Your Animal Doctor

A dairy farmer inspects his cows in a farm in Nakuru. Improving a breed of dairy cow does take time but it can be achieved. FILE PHOTO | NMG

What you need to know:

  • Improving a breed of a cow does take time but it can be achieved.
  • For faster genetic leaps, hence increased production, you may also embrace embryo transfer technology.
  • The size of the house will depend on the type and number of chicken you plan to rear.
  • The short sides of the house should face east and west to control the amount of light in the poultry house.

Improving milk production

I am currently running a small scale dairy farming project of one Friesian dairy cow. It is producing 10 litres per day.

a) I have a greater challenge in food supply (how to manage it effectively in 1/8 acre)

b) I want to improve the breed to high yield 20 litres or more

c) I have a problem in identifying and finding necessary vaccinations and medication.

Please I need your assistance on the above areas.

Erick Opondo

The fact that you recognise the feed challenge you face indicates that you are probably not feeding your cow enough; if fed well, she may produce more than 10l of milk a day.

Please remember that milk production is a heritable trait complemented with good management. An 1/8th of an acre may be too small but you could plant some napier on it and lease an extra piece for planting more forage (maize, sorghum or Rhodes grass).

Alternatively, you could buy hay. Challenge the cow by increasing its daily ration, add 2kg dairy meal and about 150g mineral salt and see what she gives you.

Of course the production will depend on the stage of lactation. Manure from the animal can be used on the Napier as fertilizer.

Improving a breed of a cow does take time but it can be achieved. We have both local and imported semen from proven bulls that have sired daughters with high milk production.

You want to note that it is the daughter of your cow that will have improved milk production when compared to her dam/mother.

For faster genetic leaps, hence increased production, you may also embrace embryo transfer technology. You may consult your local livestock personnel for details of this and availability.

You may vaccinate against East Coast Fever, Foot and Mouth Disease, Blackquarter, Anthrax, Lumpy Skin disease, Contagious Bovine Pleuro Pneumonia (CBPP) among others.

Most of these vaccines should be available in agrovets in Kisumu town. During vaccination, always use Stressmix in drinking water to counter the stress associated with vaccination.

On medications, please note that these are not needed unless your cow is sick in which case your Vet will determine the drugs to use.

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Chicken rearing
I have decided to begin chicken farming. Kindly educate me on feeds required for every stage of growth to maturity, type of medicine required and house design.

Humphrey Sajero

The size of the house will depend on the type and number of chicken you plan to rear. For layers, the floor space is two square feet per bird and one square feet for broilers and with plenty of ventilation.

Search online on Seeds of Gold website for measurements of a poultry house that can house up to 500 layers.

The short sides of the house should face east and west to control the amount of light in the house.

The width of the house should not be more than 25ft to allow expulsion of waste gasese.

Additionally, you will need the following:

• A suitable location to construct the poultry house.
• Brooder equipment: A brooder guard, jiko or infrared bulbs, liquid paraffin, and glucose, Stressmix (vitamin preparation).

• Feeding and drinking equipments.

• A reliable source of commercial feeds. Depending on the type of chicken you intend to rear, you need sufficient capital to buy feeds until point of lay or are ready for the market in the case of broilers.

• A reliable source of day old chicks.

• A reliable source of drugs and vaccines.

The vaccine schedule required for the birds should be obtained from the breeder of the day-old chicks. Layer birds should be vaccinated against mareks disease, gumboro, Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis disease, fowl pox disease and fowl typhoid among others.

Broilers are only vaccinated against mareks, Newcastle and infectious bronchitis disease. Broilers chicks are fed on chick mash from day one to four weeks and each bird may consume up to 850g for 4 weeks and for the remaining 4 weeks to point of sale each bird should consume 4kgs of broiler finisher mash.

Layer chicks are fed on chick mash from day one to two months each bird consuming up to 2kg of feeds then from two months to five months each bird will consume up to 7kg of growers mash and finally each layer may consume 52kg of feed during the 12 months of lay.

As you introduce any new feed supplement the birds with Stressmix as change of feeds is a stressful event to the birds.

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The writer is a Veterinary Surgeon and the Animal Health Manager at Elgon Kenya Ltd. Reach him through +0733715102 or e-mail him through [email protected]