High tax levied on raw materials for animal feeds are barring many livestock farmers from accessing quality feeds for their animals.
The General Manager (GM) of Unga Farm Care, Dickson Jawichire said import on most of raw materials for animal feeds are taxed highly.
He said High taxes are occasioning most of feeds to be sold at high prices thus making section of farmers unable to afford them.
The GM noted that quality of animal feeds is needed to improve livestock farming especially in dairy sector.
Jowichere was speaking when his company was launching an improve feeds for dairy cows at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) centre in Murang’a on Friday.
He observed that they are forced to import raw materials like soya which is needed to increase protein in feeds.
“The government can come up with a policy aimed at boosting livestock farming and this can be achieved by ensuring farmers get cheap and quality feeds to boost animal production,” said Jowichere.
Some farmers, he said opt to give their animals’ available fodder from their farms which may not provide needed nutrients to their animals.
High tax on raw materials, he said may push some manufacturers to produce poor quality feeds which may be of no benefit to the livestock.
The manager noted that existence of poor quality of animal feeds in the market was affecting animal production as farmers fail to get needed benefits from their animals.
“Kenya Bureau of Standards should work with other relevant government agencies to curb any counterfeit feeds in the market as such feeds may be dangerous to animals,” he added.
He said the agencies should be strict to ensure feeds in the market are of best quality appealing to farmers to be on look out of substandard feeds being sold in store.
He observed that his company is working to provide quality feeds at cost effective in order to boost dairy farming in the country.
“Earlier there was a gap of feeds for dairy cows especially from calf to maturity of the cows and we are coming up with feeds which can be used at this stage,” noted Jawichire.
Animals, he said, need different nutrients at different stages of their growth.
During the occasion, dairy farmers were educated on various practices of caring for their cows and how to increase milk production.
By Bernard Munyao
