animal health

Goats and sheep were the earliest domesticated animals in human history. Goat milk not only fetches a higher price than cow milk, it is also more nutritious.Dairy goat keeping is lucrative for farmers moving away from traditional dairy cow rearing. Currently, Kenya’s dairy sub-sector contributes about eight per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) […]

When egg prices dropped in November 2018 due to imports flooding the Kenyan market, local farmers were hit hard. They had nowhere to take their eggs, and some had to sell them at throwaway prices. Kiambu, just like other places across the country, was badly affected. To counter this adversity, the farmers got together and

Kenya agriculture sector contributes 24% of the country’s GDP, of which 12% is contributed by the livestock sub-sector. According to a report by ILRI, 80% of all livestock reared in Kenya are affected by biting flies such as tsetse flies, and they form a major cause of losses in the agricultural sector, which amounts to

Vaccination is the introduction of an inactivated or killed (vaccine) disease- causing agent into an animal to stimulate the production of antibodies within it and create immunity.Poultry farmers who do not vaccinate their birds risk incurring losses due to disease outbreaks. Common diseases vaccinated against in poultry include Mareks, Newcastle Disease, Infectious Bronchitis, Gumboro Disease,

The quantity and quality of milk that a dairy cow produces is directly proportional to the quantity and quality of feeds given. Dairy feeds should be rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. On average, a dairy cow should be fed on 12kg-18kg of dry matter, which depends on the body weight of the cow

Sunflower provides high quality feed for livestock, it also produces healthy oil for people. Most dairy farmers may not know the value of sunflower as feed for dairy cows and even chickens. The main source of feed for dairy cows is Napier grass, maize stalks and hay. The little dairy meal concentrates bought from agro-veterinary shops. However,

In Kenya, there are 10 dairy cattle breeds, with five of these used for only milk. The other five breeds are for dual or triple purposes, used for milk, drought resistance(adapt well to dry areas) and beef.Despite the benefits from dairy farming, few smallholders know how to choose breeds for greater profits.Let us take the

Feeding your animals well increases your income. Dairy cows require a balanced diet for milk production, body maintenance and good health. The animals should have adequate water at all times so the animal can take as much as it needs. You can listen or download the audio version of this article here : http://theorganicfarmer.org/content/importance-good-dairy-feeding No dairy cow,