Farmers' Perceptions of Dairy Cattle Breeds, Breeding and Feeding Strategies: A Case of Smallholder Dairy Farmers in Western Kenya

Dairy agripreneurs' preference for production and animal health support services in Kenya-a choice experiment

Utilization of production and animal health services among smallholder dairy agripreneurs is crucial in enhancing their productivity and income levels. However, studies have documented low uptake of these services among smallholder dairy agripreneurs in Kenya. This study utilizes a choice experiment (CE) to determine dairy agripreneurs' preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for five attributes of production and animal health support services. Multistage sampling procedure was used to collect data from 682 dairy farmers in Murang'a County. Data were analysed using Random Parameter Logit (RPL)/Mixed Logit model. The results of CE reveal significant heterogeneity in preference among dairy agripreneurs. Dairy agripreneurs prefer to have group marketing services offered rather than selling on individual basis. They also prefer curative services rather than preventive services. In addition, dairy agripreneurs prefer use of artificial insemination in improving productivity of cows rather than using improved feeds such as hay and silage. The results further indicate that dairy agripreneurs have less preference for business plan training service. In relation to willingness to pay (WTP), dairy agripreneurs were more willing to pay for group marketing (KES 8797.91/month), artificial insemination (KES 2816.01/month) and curative services (KES 2577.62/month). Lastly, dairy agripreneurs were not willing to forgo KES 2411.29 per month for business plan training service. Service providers should consider the differences in preferences among dairy agripreneurs to increase the uptake of production and animal health services in dairy agrienterprises.

Exploration of production conditions: a step towards the development of a community-based breeding program for Butana cattle

In Sudan, many Butana cattle farmers practice indiscriminate crossbreeding to improve the milk yield performance of cows, as organized breeding programs are lacking. Objectives of this study were to identify the current production conditions of Butana cattle and to determine farmers' production objectives and trait preferences using a field survey. The overall aim was to explore the possibility of establishing a community-based breeding program for the genetic improvement of the breed. A semi-structured questionnaire and field visits were used to collect data from 202 Butana cattle owners. Data were analyzed using chi-squared test, multiple response analysis, and binary logistic regression. Our results showed that Butana cattle farmers mainly raised their animals for milk production. On a five-point scale (5 = most important), milk yield (4.6 ± 0.05), growth performance (4.0 ± 0.07), and lactation length (3.9 ± 0.08) were highly preferred for future development of the breed. One-third of the farmers kept crossbred cattle with on average 4 crossbred animals per herd. About two-thirds of respondents were willing to adopt crossbreeding using exotic breeds to increase milk performance and about the same proportion were willing to exchange breeding bulls and establish farmers' associations. None of the respondents kept written performance records. However, educated farmers were more likely to adopt record keeping. Farmers' willingness to engage in associations could be useful for the establishment of a community-based breeding program. Based on the current farmers' production objectives, the future breeding program should emphasize increasing milk production of the Butana cattle by using improved Butana bulls in village herds.

Management factors associated with time-to-onset and fecal egg/oocyst counts of gastrointestinal parasites in heifer calves on Kenyan smallholder farms

A prospective cohort study on zero-grazed smallholder dairy farms was conducted to determine factors associated with onset and counts of gastrointestinal parasitism in heifer calves. The researchers recruited 187 newborn heifer calves from 150 farms in Kenya. Over 16 months, farm visits every two months were used to collect rectal fecal samples and animal- and farm-level measures. Fecal samples underwent centrifugal fecal flotation with Sheather's sugar to determine counts of strongyle-type eggs and coccidia oocysts. Cox proportional hazard (Cox PH) analysis and mixed-effects negative binomial (MeNB) regression determined factors associated with time-to-onset and counts of strongyle-type eggs and coccidia oocysts, respectively (P < 0.05). The incidence rate of strongyles was 0.0011 cases/animal-day while coccidia was 0.0073 cases /animal-day. Incidence risks of strongyles and coccidia over the study period were 28.3 % (53/187) and 87.7 % (164/187), respectively. For infected calves, median time-to-onset for strongyles and coccidia was 78 (interquartile-range: IQR 38-117) and 43 (IQR 29-92) days, respectively. In the final Cox PH model for strongyles, breed (Ayrshires and Jerseys) and weaned calves had a greater hazard of infection than Friesians and preweaned calves, respectively. Calf tethering outside the pen was associated with a higher hazard of strongyle infection. In the final Cox PH model for coccidia, calves with watery and/or hemorrhagic diarrhea had a higher hazard compared with those with hard or soft feces. Weaning status and birth weight (kg) were time-varying covariates, leading to increased hazard over time. In the final MeNB model for strongyles, weaned animals had higher counts than those still on milk. In an interaction variable, the predicted strongyle-type egg counts increased with longer duration of farm operation when herd size was less than five cattle, but decreased when herd size was more than five. In the final MeNB model for coccidia, calves sometimes tethered outside their pens had higher counts than those continuously enclosed in the pen. Calf pen floors with either scant manure or moderate slurry had higher predicted counts than those on a clean pen floor. Calves with watery or hemorrhagic diarrhea and fed fresh Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) had higher counts compared with soft or hard feces and those not given fresh Napier, respectively. In an interaction variable, calves experiencing diarrhea and raised on elevated slatted floors had lower oocyst counts compared with those having diarrhea but not on elevated floors. The identified management practices associated with onset and counts of gastrointestinal parasitism should be considered in control efforts.