AI helps Taita Taveta farmers improve dairy production

Intensified and subsidised artificial insemination services have helped dairy farmers in Taita Taveta county record an increase in milk production.

According to the Department of Livestock Production, farmers are banking on AI services to attain the county’s milk projection of 30 million litres annually.

Milk production now stands at 20 million litres a year up from 18 million litres.

More than 10,000 cattle have been inseminated since the introduction of the subsidised AI services in 2018.

“This is as a result of intensified artificial insemination services, livestock disease control, good practices on animal feeds and management among other interventions being undertaken by the county government,” Agriculture CEC Erickson Kyongo said in an interview.

Since January, Kyongo said, more than 560 farmers have benefited from the AI programme.

The animals are served with various breeds that include Friesian, Ayrshire, Guernsey, Jersey, Sahiwal and Boran.

Kyongo said the AI technology has significantly improved the quality of their breeds and increased milk production.

He said the county government has supported dairy cooperatives to offer AI services to their members at an average commercialised rate of Sh1,300.

“This is way cheaper compared to private providers who offer it at a cost ranging between Sh2,500 to Sh6,000,” the executive said.

Kyongo spoke after handing over AI equipment to Mboghoni Dairy Cooperative in Eldoro, Taveta subcounty, on Thursday.

He said the devolved unit is working with farmers and development partners to boost the dairy value chain and empower farmers economically.

Dairy farming is mostly practised in the highland parts of Wundanyi subcounty and a few parts of Mwatate subcounty.

Kyongo however said the department is intensifying efforts to reach farmers in Taveta.

“Today, we extend this to Taveta dairy farmers, where we target to provide over 400 inseminations. This will boost the current milk production from 60 litres a day to at least 2,000 litres in Taveta,” he said

Efforts being undertaken to support Mboghoni Dairy Cooperative include milk aggregation, market linkage and the construction of a cooling plant at Eldoro.

County director of livestock production Herbert Nyambu attributed the increase in milk production to farmers' capacity building through dairy cooperatives.

“Through the support of the Agriculture Sector Development Support Programme, dairy cooperatives have also been capacity built on matters of leadership and governance. This has also played a part in improved dairy production,” he said.

Nyambu said the county will continue pushing for more pasture seed distribution and livestock feed harvesting equipment to boost milk production.

The department in January distributed 14 tonnes of pasture seed to more than 1,285 farmers from at least 55 farmers' groups to boost livestock production.

He praised farmers for embracing Artificial Insemination and cross-breeding, saying it reduces chances of disease infection from one animal to another compared to traditional methods.

For efficient disease control, veterinary director Dr Jeremiah Ngugi said the county has set aside funds for disease surveillance to minimise losses.

He said the department is fast-tracking the Taita Taveta Movement and Protection of Livestock Produce Bill, 2020 to control animal influx into the region.

“This will help in disease control as most of the animals are from neighbouring counties trespassing Taita Taveta county in search of water and pasture,” Ngugi said.

Uncontrolled animal influx in the county has been a thorny issue over the years, with hundreds of camel and cattle herders from Northeastern counties flocking to the disease-free region in search of pasture.