2,700 acre farm where hay is stored underground for 3 years

Workers milking the cows using a machine at the technology farm in Njoro, Nakuru County. The farm has 1,000 freisian, which produce 3,000 litres of milk per day. [PHOTO: BONIFACE THUKU/STANDARD]

Drought is being experienced everywhere and that means animal feed is hard to come by. But tough times call for smart solutions. While farmers in other areas are lamenting over the shortage of feed, a farm in Njoro, Nakuru County has more than enough.

In this 2,700 acre technology farm managed by Rift Valley Development–Registered Trustees, is a mammoth underground hay and silage storage facility that can keep feed fresh for three years.

“This is not just ordinary soils; beneath the heaps are animal feeds that can last for three years. The dry season should actually be a learning lesson for farmers to practice feed conservation,” says Nixon Kosgei, the technology farm manager.

Kosgei says the farm has storage of more than 3,500 tonnes of silage made from sorghum and maize that can sustain the dairies for three years. The farm, established in 1972, has close to 1,000 Holstein Friesian pedigree cows (high milk producing breed of cow).

Apart from milk production, in-calf heifers are used for stock replacement with surplus sold to local and international farmers at Sh200,000.

Currently, there is a list of 600 waiting farmers with 200 from Tanzania.

Heavy feeders

The Fresian Holstein, which are divided into groups depending on their age, milk production and reproductive stages for easier record keeping are healthy well fed with udders sagging with milk.

The cows are reared using semi-zero grazing system enclosed in paddocks bearing feeding and water troughs.There are also trees that provide resting shades for the dairies during sunny weather. The farm has an average of 805 herd including 300 milking herd, 200 small calves, 200 heifers, and 100 small castrated bulls.

What’s the secret of this astounding farm success?

“Feeding is everything. That is why we have a large storage facility because our animals are high feeders. Whether their is drought or rain, they need feed in plenty. The cows are fed adlibitum (continuously) in the morning, noontime and evening on large quantities and quality feeds including drinking enough water and minerals to boost production.”

The farm prepares its own concentrates using crops planted on the farm including yellow maize, sunflower, wheat bran and maize germ.

“The institution has an expert who prepares dairy meals/concentrates in right ratios. He ensures the crops are cut at right states to come up with quality feeds,” he adds.

The manager points out that most farmers practicing dairy production purchase dairy meals from stockists whose ingredients are not well known leading to poor yields.

Each cow on the farm feeds on an average of 16 kilos of silage daily including 30 kilos supplemented by sunflower and cotton seeds.

Sh20m milking parlour

The farm also houses a Sh20 million milking parlour with electricity-powered milking machine that has a cluster of four rubber cups which are attached to the dairy’s teats.

Charles Matoke, the parlour operator applies gentle suction to the teats while the dairies feed on concentrates. The milk is then drained into a system of pipes leading to a refrigerated 5,000 litre cooler adjacent to the milking arena.

Production of milk on the farm for each cow ranges from between 18 to 40 litres depending on lactation span.

The milk is sold to Brookside Company, Kenya Creameries Company and licensed dairies.

“Milking is conducted twice in a day. High hygienic standards are observed to avoid any contamination,” says Matoke.
The manager says the institution is planning to increase number of herd to supply enough milk to increasing demand in Nakuru County and its environs.

He notes that breeding is also a vital consideration in improved production and advises on use of artificial insemination as compared to natural method.

Heifers at the farm are inseminated after 18 months with mature cows met after between 40 and 60 days using artificial insemination for better quality breed.

The farm sources superior semen from authorised distribution agencies in Nakuru and Nairobi.

Prices of unsexed semen ranges between Sh1,000 to Sh6,000 while sexed goes beyond Sh6,000.

“We mostly use sexed semen to determine sex of the calf that is usually 90 per cent right. Before insemination, a farmer has to know characteristics of a breed,” he says.

He adds that regular vaccination for diseases including foot and mouth, anthrax, lampy skin, bruislosis for young heifers and black quarter is key.

Glossy as everything may appear to be, like all farmers, they also face setbacks. The main challenge in production of the dairies is high cost of raw material for making dairy meals.

“Though the farm produces concentrates, we require raw materials including sunflower and cotton seeds to add protein contents but they are very expensive,” he reveals.

They purchase raw concentrates materials from licensed stockists at Sh30 for sunflower and Sh60 per kilogramme with a total of 28 tonnes spend per month.

Apart from livestock production, the farm is used as a training centre to animal husbandry students and collaborate with other research institutions including Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organisation and Kenya Seeds to come up with best seeds and products.