Summary
“A cow’s shelter should ensure easy movement, should
also be sizeable and stress free,” Muturi says, adding
the shelter should also be covered from external
weather conditions such as rains, wind and direct
sunlight.
also be sizeable and stress free,” Muturi says, adding
the shelter should also be covered from external
weather conditions such as rains, wind and direct
sunlight.
Before starting his own venture, Muturi worked as a
farm hand at a dairy farm in Githunguri for two years,
and that gave him a head start as a dairy farmer.
farm hand at a dairy farm in Githunguri for two years,
and that gave him a head start as a dairy farmer.
An entry into dairy farming for Muturi and his wife was
a tough one, as the sector was by then dominated by
the old folk. “The older farmers were more experienced
than us so we would consult with them most of the
time.”
a tough one, as the sector was by then dominated by
the old folk. “The older farmers were more experienced
than us so we would consult with them most of the
time.”
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Three kilometres drive along the Eastern
bypass road-off Thika superhighway-sits
Ruiru, a busy peri-urban centre in Kiambu
County, and some 35 minutes away from
Nairobi.
Three kilometres drive along the Eastern
bypass road-off Thika superhighway-sits
Ruiru, a busy peri-urban centre in Kiambu
County, and some 35 minutes away from
Nairobi.
Sparsely spread homesteads are the hallmark
of Ruiru, enabling active livestock keeping
and crop cultivation.
of Ruiru, enabling active livestock keeping
and crop cultivation.
From the Eastern bypass, we take a left turn
to an earth road that leads to Tassels Dairy
Farm, our destination. Muturi Njoroge, the
proprietor, emerges from his office in a black
pair of trousers and a cream shirt, both the
shirt sleeves’ rolled up.
to an earth road that leads to Tassels Dairy
Farm, our destination. Muturi Njoroge, the
proprietor, emerges from his office in a black
pair of trousers and a cream shirt, both the
shirt sleeves’ rolled up.
Nicknamed Israel because of its alluring farm
structures and ultra-modern zero grazing
units, Tassels Dairy Farm prides itself in
raising pedigree Friesian cows, 140 of them
under one roof.
structures and ultra-modern zero grazing
units, Tassels Dairy Farm prides itself in
raising pedigree Friesian cows, 140 of them
under one roof.
Proper housing and fodder are important to
animals just as they are to humans, the
farmer explains, pointing out that the two are
vital in maximizing a cow’s productivity.
animals just as they are to humans, the
farmer explains, pointing out that the two are
vital in maximizing a cow’s productivity.
“A cow’s shelter should ensure easy
movement, should also be sizeable and stress
free,” Muturi says, adding the shelter should
also be covered from external weather
conditions such as rains, wind and direct
sunlight.
movement, should also be sizeable and stress
free,” Muturi says, adding the shelter should
also be covered from external weather
conditions such as rains, wind and direct
sunlight.
FODDER RESERVE
The farmer has also partitioned the upper
chamber of the structure hosting the dairy
cows leaving a spacious store for stocking
bales of hay. The fodder reserve ensures
enough feeds for the animals throughout the
year, the farmer says.
The farmer has also partitioned the upper
chamber of the structure hosting the dairy
cows leaving a spacious store for stocking
bales of hay. The fodder reserve ensures
enough feeds for the animals throughout the
year, the farmer says.
The animal structure seated on an acre piece
of land has been constructed with blocks all
round, and its stone walls are one meter
above the ground.
of land has been constructed with blocks all
round, and its stone walls are one meter
above the ground.
However, the upper part of the wall and the
roof is made of corrugated iron-sheets and
iron rods.
roof is made of corrugated iron-sheets and
iron rods.
The whole parlour has a rough cemented
floor fitted with drainage pipes to drain the
animals’ wastes.
floor fitted with drainage pipes to drain the
animals’ wastes.
“Insufficient supply of fodder is the cause of
reduced milk production in most farms
especially during droughts,” Muturi notes. He
has stocked more than 10,000 bales of hay.
reduced milk production in most farms
especially during droughts,” Muturi notes. He
has stocked more than 10,000 bales of hay.
He says the animals also require a constant
supply of clean water.
supply of clean water.
Muturi, 34, and his wife Susan, ventured into
dairy farming about 12 years ago with 18
dairy cows.
dairy farming about 12 years ago with 18
dairy cows.
Before starting his own venture, Muturi
worked as a farm hand at a dairy farm in
Githunguri for two years, and that gave him a
head start as a dairy farmer.
worked as a farm hand at a dairy farm in
Githunguri for two years, and that gave him a
head start as a dairy farmer.
DELIVERING PRODUCTS
“I later ditched the job and began collecting
milk from farmers in the village before
delivering the products to restaurants in
Nairobi,” the dairy farmer recounted.
“I later ditched the job and began collecting
milk from farmers in the village before
delivering the products to restaurants in
Nairobi,” the dairy farmer recounted.
The young farmer took Sh50, 000 savings plus
a Sh100, 000 loan from Equity bank and
started off the dairy farming venture in 2001.
a Sh100, 000 loan from Equity bank and
started off the dairy farming venture in 2001.
“I bought two dairy cows, and relocated to
Kiserian where someone leased me a small
piece of land at Sh10, 000,” Muturi says.
Kiserian where someone leased me a small
piece of land at Sh10, 000,” Muturi says.
By the time he got married two years later,
his stock was seven after the animals
reproduced and he bought a few more.
his stock was seven after the animals
reproduced and he bought a few more.
“Fortunately, my wife was also a dairy
farmer. She already had 11 cows she had
been rearing with the assistance of her
grandfather,” the farmer narrated, adding
they merged their stock to make up an 18-
strong dairy farm.
farmer. She already had 11 cows she had
been rearing with the assistance of her
grandfather,” the farmer narrated, adding
they merged their stock to make up an 18-
strong dairy farm.
The couple relocated to Ruiru and bought one
acre piece of land two years ago at Sh13
million, which they partly funded with their
earning from dairy farming and loans. With
18 cows, the headache of feeding then all
arose.
acre piece of land two years ago at Sh13
million, which they partly funded with their
earning from dairy farming and loans. With
18 cows, the headache of feeding then all
arose.
“We leased some plots where we cultivated
hay. We also harvested grasses growing by
the roadside.”
hay. We also harvested grasses growing by
the roadside.”
An entry into dairy farming for Muturi and
his wife was a tough one, as the sector was
by then dominated by the old folk.
his wife was a tough one, as the sector was
by then dominated by the old folk.
“The older
farmers were more experienced than us so we
would consult with them most of the time.”
farmers were more experienced than us so we
would consult with them most of the time.”
Yet with all their effort, the productivity of
the cows was not satisfactory.
the cows was not satisfactory.
“We visited a veterinary officer from the
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock who,
upon assessing our animals, noted that they
were not pedigree,” he said.
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock who,
upon assessing our animals, noted that they
were not pedigree,” he said.
“We were advised to mate the cows with a
pedigree bull to rectify the dairy’s poor
qualities,” adds Muturi who is accompanied
by his wife.
pedigree bull to rectify the dairy’s poor
qualities,” adds Muturi who is accompanied
by his wife.
When a farmer buys a dairy cow with no
genetic history it is known as foundation
stock. Therefore to get the desirable qualities
of a productive cow, the foundation is
inseminated with hybrid semen, and the
result is an intermediary stock.
genetic history it is known as foundation
stock. Therefore to get the desirable qualities
of a productive cow, the foundation is
inseminated with hybrid semen, and the
result is an intermediary stock.
The intermediary stock is also inseminated
with hybrid semen to produce an appendix
stock which when inseminated with hybrid
semen produces a pedigree cow.
with hybrid semen to produce an appendix
stock which when inseminated with hybrid
semen produces a pedigree cow.
The pedigree cow, according to animal
experts, is a heavy feeder, but a good
producer with high adaptive capabilities.
experts, is a heavy feeder, but a good
producer with high adaptive capabilities.
It takes about seven years to have a pedigree
cow from a foundation stock. So to achieve
the present number he had to sell some of his
non-pedigree dairies and bought the high
breed cows even as he improved others.
cow from a foundation stock. So to achieve
the present number he had to sell some of his
non-pedigree dairies and bought the high
breed cows even as he improved others.
“I buy breeds from farms with good record
keeping,” says Muturi.
The farm now has 70 lactating dairy cows
which give him 1200 litres a day which he
supplies to restaurants in Nairobi.
which give him 1200 litres a day which he
supplies to restaurants in Nairobi.
It also has
eight bulls although the farmer prefers
Artificial Insemination (AI).
eight bulls although the farmer prefers
Artificial Insemination (AI).
“Buying an animal to breed is not just a
matter of going to the market and picking
one. A farmer should look for the animal’s
records.
matter of going to the market and picking
one. A farmer should look for the animal’s
records.
The records also helps a farmer to
know the character and productivity of the
animal he’s buying,” notes the farmer who
now employees 15 farm workers.
know the character and productivity of the
animal he’s buying,” notes the farmer who
now employees 15 farm workers.
Apart from feeding his cows on dry matter,
the animals are also fed on concentrates
which are richer in nutrients.
the animals are also fed on concentrates
which are richer in nutrients.
He has now invested millions of shillings in
an ultra-modern structure that has a
mechanised milking parlour, a milk
processing zone, a laboratory and display unit
for processed products.
an ultra-modern structure that has a
mechanised milking parlour, a milk
processing zone, a laboratory and display unit
for processed products.
Muturi is currently putting final touches to
the unit that will enable 20 cows to be milked
all at once using a machine.
the unit that will enable 20 cows to be milked
all at once using a machine.
The farm sells three tonnes of manure every
week at Sh20, 000. Muturi is now in the
process of establishing a biogas plant which
will use the wastes to produce energy for
farm use.
week at Sh20, 000. Muturi is now in the
process of establishing a biogas plant which
will use the wastes to produce energy for
farm use.
Ronald Kimitei, an expert at Egerton
University, says a farmer should look out for
the genetic make-up and adaptability of the
animal to the environment when scouting for
an ideal dairy cow.
University, says a farmer should look out for
the genetic make-up and adaptability of the
animal to the environment when scouting for
an ideal dairy cow.
“The animal’s performance is as a result of
combination of its genetic makeup, the
environment it is reared in, and the
interaction of the two,” notes Kimitei.
combination of its genetic makeup, the
environment it is reared in, and the
interaction of the two,” notes Kimitei.
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