Governor Amos Nyaribo has launched a dairy breed improvement programme of heat synchronisation and administering of Artificial Insemination (AI) in Nyamira County to improve the quality of dairy breeds, thereby boosting milk production in the area.
The governor observed that there is a serious milk shortage in Nyamira yet there are at least two dairy cows in almost all the homesteads in Nyamira, a sure red flag indicating the majority of dairy farmers in the county have inferior dairy breeds which fail to produce milk maximally.
“Cows in this area, on average, produce three to five litres of milk per day, contrary to other regions in this country or parts of the world which produce 20 to 30 litres. All this is because of our failure to embrace modern superior dairy breeds which are artificially inseminated to introduce stronger dairy breeds which are disease resistant and produce more milk unlike our local breeds which have annually frustrated us with low milk production despite our efforts to ensure they are taken care of well,” he observed.
“We are committed as a county to ensure improvement of the gene or breeds so that our local dairy breeds can calf superior breeds which produce more milk than their mother cows. When you get a superior dairy breed which is adequately fed and taken care of well, they will automatically improve the quantity of its milk production and enable farmers to be empowered economically and at the same time be food secure,” Governor Nyarobo noted.
He confirmed that the county has deployed veterinary doctors who will teach and guide farmers on how to improve their dairy breeds and other best dairy farming practices to maximise yield and enable them to enjoy their farming venture.
“We must decide to improve production so that we eradicate poverty in our country,” he said.
The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Ms Peris Oroko, said they are targeting to inseminate 3,000 cows for genetic improvement and so far, 1,512 cows have already been inseminated.
She said that County has favourable weather where dairy farming would thrive if practised professionally with intentions of farming as a business.
“We are optimistic that this programme will transform the lives of small-scale dairy farmers in our county,” Ms. Oroko added.
She informed participants that the county has officially started doing soil testing at affordable rates to enable farmers to know their soil’s PH levels and administer the right fertiliser for robust plant growth and soil conservation.
Kenya Veterinary Board Director in charge of the Compliance and Enforcement Department Dr. Benson Kibore advised farmers to ensure all vets who handle their cattle are licensed and could readily identify themselves so that they curb falling prey to quack vets who mishandle cattle through misdiagnosis leading to the spread of diseases and unwarranted premature deaths.
By Deborah Bochere
