The objectives of this study in the Nakuru District of the Kenyan Highlands, the major milk sources for the Nairobi milk market, were to evaluate current dairy cattle rearing and feeding practices, and suggest efficient feeding management strategies on large and small-scale commercial dairy farms. 139 small-scale farms with 738 dairy cows were surveyed and 6 large-scale dairy farms with 4379 dairy cattle. On the small farms, high mortality rates, cost of AI, and disease were the major causes of poor reproduction leading to a lack of replacement stock. Feeding systems used were: 24% free grazing system, 33% semi-zero grazing, 40% zero grazing, and 3% rotational grazing, but limited feeds were available – crops and feed crop residues, cut grass on the roadside, neighbouring farms with some purchased hay and straws in the dry season. After weaning, feed supplements were rarely given to calves, priority being given to milking cows, explaining the few replacement stock kept and their high mortality. The six large scale farms were from 200 to 3500 acres with milk production, cereal crops, fodder crops, the scale of replacement dairy stock and hay to other dairy farms the main activities with land allocated 65% to livestock, 20% to cash crops (Barley and Wheat), 10% to fodder crops and 5% to other land-uses. Replacement heifers for sale were insufficient to meet demands from small-scale farms. Grazing systems were mainly extensive with supplements fed at milking.  All the farms depended on planted forage grasses, mainly: Rhodes grass, Star grass, Sudan grass and Kikuyu grass. Calf mortality rate (10-18 %) was high caused mostly by respiratory diseases and East Coast Fever. Extended age at first calving (>31.8 ± 4.5 months), long calving intervals (> 406 days) and low average milk yields (6.81/day ± 3.9) for all breeds, occurred. Production and reproductive performances needs to be addressed by proper nutrition. Suitable pasture grasses, legumes and fodder crops not currently being used have been identified as potential options to complement the existing pasture. Among these are: Guinea grass (panicum maximum), Cynodon dactylon, Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris), Naivasha star grass (Cynodon plectostachyus) and Rhodesian star grass (Setaria sphacelata). Other studies examining supplementation of animals on low quality pastures with the above feeds resulted in increased body weights and milk yields. The greatest potential seems to be supplementing with home-grown proteinaceous feedstuffs such as Leucaena leucocephala, Calliandra, Sesbania or food crop residues like groundnut, cassava, sweet potato vines or pigeon-pea leaves and stems. Farmers could increase their pasture land productivity by establishing fodder grass, fodder shrubs and food crops as intercropping, hedgerows and along contour bands.

No description available.

This item was digitized as part of the Million Books Project led by Carnegie Mellon University and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Cornell University coordinated the participation of land-grant and agricultural libraries in providing historical agricultural information for the digitization project; the University of Arizona Libraries, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies collaborated in the selection and provision of material for the digitization project.

No description available.

Soybean meal-protected tallow has been commercially available in Canada for use in dairy rations, since 1975. The reported effects of feeding protected tallow to dairy cows have been variable and the prices of protected tallow supplements have been high. In view of the lower cost of canola meal relative to soybean meal in Canada, a study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of feeding protected tallow made either from soybean meal or canola meal, to dairy cows in early lactation. Secondly, a comparison was made between the soybean meal-protected tallow and the canola meal-protected tallow. Twenty-seven cows from the University herd, comprised of 12 first-calf Holstein heifers, 3 Holsteins in their >2nd lactation, 4 Ayrshire heifers and 8 ≥2nd lactation Ayrshires, were used in a continuous feeding trial which was conducted from day of calving until the end of week 20 of lactation. Cows were randomly assigned within breed and lactation category (9 cows per treatment) to one of 3 isonitrogenous (16 % crude protein) concentrates: a) no protected tallow (control); b) 8 % soybean meal-protected tallow; or c) 8 % canola meal-protected tallow, which they received during weeks 1-15 (inclusive). From the beginning of week 16 until the end of week 20 all cows were fed a 16 % crude protein, post-treatment concentrate (no protected tallow). Throughout the 20-week trial the ratio of concentrates to cubes offered was maintained at 70:30 with feed intakes being ad libitum. Between weeks 13 and 16, 4 cows per treatment were assigned to a digestibility trial involving a 7-day total Collection of faeces and urine. Protected tallow rations produced significant increases over the control ration (P<.05) in the yields of milk, 4 % fat-corrected milk and milk fat, and protected tallow rations increased the efficiencies of conversion of gross energy, digestible energy, crude protein and digestible protein to milk, 4 % fat-corrected milk, solids-corrected milk and milk energy (P<.05). The apparent digestibility of ether extract and the concentration of plasma non-esterified fatty acids were significantly higher on rations with protected tallow (P<.05). Milk protein % was significantly reduced below the control level with rations containing protected tallow and rumen acetate and the acetate:propionate levels were also decreased. Protected tallow rations had no significant effect on the intakes of dry matter, gross energy, digestible energy, crude protein or digestible protein or on the apparent digestibilities of dry matter, organic matter, gross energy, nitrogen, acid-detergent fibre, ash, calcium, phosphorus or magnesium (P>.05). Also the yields of solids-corrected milk, milk gross energy and milk protein, the plasma glucose concentration and average daily gain were not significantly different, on rations containing protected tallow, compared with the control ration. There was no significant difference between the soybean meal-protected tallow ration and the canola meal-protected tallow ration for any parameter measured except apparent digestibility of ether extract which was significantly higher for the canola meal-protected tallow ration (P<.01). / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

LD2668 .T4 1940 K6 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1949 B41 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1956 B77 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1966 R313 / Master of Science

This item was digitized as part of the Million Books Project led by Carnegie Mellon University and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Cornell University coordinated the participation of land-grant and agricultural libraries in providing historical agricultural information for the digitization project; the University of Arizona Libraries, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies collaborated in the selection and provision of material for the digitization project.