Margaret Riungu displaying the trophies she has won as a result of her excellence in dairy farming at her farm in Meru on November 21, 2019. [Olivia Murithi, Standard]

The dream of every dairy farmer is for their cow to hit highest milk volumes per day; something in the range of 40 litres upwards. But yay there is one record-breaking cow!

Meet the cow christened ‘Kabete’, which produces an average 60 litres of milk a day and she has a certificate to boot!

For this feat, Meru Dairy Union has certified her as the highest milk producer in Meru County!

The proud owner of the cow is Margaret Riungu, a dairy breeder, who has received various awards for rearing leading milk producers in the county.

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‘Kabete’ a Holstein-friesian, a breed of large dairy cattle originating in northern Holland and Friesland, has earned Irungu numerous trophies at various farmers’ events.

Other than ‘Kabete’, Mrs Riungu also rears other cows with impressive records. Mwendwa, a cross breed of the traditional variety and an Ayrshire, produces 50 litres while Sharon is doing 38 litres.

Because of the many accolades she has received, her dairy farm at Nkuriga in South Imenti, hosts farmers from as far as Bomet and Kajiado who come for bench marking.

“They come and see how I keep and feed my herd. I accommodate some for a few days, and I am glad to share secrets to success,” says Mrs Riungu.



But what is her secret?

“I cannot take any glory for this. I can say its in the genes and quality of feed that I give the animal,” she says.

The feeding

Feeding is so key on the farm, adjacent to the herd’s shelter are a maize farm where she grows animal feeds and she has tonnes of stored silage, which is covered in a canvas to guard against moisture.

Comfort translates to a happy cow and more milk. With that in mind, each of the strikingly large cows has its own resting and sleeping quarters, with the calves and pregnant having a separate wing.



Proper feeding at different stages of growth is key.

“A lot of protein when the cow is nearly calving is not good because the excess fat tends to be deposited in the udder, causing ketosis, resulting in low milk production. That is why at seven months of pregnancy, I reduce the amount of silage and dairy meal. While I normally give each cow between 35 to 40kg of fodder a day, I reduce it to 2kg when the animal is pregnant,” she says.

She adds:“When the cow is seven months pregnant, I give her cows salt, nappier grass, sweet potato vine, lucerne hay and a little silage like 2kg daily.”

Right body structure                                                   

She says good rations ensure the cow is neither underweight or overweight, as both conditions compromise the health and milk production capacity.

“A good body score should be between 2.5 to 3.5. Above that the cow is fat and cannot produce milk well,” she says.

How do you spot good body structure that supports milk production?

“A cow which is thin and bony is a no no. A potential milk producer has a good overall appearance. A thin cow is not healthy, while a very fat one, as a result of overfeeding, is vulnerable to infections,” Riungu warns.

She says feeding a cow with too much protein leads to deposits of fats in the udder, making it sag.

“Too much weight strains the udder and leads to torn ligament, which affects production,” she says.

Equally fundamental is good calf management.

The farmer says she takes great caution from the moment a calf is born, by recording its weight at birth and monitoring it onwards.

“I have to record its weight, date of birth, gender and give it a name. This information is crucial for breeding purposes,” she says.

Calf feeding also goes a long way in determining future milk volumes when the cow matures.

“When a calf is born, I give it up to four litres of colostrum which is medicinal as it has antibodies essential for protection against diseases. The colostrum cleans its intestines. Colostrum is like giving it a good start, as it cleans its system and enables it to feed well,” she points out.

How you feed the calf also matters.

“You have to make sure when giving it the colostrum or even white milk from the mother, make it adopt a position as if it is sucking from its mother’s teats. You should not make it bend to drink the milk, or hold its head up. It should drink in its natural position of sucking,” the farmer explains.

For healthy a herd, the calves are separated from their mothers and kept in a clean, spacious shed.

Here, they are given adequate clean water and feeds.

How to pick good breed

She says she picks good breeds from the Meru Central Dairy Union, which provides her with sexed imported semen of the Holsten-Friesien breed, at between Sh3,000 and Sh7,000.

“After the cow is served I embark on a good feeding regime, offering it silage and dairy meal, taking care not to give it too much proteins, to prevent the ketosis disease which affects the udder.”

21 days before it is due for calving, Riungu moves the cow to the maternity wing, where close monitoring is done.

The farm has enough water to keep each of the pens for the cows and calves clean, as well as for drinking.

“Hygiene of those handling the cows, the shelters and the cows themselves, is key. Before and after milking, the teats are disinfected to keep mastitis at bay,” she says.

The floors are cemented and well-drained.

The cows have had their fare share of challenges.

“Sharon lost one of her teats to mastitis, dropping production by 10 litres,” she says.

With a farm like hers, the cows market themselves.

She says locals buy calves and mature cows at her farm, with a pregnant one going for Sh200,000.

A calf between one and eight months costs Sh80,000 while a one year old retails at Sh150,000.

But she says the Sh35 a litre she gets is not good enough since cost of production is high.

“A litre of milk should be sold at a minimum Sh50. That would ensure we break even and earn good profit,” she says.

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