Dairy cow breeders in Kiambu reap benefits as farmers from other counties travel to buy dairy cows due to the area’s suitability for dairy farming.

Kiambu, being among the counties that have been termed as good for dairy farming due to its good weather, infrastructure, and record as the county that produces the highest amounts of milk in the country, has attracted farmers from other regions to Kiambu to learn and also buy dairy cow breeds in a quest to also get cows that produce large amounts of milk.

These have therefore made a section of farms in Kiambu County to not only keep cows for milk and meat but also specialise in breeding, especially heifer cows.

KNA met with Ruth Sian, a farmer from Kajiado County who travelled to Kiambu County to buy a dairy cow. She explained that she was looking to buy a Friesian breed as they produced a lot of milk.

‘I choose to visit Kiambu County to search for the right breed of cow that would be ideal for my new venture in milk production due to the high demand for milk
in my region,’ said Sian.

She cited that her decision has largely been influenced by harsh weather conditions that have made it hard for people in her region to continue keeping indigenous cows and also lack of grazing space caused by the sale of land that has left people with smaller pieces of land, which is not ideal for large-scale grazing.

‘I come from the Maasai community, which is known for keeping large numbers of cattle, but this has greatly changed in the recent past due to regular natural calamities like drought, which has caused the death of cows, hence the deficiency of milk,’ she said.

Sian further stated that one of the advantages of buying her dairy cows in Kiambu County was its proximity to Kajiado County, hence making transport charges affordable.

‘My aim is to find a cow pedigree that is six to seven months pregnant and should be able to withstand up to four hours of road travel,’ she said.

Paul Njau, a dairy farmer and breeder based in Kiaria in Githunguri Sub County in Kiambu County,
is one of the many farmers reaping big from breeding dairy cattle.

The farmer, who doubles up as a milk vendor and a dairy cow breed seller, has adopted modern techniques, which include advertising his dairy cow breeds on social media sites, which has helped him gain publicity in and out of the country, hence raking in a fortune from the venture.

‘Kiambu County has many advantages; it greatly benefits from being near Nairobi. This gives it a huge and useful market for dairy products. The county gets enough rainfall, has fertile soil, and has good roads. It also has easy access to vet services, making it ideal for this venture,’ Njau said.

His secret is crossbreeding a Friesian heifer with semen from a fleckvieh bull, and the offspring, he says, not only have high milk production rich in proteins but are also resistant to diseases, among other benefits.

‘I get customers from all around the country and beyond the borders as well. Our vision is therefore to introduce to farmers a breed that will give them hi
gher returns, hence encouraging them to practice dairy farming as a profitable business,’ Njau added.

From selling dairy cows and heifers, Njau earns profits ranging from Sh8-10 million annually. ‘My three-quarter-acre land hosts a total of 72 dairy cows and about 58 calves. A six- and above-month pregnant cow goes for Sh150,000, while one that’s not pregnant sells at about Sh120,000,’ says Njau.

He further revealed that due to the increase in customers from semi-arid regions, their breed was not only cost-effective and had an efficient feed conversion rate-that is, it eats less and produces more but also had the ability to resist diseases, was not prone to mastitis (a condition that causes the loss of the udder), and had a longer production life.

In addition, the breed has a very thick skin that is not easily penetrated by ticks, making it more resistant to tick-borne diseases. Njau says the breed does well in regions like the Rift Valley, Nyanza, Central, Eastern, and Coast regions.

The most sought-afte
r dairy cattle breeds include Jersey, Friesian, and Ayrshire.

In Kiambu County, the Githunguri Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society is an outstanding achievement. Formed to assist small-scale farmers in marketing their milk, the cooperative has grown to consist of thousands of farmers. They produce milk and dairy products which go by the name Fresh, which is extensively recognised in Kenya.

The Kenyan government has also played a big role in aiding and promoting dairy farming at both the national and county levels.

Nationally, bodies like the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) play a key role in regulating and selling dairy products and also educate farmers on dairy farming, including identifying the best dairy breeds of cattle. New support programmes have also emerged, like the ASDSP, which aims to increase farm productivity and help dairy farmers enter the market at the county level, thus ensuring that Kenya’s dairy industry plays a key role.

Source: Kenya News Agency