- Njau says the breed does well in regions like Rift Valley, Nyanza, Central, Eastern and Coast regions.
- The most sought-after dairy cattle breeds include Jersey, Friesian and Ayrshire.
Its a boon for dairy cow breeders in Kiambu as farmers from other counties travel to buy their animals due to the area’s suitability for dairy farming.
Kiambu, being among counties termed as good for dairy farming due to its good weather, infrastructure, and being among highest milk producers in the country, has attracted farmers from other regions to learn and also buy their breeds.
This has now seen some farmers in the county not only keep cows for milk and meat but also specialise in breeding, especially of heifer cows, for sale.
KNA met with Ruth Sian, a farmer from Kajiado county, who travelled to Kiambu to buy a dairy cow. She explained that she was looking to buy a Friesian breed as they produce a lot of milk.
“I chose to visit Kiambu to search for the right breed that will be ideal for my new venture in milk production due to the high demand of milk in my region,” Sian said.
Her decision has largely been influenced by harsh weather conditions that made it hard for people in her region to continue keeping indigenous cows. It's also informed by lack of grazing space caused by selling of land, leaving locals with smaller parcels which is not ideal for large scale grazing.
“I come from the Maasai community which is known for keeping large numbers of cattle, but this has greatly changed in the recent past due to regular natural calamities like drought which saw farmers lose their animals,” she said.
Sian said one of the advantages of buying her dairy cows in Kiambu was its proximity to Kajiado hence making transport charges affordable.
“My aim is to find a cow that is pedigree and six to seven months pregnant and should be able to withstand up to four hours of road travel,” she said.
Paul Njau a dairy farmer and breeder at Kiaria in Githunguri subcounty in Kiambu, is one of the many farmers reaping big from breeding dairy cattle.
The farmer who doubles up as a milk vendor and a dairy cow seller, has adopted modern techniques which include advertising his dairy cow breeds on social media, which has help him gain publicity in and out of the country hence raking in a fortune from the venture.
“Kiambu has many advantages; it greatly benefits from being near Nairobi. This gives it a huge market for dairy products, The county gets enough rainfall and has fertile soil and good roads. It also has easy access to vet services therefore making it ideal for this venture,” Njau said
His secret is in crossbreeding a Friesian heifer with semen from a fleckvieh bull and the offspring, he says, not only has high milk production rich in proteins but is also resistant to diseases among other benefits.
“I get customers from all over the country and beyond the borders. Our vision is therefore to introduce to farmers a breed that will give them higher returns hence encourage them to practice dairy farming as a profitable business,” Njau added.
From selling dairy cows and heifers, Njau earns profits ranging from Sh8-10 million annually.
“My three-quarter-acre land hosts 72 dairy cows and about 58 calves. A six- and above-month pregnant cow goes for Sh150,000 while one that’s not pregnant sells at about Sh120,000,” Njau says.
He further said due to the increase of customers from semi-arid regions, their breed was not only cost-effective and has efficient feed conversion rate (it eats less and produces more) but also has the ability to resist diseases and is not prone to mastitis—a condition that causes the losing of the udder— and has a longer production life.
In addition, the breed has a very thick skin that is not easily penetrated by ticks making it more resistant to tick-borne diseases.
Njau says the breed does well in regions like Rift Valley, Nyanza, Central, Eastern and Coast regions.
The most sought-after dairy cattle breeds include Jersey, Friesian and Ayrshire.
In Kiambu, the Githunguri Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society is an outstanding achievement.
Formed to assist small-scale farmers market their milk, the cooperative has grown to consist of thousands of farmers.
They produce milk and dairy products which go by the name Fresh.
The Kenyan government has also played a big role to aid and promote dairy farming, at both the national and county levels.
Nationally, bodies like the Kenya Dairy Board play a key role in regulating and selling dairy products, also educate farmers on dairy farming including identifying the best dairy breeds of cattle.