Dairy farmers enjoy benefits of better pastures

Most cattle keepers in Ankole search for pastures and water. For the nomads, this would make them move to as far as Buliisa, Lango and Teso regions with large herds.

However, things have began to change with the advent of methods such as fencing of land, establishing permanent water sources, improved breeds, supplementary feeding, pasture growing and reduction of herds. Some farmers have adopted these methods and are benefitting from the rewards.

One of the farmers is Jackson Kanunu, 40, of Kyakabunga village in Nyakashashara Sub-county, Kiruhura District.
He practises smart agriculture having studied sustainable agriculture at Makerere University in 2009. “I was chosen to carry out climate-smart agriculture research among smallholder crop and livestock integration in 2013 by National Livestock Resource Research Institute [NaLIRRI],” he says.

The research is about improved pastures, land use management, water harvesting and animal management.

Research
NaLIRRI carried out the study in conjunction with Mbarara Zonal Agricultural Research Institute (Mbazardi) through National Agricultural Advisory Services (Naads).

Kanunu, who owns 30 acres of land, was practicing uncontrolled grazing. He was using the whole land without fencing and with numbers that could not be sustained on the land.

“My farm was chosen as a model farm to establish a pasture parent garden for Rhodes grass (Chrolis Guyana) or locally known as Orunyankokore,” he points out.

It covers 10.5 acres with an initial 6.5 acres established by NaLIRRI in 2013. Four acres were intercropped with lablab, were established by Naads in 2015.

The first harvest after four months yielded 608 kg of pasture seeds and 3,900 bales of hay in 2014. Subsequent harvests have been twice a year. In 2015, the harvests were 900 kg of pasture seeds and 6,942 bales of hay. Then, 328 kg of pasture seeds and 5,240 bales of hay for 2016 so far.

Kanunu says the group of 70 members has benefited by establishing pasture gardens on their own farms. They have also established four demonstration farms in Nyabushozi and Kazo counties.

“Members take free seeds from the parent farm and hay, and we sell the rest to the public,” he says. “However, our intention is each member having pastures on his or her farm in three years’ time and the response is positive.”

The residue from the harvested hay is used for mulching gardens of vegetables and banana which have improved nutrition and food security.

Most of the cattle keepers previously depended on their animals and animal products for domestic and commercial purposes. But they are now diversifying with crops as well.

Benefits
Milk production has increased due to supplementary feeding especially during the dry season. “I used to get 15 to 20 litres of milk from 14 local breeds. After acquiring improved breeds, with supplementary feeding, it is 15 litres per day from just one cow,” he says.

Out of 10 heads of cattle he keeps, only three are in lactation from which he gets 40 litres. He has improved the pastures, does supplementary feeding and set up paddocks.

The land is divided into four paddocks with a live fence.
Fencing has prevented wild animals from coming to the farm from Lake Mburo, which is in Nyabushozi county. It has also reduced expenditure on treatment of cattle.

The neighbouring communities have been receiving free lessons in good agricultural practices.

Kanunu has been able to construct a valley water tank, two hay barns and an office for the group.
The farmers have patterned with organisations such as SCOPE Uganda for training on crop-livestock integration in schools and communities.

Constraints
However, there are a number of constraints in spite of the achievements registered.
Due to low farm gate price for milk, Kanunu like other farmers, needs to construct milking parlors to protect the quality of milk at the milking stage.

Because of lack of a pumping system, animals have to be taken to the water source every time to drink water. This would be solved with piping the water to troughs thus reducing on the labour.
There is a lack of labour for harvesting pastures in time. This lowers the quality of hay as it should be done immediately after harvesting the seeds when still fresh.

“We would want a tractor for hire, make bales in time to preserve hay quality. We also need foliage choppers,” Kanunu explains.
Despite the constraints faced by the group, they have been able to satisfy national standards to supply seeds for other farmers.
They have been approved by the ministry of agriculture to supply pasture seeds to other farmers and seed companies. The seed has 60 per cent germination rate.

Intervention
Dr Charles Lagu, the zonal coordinator, Mbazardi, says the government has a strategic intervention to improve on pastures.
This was after observations that milk processing plants are operating under capacity due to low yields especially during the dry season.

This programme, which started in 2014, is running in eight districts—namely, Kiruhura, Lyantonde, Ibanda, Bushenyi, Isingiro, Mbarara, Ntungamo and Sheema.

He says about 330 acres for pastures and legumes focusing on centracema, lab lab, Chloris gayana (Rhodes grass) and Napier grass have been targeted.

dry feeding
An expert on animal health and nutrition Dr Stephen Menge of Bomwe Veterinary Services says feeding an animal on dry matter (silage and hay) has advantages of low moisture content and concentration of nutrients thus need for less quantity.

“A farmer needs less hay and silage for an animal because the nutrients is very high compared to green grass which requires an animal to take in much yet the nutrients are less. Hay and silage ensure food security for the animals especially during the dry season,” he says.

Grasses and legumes for silage should be harvested when they are at flowering stage when the nutrient content is very high.