Smart farms

: 27 December 2021; Hits: 4100

Dual purpose Fleckvieh cow offers mastitis resistance & improved production

FLECKVIEH

Smallholder farmers in Kenya can save on cow on treatment costs by keeping the Fleckvieh dual purpose cow which can be used for both beef and milk production.

The breed is less prone to mastitis and rarely contracts the disease compared to other cow breeds which often contract the disease.Due to Fleckvieh’s low somatic (dead) cells, she is also tolerant to attack by ticks and tsetseflies due to its thick skin.

Mastitis is a bacterial disease caused by poor hygiene. It occurs when somatic cells are released into the mammary glands in response to the invasion of the teat canals by bacteria. The disease causes a drop in milk production by at least 50 per cent and sometimes infected cows have to be culled.

Fleckvieh was introduced in Kenya by Fleckvieh East Africa in 2009 and has been adopted by approximately 20,000 farmers however over 300,000 small scale dairy farmers in Kenya keep the common breeds which include Friesian, Jersey, Guernsey, Zebu, Sahiwal and Ayrshire among others.

Fleckvieh produces less milk and is consistent in production; but it requires less feed to produce the same amount of milk as a Holstein-Fresian. Therefore, it is a more efficient cow” said Dr.Anthony Wanjohi of Fleckvieh Genetics East Africa

The cow produces 25 to 30 liters on first calving, 30 to 35 liters on second calving and 35 to 40 liters at its peak.

If a Holstein Friesian cow is fed 60kgs of feed for instance it would produce the same amount of milk equal to the Fleckvieh cow which will is also fed on 45kg of the similar feed. With one kilogram of dairy meal averaging Sh30, farmers can save Sh450 by keeping this type of cow.

Dr Wanjohi advises farmers to crossbreed Fleckvieh with other dairy breed to improve the calf’s traits. Hybrid bulls from Fleckvieh and others for example mature faster and gain 300kg of weight within three quarters of a year and can be sold by farmers to earn extra income.

High quality semen for artificial insemination can be obtained from Fleckvieh East Africa at Sh400 to Sh800 depending on the type of bull.

A mature bull weighing 500kg can earn farmers between Sh80,000 to Sh100,000 while heifers at 10 to 14 months fetch the same amount of money.

Fleckvieh Genetics East Africa can be reached on +254 712 095 555 or +254 727 665 885.

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: 22 December 2021; Hits: 4652

Family Bank commits Sh6B to agriculture financing

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Family Bank has committed Sh6billion to extend affordable credit to agribusinesses across 17 counties through the USAID's Pay for Performance initiative under the Kenya Investment Mechanism program.

The initiative targets businesses across the agricultural value chains such as dairy, horticulture, livestock and energy sectors, among others, for the next one year.

The first stage of the initiative targets businesses in Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Kisumu, Siaya, Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga, Kitui, Makueni, Taita Taveta, Isiolo, Marsabit, Turkana, Garissa and Wajir counties and its environs.

"As a bank, we recognise the finance need for agribusinesses to scale climate-smart agriculture technologies to enhance the climate resilience for agricultural value chains," said Family Bank Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Mbithi.

The Ministry of Agriculture in Kenya indicates that climate change over the years has worsened weather-related risks such as droughts, floods, pests and diseases, exposing farmers to huge losses.

Estimates from the ministry show that the economy lost Sh1.33 trillion as a result of extreme drought between 2008 and 2011 with the livestock sub-sector accounting for 72 per cent of this loss.

"We are committed to extending our support both through affordable credit and capacity building to enable sustainability to businesses more so those in the agriculture sector," Mbithi added.

The bank had earlier in the year through the same program extended Sh500 million to support agribusinesses as part of USAID's effort to unlock Sh40 billion to SMEs in Kenya and East Africa.

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: 20 December 2021; Hits: 5157

Fertiliser prices to hit record peaks owing to external market forces

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By George Munene
Fertiliser prices in Kenya have risen from risen from Sh2,700 early last year to Sh5,000-5,500 for 50kg bag. This is only expected to rise with prices predicted to hit Sh6,000 ahead of the mid-March long rains. This is in line with soaring prices of fertilisers globally which according to the October 2021 edition of the World Bank’s Commodity Markets Outlook have reached levels unseen since the 2008-09 global financial crisis.
According to ministry of agriculture officials, a confluence of international market forces; energy costs, supply curtailments, and trade policies; are contributing to the price hikes in a nation that depends almost exclusively on fertiliser imports from China, Russia and the United States.

China, which accounts for one third of DAP and a tenth of Urea fertiliser global trade, has suspended fertilizer exports until June next year due to high coal costs and inflexible electricity prices which have necessitated electricity rationing since September. These have forced local governments to implement rolling blackouts for energy-intensive industries affecting fertilizer production.
Natural gas prices have also risen globally, and production has further been affected by hurricane Ida which hit the Gulf Coast of USA between 26th August and 4th Sept this year. This constitutes a key ingredient in Ammonia production, which is used in nitrogen fertilizers.
Additionally, Russia , a key exporter of fertiliser to Kenya has imposed a six-month export quota on nitrogen fertilizers starting from 1st December 2021. This is aimed at shoring up domestic supplies and contain price inflation. The move has further supported a surge in fertilizer prices worldwide and tightened strained global fertilizer markets already searching for supply.
Additional to these emergent factors, the FOB price (the shipping cost borne by the buyer) accounts for about 70 per cent of fertilizer costs. A heavy burden for a country that is estimated to have imported US$259.17 Million worth of fertiliser in 2020, by the United Nations COMTRADE database.

According to the October 2021 World Bank Commodity Markets Outlook, DAP prices are projected to remain elevated in the first half of 2022 on expectations of tight supply unless Chinese export restrictions are relaxed earlier than anticipated. Urea prices are anticipated to decline marginally in 2022 as feedstock costs moderate.

This rising cost in fertiliser will not only affect farmers but consumers as well exerting inflationary pressures on food prices.

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