Improving productivity in Kenyan smallholder dairy systems through selective, intensive education and supported adoption

Improving productivity in Kenyan smallholder dairy systems is perceived as having the potential to greatly improve the supply of milk to processors and make substantial improvements in rural incomes by doing so. Surveys recently commissioned by GIZ in Western Kenya indicated that milk yield was between 1.8-3L/cow/d (depending on county). Poor milk yield is often attributed to poor genetics, but we discovered that frequently production is constrained by a lack of knowledge, particularly with regard to husbandry, feeds and feeding practice. Much has already been done in these areas by NGOs, but training is frequently short-term, focused on a narrow area and participant selection is untargeted. In the framework of a BMZ funded project we are working with NGOs, dairy co-operatives and GIZ to assess the potential of farmers to implement new technologies that will further improve their operations. We are specifically aiming at early adopters as those are likely to continue and thus, might serve as role models. We are currently identifying innovators in a number of communities in Western Kenya and will provide them with an 18d intensive course covering husbandry, animal nutrition, forage/crop agronomy and business analysis skills. On completion we will support each farmer to implement knowledge and technology in his/her community. These farmers should be able to adapt the skill set and learned technologies to their own situation, but also act as a focal point and exemplar to their own community. The presentation will outline the training concept, selection procedure of farmers, and summarise first results on knowledge implementation in the communities following the return of the trainees

Digestibility and metabolizable energy of selected tropical feedstuffs estimated by in vitro and prediction equations

In vivo determination of digestible organic matter (dOM) and metabolisable energy (ME) concentrations of feeds is laborious and expensive, whereas analysis of their nutrient contents is routinely performed. Prediction equations based on the chemical composition of feeds can be a compromise. This study compared dOM and ME estimates of tropical feeds derived from selected equations (Yan and Agnew, 2004; Stergiadis et al., 2015a; Stergiadis et al., 2015b; AFRC, 1993) with those determined by the in vitro gas production method (Menke and Steingass, 1988). Samples of supplement feedstuffs (n = 12) and the herbaceous and ligneous vegetation on native pastures (n = 12) were collected in Lower Nyando, Kenya, over two seasons of one year. Samples were analysed for dry matter (DM; in % of fresh matter), crude ash, crude protein, ether extract, neutral and acid detergent fiber (NDF, ADF) (all in % of DM). Gross energy was determined by calorimetry. Nutrient concentrations varied across all samples with 8.5 – 87.9% DM, 5.2 – 16.8% crude ash, 36.7 – 74.1% NDF, 25.5 – 39.4% ADF, 3.2 – 14.2% crude protein, and 0.6 – 4.5% ether extract. The gross energy, in vitro dOM, and ME concentrations were 14.5 – 18.8 MJ/kg DM, 26.3 – 54.5%, and 3.8 – 8.4 MJ/kg DM, respectively. Compared with the in vitro method, all nutrient-based equations overestimated dOM (P 0.5). Nutrient-based equations do not sufficiently account for differences in nutrient availability, an aspect better simulated in vitro. Further development and/or validation of nutrient-based equations might be needed to more accurately predict dOM and ME of tropical feeds. AFRC. 1993. Wallingford: CAB International. Stergiadis et al. 2015a. J Dairy Sci, 98(5), 3257–3273 Stergiadis et al 2015b. Brit J Nutr, 113(10), 1571–1584. Yan and Agnew. 2004. J Anim Sci., 82, 1367–1379

Vines of the sweet potato (Ipomea batatas): A valuable feed supplement for ruminants in small holder systems

Availability of suitable feed, and in particular sources of protein-rich food, is a major constraint to increasing the productivity of smallholders in sub-Saharan Africa it is difficult to justify diverting land from growing crops for human consumption. The roots of the sweet potato are a high energy cash crop, and the leaves and vines (SPV), usually treated as rubbish, are high in protein and have been identified as a valuable livestock feed