Smart farms

: 22 September 2017; Hits: 20236

Vitamark Joto livestock salt boosts estrus rate in dairy cows

Some typical signs associated with a cow in heat include increased nervousness, restlessness, mounting, head mounting, chin resting, standing to be mounted and a swollen vulva and the rest.

Dao Chem Company sells Vitamark Joto livestock salt which could be a solution for dairy farmers who are often forced to wait for long to observe heat signs in their cows after calving. This condition which can be described as anestrus phenomenon (failure of cows to show heat signs) is the lack or absence of the expression of estrus (showing of heat signs).

Dr. David Michuki of Dao Chem says that this condition can be avoided by giving a dairy cow Vitamark Joto salt as one of the feeds supplement to help boost the hormones which eventually turns the cow on.

“Farmers whose cows are slow to conceive due to lack of the vital hormones can try Vitamark Joto in a solution, mixed with feeds or just given to the cow to lick in between meals,” said Michuki.

The livestock salt has got chemical minerals like iodine, zinc, copper sodium and phosphorous that are key in developing estrus hormones.

In dairy cattle, anestrus is known to be associated with various factors. These factors affect the demonstration of estrus and knowledge of them is highly informative to dairy farmers and herein are possible solutions to these problems upon diagnosis according to Dr. Michuki.

READ ALSO: breeders import super cow for milk and beef
These factors include poor nutrition which is lack of well-balanced feed program, occurrence of some diseases such as ovarian cysts and leptospirosis, keeping cows for long periods within the housing environment as opposed to being left to graze periodically in open fields or kept on slippery floor surfaces as opposed to grooved or non-cemented surface which are good for mounting.

Heat stress is also a contributing factor. Some cows exhibit estrus behaviour better in cooler temperatures and then overcrowding which may result to poor estrus detection. However, small animal herds also affect the exhibition of estrus behaviour due to the reduced interactions between the animals.

According to Michuki, Vitamark Joto can also deal with postpartum anestrus which is a natural occurrence in cows.

Nonetheless some typical signs associated with a cow in heat include increased nervousness, restlessness, mounting, head mounting, chin resting, standing to be mounted and a swollen vulva and the rest.

Dao Chem Company also deals in salts like Vitamark High Phosphorous for milk boosting, Vitamark Ndama for strengthening calves’ bones and teeth and Vitamark Dry Cow for replenishing deficient important minerals in the cow.

Write comment (1 Comment)

Tuesday, 11 August 2020 How available are these products in Mumias and nearby region

: 22 September 2017; Hits: 12383

Hanging gardens feeding urban families

esther kimani.JPG

Esther Kimani at her hanging garden at the 2017 Central Kenya Nation Show, Nyeri/JAPHET RUTO.

As rural to urban migration surges in Kenya and many parts of the world, many residents are finding it difficult to put food on the table due to the high cost of living. However, some urban residents are coming up with innovative ways to grow vegetables on scarce land in towns by embracing hanging gardens.

A hanging garden is a sustainable landscape architecture, an artistic garden or a small urban farm attached to or built on a wall. They are mainly found in areas where land is scarce or where the farmer is mobile or temporarily living.

Esther Kimani is one such farmer who has embraced the idea of hanging garden in her Nyeri town home so as to feed her family of five. When Farmbiz Africa visited demonstration stand at the Central Kenya Agricultural show at Kabiruini grounds in outskirts of Nyeri County on 16^th September 2017, she was busy educating attendees on the importance of hanging gardens as a way to promote sustainable urban farming.

“At first my neighbors and family members were skeptical about the idea as they believed successful farming can only be done in rural farms with adequate space” said Esther. She however went ahead with her plans and established a hanging garden in her backyard space.

READ ALSO: Embracing urban farming

She first identified the portion of the backyard garden with direct access to sunlight as it is important for the growth of the plants. She then employed a casual who fixed posts and hanging timber across to support her pots which she used to plant kales, spinach and onions. She purchased ready seedlings from Nyeri town and transplanted them to polythene bags which could accommodate about 3 to 4 plants at a go.

The pots are mixed with top soil and organic manure at the rate of 1:1 according to Esther who notes that the process takes care of the costly budget and produces fresh, clean, safe vegetables unlike the ones she used to buy earlier and was unsure of their safety. She waters the plants manually twice in a day in the dry season, in the morning and evening.

She sells the vegetables from her backyard garden to neighbors and other urban dwellers within Nyeri town. Esther advises urban families to consider venturing into this type of farming as it is economically viable, more hygienic and produces cheap vegetables all year round for your urban family.

With the revolution of agriculture in Kenya and across the globe, this farming method comes in at the right time to cater to the needs of the urban dwellers who not only worry about availability but also the high chemical residue on vegetables in the urban markets.

Write comment (0 Comments)

: 21 September 2017; Hits: 13347

Naivasha Flower Farm establishes nutrition garden to supplement staff feeding

Oserian staff-spinach2.jpg

Oserian flower farm workers tend to vegetables at the nutritional garden.

Oserian Fairtrade Joint Body has established a garden for production of selected highly nutritious vegetables to supplement staff feeding.

The Nutrition Garden is a project of the flower exporter and responsible trading label programme, Fairtrade. The label certifies goods produced by firms that have established systems for worker welfare, environmental protection and community support.

Fairtrade labeled products are sold at a premium in UK super markets and proceeds ploughed back to support projects identified by the beneficiaries.

A beaming Mary Kinyua, the Fairtrade Officer at Oserian said the Nutrition Garden, that was unveiled with funfair in July, is an exciting development at the farm whose harvest was eagerly awaited. The results as seen in the pictures here have not disappointed.

As per the initial plans priority has given to workers living with HIV, who require high nutrition diets.

Dr Daniel Watta, The Coordinator of the Oserian HIV/AIDS workplace says 80 persons living with HIV /AIDs had been enrolled in the project and receiving free vegetables on a weekly basis.

“We supply the vegetables to any member of the family who is living with HIV. Unlike before where beneficiaries were restricted to issuing food per family, we are now distributing per head.” he noted.

He however proposed that The Fairtrade considers initiating a chicken rearing project to supplement the much needed proteins in their meals.

Apart from producing a variety of recommended vegetables suitable for special needs feeding, the garden will serve as training centre to demonstrate maximizing production per a square meter of land, said Oserian Technical Director Hamish Ker at the unveiling of the garden early July.

Production manager Stephen Musyoka added the garden is a practical demonstration of how the skills and technologies applied in growing flowers can be used in crop husbandry with amazing results.

The one-acre vegetable garden is adjacent to the main flower farm where selected popular vegetables - Sukuma wiki (Kales), spinach, cabbages, carrots, red pepper and capsicum have been planted in the open field under irrigation.

When the garden grows in size, volumes and varieties, packs of mixed ready-to-cook vegetables, will be introduced to avail an all rounded vegetable serving. Other vegetables like lettuce and broccoli are being introduced at staggered phases to manage maturity and availability.

Oserian staff-spinach.jpg

Like other Fairtrade projects, the Nutrition Garden was determined by the Joint Body Committee after a needs assessment that identified scarcity of vegetables as an issue requiring attention said Chair of the team Mr. Samuel Chacha. It also falls within Oserian’s four pillars of Flowers4Life that guides the farm’s operations, Flori4Farming, through which the company supports food security and nutrition for sustainability, Flori4Nature, Flori4Schools and Flori4Water.

“Food is a basic necessity requiring we play our part in creating a food secure world without which the other Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved”, added Kirimi Mpungu, Oserian Administration Director.

“Vegetables were the easiest option in improving the dietary needs of our workers. They are an obvious accompaniment to ugali with high nutrition value being rich in vitamins and fiber. “He noted.

The farm has already created new employment for the locals, including the agronomist Evans Osiemo who tends to the farm and an outlet for farming inputs.

Evans attested to harvesting at least 100 kilos of the vegetables on a daily basis which are sold at Msambweni market.

“We chose vegetables which are included in every meal. Also, vegetables are of high nutritional value, and offer iron, vitamins, antioxidants, fibers and folic acid. These are very important minerals in ensuring the workers are healthy and strong. With the diversity of our workers, which include persons living with disabilities, persons living with HIV and nursing mothers, we felt it was important to ensure that they are well catered for,” he said.

Sheila Mulli, Oserian Fair-trade Programs officer, termed the initiative as a life changing project producing the vegetables that are sold to at least 1,000 people every day.

“The satisfaction of getting fresh vegetables delivered at your own convenience is unmatched. Better still the satisfaction of knowing that the plants are grown in all the proper conditions which gives consumers the comfort of eating without dreading diseases that can come as a result chemicals and unclean irrigation water,” she added.

Ms Mulili said to sustain the project, returns would go towards expanding and diversifying production. This will include cultivating at least five more acres. About Ksh 1.5 million has been invested in the project with projections the cost could further up with expectations yields of Ksh 2.5 million will be realized.

Oserian is the largest flower farm on the shores of Lake Naivasha, established in the late 1960s by the Zwager family. It produces high quality flowers for export, utilizing modern technology to grow 160 hectares of roses, 40 hectares of carnations and 25 hectares of green fillers.

Write comment (0 Comments)