Category Archives: Animal Production

How DFAs are rejuvenating the dairy industry in Homa Bay and Siaya counties
Animal breeding / Animal diseases / Animal feeding / Animal Production / AVCD / Cattle / Countries / Dairying / ECF / ILRI / Kenya / Livelihoods / Partners / Species / Value chains

How DFAs are rejuvenating the dairy industry in Homa Bay and Siaya counties

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Before 2019, Kasbondo Dairy Cooperative, in Oyugis, Homa Bay County used to receive 300-350 litres of milk per day from less than 25 farmers with only three of them able supply 60 litres per day. Across the region in Siaya County, SAM Malanga Dairy Cooperative was equally struggling, only able to receive about 280 litres … Continue reading →

Animal breeding / Animal Production / AVCD / Goats / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / SLS / Small ruminants

Improved herd management technologies for enhancing livestock productivity: Embedding innovations through community groups

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ILRI, through the USAID funded AVCD project – Livestock Component has implemented interventions to improve sheep and goat productivity in Kenya, through better herd breeding and management. The project has developed a series of manuals on ‘Best Practices for Selective Breeding for Improved Livestock Productivity.’ Continue reading →

Rent a womb, the power to sharing animal resources to build the livelihoods of a community
Animal breeding / Animal Production / AVCD / Cattle / Dairying / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / Value chains

Rent a womb, the power to sharing animal resources to build the livelihoods of a community

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In April 2017, Selvin Odhiambo received a healthy crossbred calf from her neighbour’s cow after a successful pregnancy from Fixed Time Artificial Insemination (FTAI). A United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded subsidized breeding program is helping smallholder farmers in western Kenya improve their dairy production. Continue reading →

Village-based dairy advisor Priscilla Ouma launches a ‘restore milk campaign’
Animal feeding / Animal Production / AVCD / Cattle / Dairying / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / Value chains

Village-based dairy advisor Priscilla Ouma launches a ‘restore milk campaign’

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Priscilla Ouma is an inspiration and proof that when you give women farmers a few tools, the entire community benefits. Through her hard work, the wind of change is blowing across the village and soon farmers in Muyeye B will be milk rich. Continue reading →

Animal diseases / Animal Production / AVCD / Goats / ILRI / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / Pastoralism / Small ruminants / Value chains

3 Tier Network managing livestock disease collectively, for better lives though livestock

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Through the 3-tier model, a network of trained community diseases reporters accessible at the village level has been created. Trained to be the first responders to animal health issues, they serve as an immediate resource for herders and are in position to respond to reports in multiple villages. Continue reading →

Animal Production / AVCD / Dairying / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Livestock / Value chains

More Milk from new grass variety, changing breakfast tables for Dairy Farmers across Homa Bay County

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Between January and March, most of Western Kenya experiences a climatic dry period, when grass and other plants stop growing, forcing farmers to buy fodder from outside their area to feed their cows or face huge reductions in milk production. This year, the area has suffered from a pro-longed drought, with no rains since mid-November, … Continue reading →

Where numbers matter: Better herd management for better productivity in Kenya’s pastoral communities
Animal Production / AVCD / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Livestock / Value chains

Where numbers matter: Better herd management for better productivity in Kenya’s pastoral communities

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Originally posted on Sustainable livestock systems:
Moses Muyang’ai (centre) shows his farm records (photo credit: ILRI/James Audho). The north eastern region of Kenya is home to pastoralists whose livelihoods mostly depend on the sale and consumption of livestock and their products. But the pastoral production systems in the region are characterized by low growth rates and off-takes…

Kick starting the dairy industry for farmers in western Kenya
Animal breeding / Animal Production / AVCD / Dairying / ILRI / Kenya / Livestock / Value chains

Kick starting the dairy industry for farmers in western Kenya

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The western region of Kenya is not a traditional dairy production area, although having significant resources that can support dairying. One of the challenges that hinder farmers’ entry into this profitable industry is the use of local breeds of cattle with low productivity. Additionally, in most cases cattle in smallholder settings are predominantly ‘multi-functional’ used for … Continue reading →

Animal breeding / Animal Production / Cattle / Dairying / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / LIVESTOCK-FISH / PIL / Value chains

Easing bottlenecks to uptake of dairy farming in western Kenya

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Originally posted on ILRI Clippings:
The western region of Kenya is not a traditional dairy production area, albeit having substantial resources that can support dairying. The region has, in the past, been left out of most dairy development initiatives in the country and its potential to contribute to the dairy sector, which accounts for 8% of Kenya’s GDP,…