For us, farming as a group works well

Some of Kanyama Dairy Goat Self-Help Group members from Karatina, Nyeri, pose with the goats they rear. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Each of the group's farmers now keeps between eight and 18 animals.
  • Before a farmer buys a dairy goat, he advised that they must consider various factors, including age, health and breed.
  • They feed the animals on tea leaves, napier grass, sweet potato vines, normal grass and other plants locally available on farms.
  • Unlike the traditional goats, which normally produce at most a half a litre of milk, the German Alpine dairy goat can produce up to five litres of milk a day when well-fed.

Sometime in 1994, the government in partnership with the German embassy started a dairy goats’ programme in Nyeri to boost the keeping of the animals for economic gain.

The two, in collaboration with Dairy Goat Association of Kenya (DGAK), donated German Alpine animals to farmers’ groups living in the colder areas of the county.

The farmers were to join groups of 40 to 50, and each was then offered a doe, and collectively a buck.

The Kanyama Dairy Goat Self-Help Group in Karatina, Nyeri County, is among those that benefitted. Over two decades later, while others fell on the way, Kanyama has turned out to be one of the successful dairy goats groups in the region.

Seeds of Gold met some of the members of the dairy group during a recent exhibition at Kabiruini in Nyeri.

Gichere Machira, a member, said when they started, they were keeping the animals for milk, which they used at home because of its nutritional value.

With time, the group turned into a commercial venture, with 15 members out of 40 agreeing to contribute Sh2,000 each a month for over a year to buy more goats from DGAK.

Each farmer now keeps between eight and 18 animals.

Vice-chairman of the group Wilson Mukugu says each animal produces between three to five litres of milk a day.

“Those with 10 goats get up to 40 litres. From all members, we collect at least 200 litres a day,” he said.

KEEPING RECORDS

They feed the animals on tea leaves, napier grass, sweet potato vines, normal grass and other plants locally available on farms.

“Tea leaves are rich in vitamins. Farmers living in tea growing areas are advised to feed their goats on tea leaves to improve milk production,” said Samuel Mwangi, an extension service provider with DGAK.

The farmers vaccinate and spray their goats regularly to prevent diseases and ticks.

The kids are vaccinated against diarrhoea a month after birth and are also dewormed after two months. “We also regularly spray against ticks. Goats are not friends with cold water, so we use power sprays,” said Charles Githuri, another member.

To service their goats, the farmers jointly own a few bucks reared at a members’ farm.

“When a group member’s goat wants to be serviced, we take our goats to the farm where the buck is. After some time, we sell the he-goat and buy a new one to ensure we don’t get weak animals,” he said, noting they keep all birth records of their animals.

Mwangi said German Alpines can survive anywhere and do well in varied climates.

Before a farmer buys a dairy goat, he advised that they must consider various factors, including age, health and breed.

“A farmer should not a buy a goat when it is too young, above eight months old is good enough as chances of survival will be higher. One should also ensure that the goat is healthy,” he said.

QUALITIES OF A GOOD DAIRY GOAT

Among the qualities a farmer should consider before buying a dairy goat is that the udder should be well-attached, teats should be equal and slightly pointed forward.

The teats should also not be very big and their two halves should be clearly visible.

“Their stomach should also be big and horizontal as this shows they can eat more food,”

Mwangi further said farmers should look for goats with straight backs, which are well-shaped with a long neck, strong jaws and legs and which are not fat as these characteristics determine the amount of milk the goat produces.

Unlike the traditional goats, which normally produce at most a half a litre of milk, the German Alpine dairy goat, according to him, can produce up to five litres of milk a day when well-fed.

The farmers sell their milk at Sh70 per litre collectively to individuals.

They further sell individually a  three months kid at Sh8,000 while an eight month goat goes up to Sh20,000 as they keep the animals on small pieces of land.

“Keeping the animals as a group is good because we work closely with the DGAK officials and have a veterinary officer who treats and keeps regular check of our goats as he can easily reach us,” says Machira, adding that one of challenges they faced was some members mixing goat and cow milk compromising quality.