“I had been in dairy cattle farming for a long time but for the past five years, I have been trying goat farming. Wangeci is among a group of dairy farmers in Kiambu who have switched from cattle to a new cash cow – the dairy goat. A dairy cow is bigger in size and therefore requires more feeds, water, mineral salt and labour than the dairy goat; Can be reared in urban and peri-urban plots. It is one of the easiest types of dairy farming and therefore good for farmers in the urban and peri-urban areas. Kenya was identified as the appropriate host for the RDCoE due to its comparative advantage in the dairy industry in the region. And that the dairy industry accounts for 14 % of the total Agricultural revenue collected nationally. You need to come to terms with the reality that goats are NOT cows. Small scale dairy farms like those in Central Kenya face stiff competition from other cash crops like tea, coffee, pyrethrum, passion fruits, and vegetables. Though Wanjiru practises mixed farming — keeps chicken and grows crops — she says goat farming is the real deal. NTVUganda 127,827 views. Additionally, the dairy industry in Kenya accounts for around 5-8 % of the total GDP.. From these numbers, you can see that dairy farming in Kenya is an industry that has the potential to improve livelihoods further if well managed. Have a superior production capacity than a cow. Your choice of dairy goat breed will by and large depend on your locality because … This has minimized mechanization of dairy fanning in the country. The association has contracted promising farmers to do the artificial insemination breeding, who then sell the improved pure breeds with a goat going for between KSh15,000 and KSh35,000 depending on size and region. Half a hectare of Napier grass can support five dairy goats but only one dairy cow. Traditionally, dairy goat keepers in Kisumu, Kenya, feed their goats fodder, tree branches, and shrubs. Solid farming businesses in Kenya are hard to come by and goat farming is one of them. Dairy goat farming starts with acquiring the relevant knowledge regarding the right breed of dairy goat that you should stock. Milk value chain actors 41 TABLES 1: Numbers of dairy … Dairy Farming in Kenya - Cosy Dairy Farm in Ruai Part 1 Agri Business. Written by Maurice Rangoma. “I practice urban farming and so it’s on this plot where I live with my family and rear my 38 dairy goats. Advantages of Rearing Dairy Goats. The goat he received he named her “Susy” which has been a blessing to his family. Which breed of dairy goats should I keep? Dairy farming remains a profitable enterprise, but many farmers who venture into it are unable to break-even, probably for lack of knowledge. 23:22. The quality of milk and the prices are higher than a cow’s milk. Once you get the right breed, the nest level of knowledge that you should desire to have is on how to take care of the goat in terms of feeding and nutrition, housing, health and disease control, and comfort of the animal. Ensure provision of a high plane of nutrition 2-4 weeks prior to kidding. Like his neighbors, Joe used his ancestors’ formulas for creating his goat meal. He is amongst the first beneficiaries who received dairy goat in 2010 after losing all his property and wealth to the post-election violence of 2007/2008. However, if you want to sell the dairy products or meat from the goats, then you have to get your goats vaccinated, which will likely be one of your biggest expenditures. Kamba says, poor management of dairy goats is one of the main problems facing the dairy goat sub-sector in Kenya. He is a married man and a father of four children. Small scale dairy farms like those in Central Kenya face stiff competition from other cash crops like tea, coffee, pyrethrum, passion fruits, and vegetables. Dairy goat farming is the rearing of goats for milk.. SEEDS OF GOLD: Earning millions from goat rearing - Duration: 23:22. Dairy Goat Farming in Kenya. Dairy Goat Co-operative is owned by our 71 goat farmers whose farms are in some of New Zealand’s richest pastures. The price of dairy goats Vary depending on the breed, Age and the seller of course. Most of them are kept in the drier agro - ecological zones in Natural Ecological Regions IV and V and in Tse -tse infested areas .Natural Dairy goats require less land than the same number of dairy cows. In dairy goat farming, most farmers get in with an exaggerated expectations, especially on daily milk production. Farm inputs are very expensive. “If you want to keep livestock, I will definitely advise you to keep dairy goats. Milk safety related legislatyion and standards 36 7. This has minimized mechanization of dairy fanning in the country. They multiply fast, kidding twice a year often producing twins or triplets. Dairy goat farming is emerging as a high-return option for Kenyan small-scale farmers, although it remains hobbled in some regions by marketing and distribution challenges, even as the sector soars in other nearby regions. Below are a few realities that you have to come to terms with before you set your expectations from your dairy goats: Farm inputs are very expensive. The most popular dairy goat breeds in Kenya are German alpine and the toggenburg. DAIRY GOAT FARMING as business in Kenya. Although there are many breeds of dairy goats in Kenya, only three are the most common and therefore important. The small land sizes required for their rearing are especially useful in these highly populated areas. dairy goat farming at kenya dairy goat a Kenya 71 connections. There’s lots to do. Related. For instance the price of 6-8 month Alpine or Togg is Ksh 8,000 on average, 12-18,000 for a mature goat and 20-25,000 for a in-kid/served goat. Goat meat is popular in Kenya with mbuzi choma joints (Goat meat restaurants) springing up in Kenya every year. Goats do not require one to own a big land to rear them and they are less expensive to buy as compared to cattle.The goat’s prices depend on the age, type and gender. Dairy goat farming kenya diaspora business centre dairy goat farm changing farmers lives through trainings dairy goat farming kenya diaspora business centre mkulima young we connect farmers to markets without brokers haria the urban dairy goat farmer kilimo news. It is therefore better for a farmer to hear and learn from a fellow farmer who has walked the dairy farming in Kenya path successfully. https://allfarmingkenya.blogspot.com/2013/09/dairy-goats-farming.html However, in 2009 a severe drought struck his community, which depleted fodder materials. See table below on profits, based on average prices in Kenya … Although farmers spend a lot of money buying dairy goats, it is a pity when one visits their homesteads and sees the condition of the goats, including the goat sheds Dairy Farming in Kenya – Dairy Farming in Kenya – Problems Facing Dairy Farming. These include. DAIRY REPORTS ii Dairy development in Kenya 6. Just like in dairy cows, dairy goats need steaming up too. Poverty reduction for small scale farmers through sustainable dairy goat farming. Here are a few tips on how to increase milk production: Dairy cattle are so sensitive and for that, you as the farmer must ensure that the environment in which the dairy cattle are living is clean enough to sustain milk production. Their rearing are especially useful in these highly populated areas most farmers get in with an expectations... Used his ancestors ’ formulas for creating his goat meal crops — she says goat farming is easy start. 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