTS CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Conclusion Recommendations CHAPTER SEVEN: CITATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX v

6 LIST OF TABLES 1. Table 4.11.Area of Land Owned Table Number of Cows Owned Table Concentrate and by-products used Table Frequency of Disease outbreak as reported by farmers Table Reported Diseases in the Farms..15 vi

7 LIST OF FIGURES 1. Figure A Map showing Counties in Kenya Fig A map of Kiambu County Figure 4.13 Number of farmers keeping other livestock Figure Quality of Concentrate as Reported by Farmers...14 vii

8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank the Almighty God for His grace and strength that kept me going throughout the duration of the study. I am sincerely grateful to Prof Charles Gachuiri for guiding me throughout the project period in formulating questionnaire, carrying out the study and in writing the report. My other gratitute goes to farmers in Kiambu County especially in Lower Kabete, Wangige, and Kikuyu areas for welcoming me to their homes and farms. They responded to the questionnaire without prior notice and most of them directed and introduced me to their fellow farmers in the area. Thank you all for your support, for without you, I would not have succeeded in my project. May God bless and reward you abundantly. viii

9 DEFINITIONS Food security: Everyone has at all times access to sufficient and nutritious food, in order to live a healthy life. Household: Refers to a person or a group of related or unrelated persons who live together in the same dwelling, who acknowledge one adult male or female as head of household, who share the same housekeeping arrangement and are considered as one unit. Agricultural extension: A service or system which assists farm people, through educational procedures, in improving farming methods and techniques, increasing production efficiency and income, bettering their levels of living, and lifting the social and educational standards of rural life(maunder, 1972) ix

10 LIST OF ACRONYMS SMH...Smallholder AI...Artificial Insemination DC...Dairy Cattle GDP...Growth Domestic Product MoL...Ministry of Livestock Development KDB...Kenya Dairy Board KNBS...Kenya National Bureau of Statistics UNICEF...United Nations Children's Fund FAO...Food and agriculture Organization ILRI...International Livestock and Research Institute UN HABITAT...United Nations Human Settlements Programme MoA...Ministry of Agriculture UoN...University of Nairobi ASALs...Arid and Semi Arid Lands DM...Dry Matter x

11 ABSTRACT The demand for milk is expected to increase due to increasing population growth and as a result of improved income especially in urban areas. The amount of milk supplied to the urban areas will increase to meet this increasing demand. Kiambu County is a major supplier of milk to Nairobi and a study was undertaken to document the constraints faced by dairy farmers. A sample of 29 dairy farmers was visited using convenience sampling in Lower Kabete, Wangige, and Kikuyu area between 13 th to 27 th April A Questionnaire was used to collect data from farmers. The information collected included household information, feeding, farm productivity and animal health in the farm. The results showed that most of the farms (69.0%) practiced mixed farming and 96.6 %practiced zero grazing system feeding their animals with cut and carry method and all fed dairy concentrate (Dairy Meal) to their animals. Other livestock kept by the farmers were the pigs (30.3%), followed by poultry (27.7%). 79.3% of farmers had between 1-5 dairy cows in their farm producing between 5-8 litres of milk per day and 27.6% sold to dairy cooperatives and shops (especially for the evening milk) and also some to neighbors. 69.0% of sampled farmers did not have problems of disease outbreaks while 27.6% had experienced outbreaks once per year % used poor quality feed leading to low productivity. Farm gate price offered by dairy cooperatives was low compared to cost of production. Further research should be done on the nutritional content of commercial feeds farmers use. The government should regulate and subsidize veterinary services and farmers should get better prices on the milk they supply to dairy cooperatives. xi