We all agree that cows aren't complicated but us human beings complicate their lives.

For example, Mkulima will have complex operations in his/her dairy farm thus creating avenues
of losses.
Here are some key avenues of losses in a dairy farm:
1. Feed costs: Feed is one of the largest expenses on a dairy farm. Inefficient feeding practices,
poor quality feed, or overfeeding can lead to increased costs and reduced profitability.
a) Do you know the unit cost of each and every feed?
b) When did you last compute your cost of production?
c) On a scale of 1-5 how efficient is your feeding regime?
2. Health issues: Health problems in dairy cattle can lead to reduced milk production, higher
veterinary costs, and potential losses from culling sick animals. Common health issues include
mastitis, lameness, and metabolic disorders.
Have diseases camped in your farm? Negligence?
3. Reproduction inefficiencies: Poor reproductive performance can result in longer calving
intervals, reduced milk production, and increased breeding costs. Issues such as low conception
rates, miscarriages, and calving difficulties can impact profitability.
Ni wewe unashinda ukitafuta miraculous products juu ngombe hazikuji on heat ama conception
hamna ama ni ya neighbour wako?
4. Labor costs: Labor is a significant expense on a dairy farm. Inefficient labor management,
high turnover rates, or inadequate training can lead to increased costs and reduced productivity.
Je, umeona kama tunaongelea farm yako? Wacha excuses na mfuko vile unapiga nduru, do
something ASAP.
5. Infrastructure and equipment maintenance: Neglecting maintenance of infrastructure and
equipment can lead to breakdowns, downtime, and repair costs. Regular maintenance is essential
to prevent unexpected expenses and ensure the smooth operation of the farm.
Hapa silence is the best answer. Ama?
6. Environmental factors: Weather conditions, such as extreme temperatures, drought, or heavy
rainfall, can impact milk production, feed quality, and animal health. Adequate management
practices and infrastructure are essential to mitigate these risks.
Next year mvua itakuwa kidogo, jipange na this season. Ikibidi sell a cow(s) to feed cows.
7. Market fluctuations: Fluctuations in milk prices and input costs can affect the profitability of a
dairy farm. It's important for dairy farmers to manage price risk through strategies such as
forward contracting or futures markets.
Double tragedy ni kukuwa na inefficiencies kwa farm alafu market iamue to create stories za
abunuasi zinaitwa milk glut. Unajaribu kucheza Reggae, Mugithi, Lingala, Rhumba etc na zote
chorus ni losses after losses.
8. Regulatory compliance: Non-compliance with environmental regulations, food safety
standards, or animal welfare requirements can result in fines, legal costs, and reputational
damage. Staying informed and ensuring compliance is crucial to avoid potential losses.
Finance bill 2024 itakuaffect aje?
9. Disease outbreaks: Outbreaks of diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, bovine tuberculosis,
or other contagious illnesses can lead to quarantine measures, reduced milk production, and
increased veterinary costs.
Adhere to vaccinate schedule.
10. Risk management: Failure to implement appropriate risk management strategies, such as
insurance coverage or financial planning, can leave the farm vulnerable to unforeseen events that
can result in significant losses.
Ushawai fanya risk assessment ya farm yako?
By identifying and addressing these key avenues of losses, dairy farmers can work to improve
efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the overall profitability of their operations.
Jiulize, tukifika heaven na ngombe wako ndio judge, utaenda heaven ama hell?

Feeding dairy cows remains one of the most confusing things for many dairy farmers. Kuna wale
wa “what do I feed and those ones wa I give my cow the ‘best’ feeds but there still are no
changes.”
Today we want to talk about the second group but specifically address a specific issue that is in
multiple dairy farms: Trough sorting. In this case troughs are always full but the cows are ever
hungry, do not meet their nutritional requirements but since “wamekula na wakabakisha” it’s
hard to understand why their production remains low.
Trough sorting is generally the natural behavior of cows to pick and choose what to feed on from
the trough. While it may seem like a generally harmless issue, If it goes unchecked it leads to
imbalanced nutrition in turn causing health issues and decreased milk production.
Some of the reasons cows sort fodder are;
1. Chopping size. There’s an ideal chopping size for fodder that makes it easy for cows to eat.
Failure to follow the guidelines will make your cows sort through the fodder picking out the
larger or smaller pieces that are convenient. In this picking and choosing it ends up missing out
on basic nutrients from the fodder it refuses to eat. This is actually very common in farms that
use panga’s to chop their fodder but even then you can ensure right sizes by understanding the
concept and trying to effectively estimate. Filling your trough with cut fodder in different sizes ie
others longer will eventually lead to sorting and alot of wastage as they leave behind the badly
chopped fodder.
2. Feed Quality. Cows will hardly ever sort through fodder they enjoy eating. Ensure you provide
high quality feeds that are palatable and nutritious. Watu wa dry maize stovers we have fought
before and this is part of the reason why.
3. Trough management; You need to monitor your troughs regularly to ensure they have access
to clean and quality fodder all through. You also need to clean your troughs regularly as some
farmers just keep adding fresh fodder on top of what’s already rejected and in some cases we
have seen even maggots and other unsanitary conditions in the troughs. The smell alone puts off
the cow and it will try sort through to find something good. You also need to ensure that there is
no overcrowding and each cows gets space and time to feed well. With over crowded farms, the
aggressive cows will eat first and sort through which means the other cows get an essentially
different diet affecting both their nutritional intake.
4. Educate your staff on the importance of understanding sorting so they can know what to look
for and its effects. There needs to be a system of analysis so you can know if there is a problem
with your fodder choice and correct it early enough.
Generally cows are smart and won’t eat what they do not like, what’s not nutritious and what is
difficult for them. In this case you may think you are providing what it requires but never get to
meet the nutritional demands which in turn will show with health issues, fertility problems and
the bottom line which is in production. If you have an issue with this three things in the farm,
first point you need to ask questions is in the trough. The idea is not just to have “a lot” of fodder
and that’s why so many of you still don’t understand why you have fodder but production is still
low.
Take time today to visit your trough and watch your cows eat. Clean the trough then deliver fresh
fodder and watch their behavior. What to expect is after you fill the troughs, cows will normally
eat from the top of the feed pile going down. The cows head often stays in one spot or moves
slightly. There is low spilling from the mouth and consumption is rapid. If this isn’t the behavior
chances are there is a problem with what you’re offering them.

Did you know that heifer-rearing costs are the second highest expense in a dairy farm, after
feeds?
Every farmer should objectives of raising a heifer:
1. Attain daily weight gain of 0.5kgs - 0.7kgs for medium sized breeds and 0.8kgs -0.9kgs for
large breeds.
2. Cost-effective rearing costs, not exceeding ksh 200/day.
3. Controlled BCS of 3.
4. Weight at breeding.
5. Wither height at calving.
Heifer growth is a report card on heifer rearing enterprise.
Achieving 70 to 80 KG of peak milk production can be challenging for many dairy farms, but
there are no secrets to success! I recently visited a well-designed transition pen in Nova Scotia,
where I observed several best practices that help fresh cows reach their genetic potential. These
include:
1. Adequate space: Feed bunks that provide enough room for all transition cows to eat
simultaneously.
2. Fresh air: Strategically placed fans and effective soaking and evaporative cooling systems,
which improve feed intake and lead to better outcomes for calves throughout their productive
life.
3. Cleanliness: Maintaining a clean eating area, water stations, alleyway, and bedding, which
helps reduce pathogen exposure and inflammation.
By implementing these strategies, dairy farms can create an optimal environment for their cows
to thrive."