Dovec Farms

18/04/2025

Exciting Opportunity!!!
Expression of Interest – Co-Investing with Agri-SMEs in Poultry and Red Meat Value Chains

Heifer International Kenya, under the Kenya Livestock Marketing and Resilience Project (KLMP), funded by The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), invites legally registered small and medium agri-enterprises to express interest in co-investing on inputs supply and off-taking of poultry and red meat products. This initiative aims to strengthen enterprise support and improve market systems to enhance the livelihoods of over 38,000 smallholder farmers across nine counties in Kenya.

Interested enterprises must complete the Concept Note Questionnaire available online below.https://media.heifer.org/About_Us/inside-heifer/Procurement/HPI-CO_INVESTING_CONCEPT_NOTE_QUESTIONNAIRE.pdf

https://media.heifer.org/About_Us/inside-heifer/Procurement/HPI-_EOI_-_KLMP_CO_INVESTING_WITH_AGRI_ENTERPRENEURS.pdf Completed EOIs must be submitted electronically to [email protected] by 5th May 2025, with the subject line: “KLMP CO-INVESTING WITH AGRI-SME’S”.

For inquiries, reach out via the same email by April 22, 2025.
Don't miss this chance to collaborate a sustainable and impactful livestock value chain!

10/04/2025

10/04/2025

Super aryshire on sale

25/01/2025

30/12/2024

INCREASED MILK PRODUCTION

Increasing milk production in dairy cows involves a combination of proper nutrition, genetics, herd management, and animal welfare. Here are the key strategies:

1. Nutrition

Balanced Diet: Provide a ration with adequate energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Forage should make up the majority of the diet, supplemented with concentrates as needed.

High-Quality Forage: Use high-quality silage, hay, or green fodder. Consider growing nutrient-rich fodder crops like Napier grass, lucerne, or maize silage.

Feed Additives: Use additives like rumen buffers, yeast cultures, and fats to enhance digestion and energy supply.

Water Access: Ensure cows have unlimited access to clean, fresh water as milk is 87% water.

2. Herd Management

Regular Health Checks: Monitor for diseases such as mastitis, lameness, and reproductive disorders.

Heat Stress Management: Provide shade, fans, or sprinklers to keep cows cool during hot weather.

Hygiene: Maintain a clean environment to reduce the risk of infections.

3. Genetics and Breeding

Breed Selection: Choose breeds or crossbreeds that are high milk producers and suited to your climate (e.g., Friesians or Ayrshires in Kenya).

Artificial Insemination (AI): Use semen from bulls with proven genetic traits for milk production and fertility.

4. Milking Practices

Consistent Milking Schedule: Milk at the same time every day to reduce stress.

Proper Milking Technique: Use clean, sanitized equipment and ensure complete milking to avoid mastitis and maintain production.

5. Animal Welfare

Comfortable Housing: Provide comfortable bedding, adequate space, and good ventilation.

Stress Reduction: Avoid overcrowding and handle cows gently to minimize stress.

6. Record Keeping
Keep detailed records of milk yields, feed intake, breeding, and health. Analyze the data to identify areas for improvement.

By combining these practices, you can sustainably increase milk production while ensuring the healthcare.

29/12/2024

Read this before starting a dairy farm

Starting a dairy farm especially in Kenya is no easy task. A new dairy farm needs a lot of planning and capital! Planning, however, is the big word here! You cannot wake up one morning, check your bank account, buy stuff and start a dairy farm. Starting a dairy farm needs more than money…it needs planning and clear goals of where you are going and what you need to achieve. If you add a bit of passion to the mix and you are destined for success.

We are going to focus on two important factors which are the main determinants to milk production; Breed selection and Feeding. Other honourable productivity mentions include; Health, reproduction and housing. If you get these steps right, then you are on the right track to success.
Look for a good breed

You are starting a dairy farm to get milk and make money right? Yes! Knowing the right breed to buy is a priority because it will determine how much milk you get daily (This is assuming you will manage your farm well – and in manage, I mean feeding your cows right and making sure they don’t get sick).

These are some of the main breeds found in Kenya;

Fresian: The Fresian has a milk yield between 25–30 litres per day.
Jersey: The Jersey breed has a milk yield between 15–20 litres per day.
Ayrshire: The Ayrshire has a milk yield of 20 litres per day.
Guernsey: The Guernsey cow can give you up to 25 litres per day.
Fleckvieh: The Fleckvieh breed is a multi-purpose, meaning it can be used for milk and meat. It produces between 18-20 litres per day.

Follow the right breeding programs to ensure your cow gives birth every year. It’s a huge blessing when your cow gives birth every year. It’s a big deal. It ensures you have a constant flow of milk and new cows to replace the old ones.

Always use artificial insemination (AI) to breed your dairy cows. AI gives you imported, superior, disease-free bull semen that will improve your herd.

It is cheaper to buy local breeds and use AI to perfect them over the years. It is time-consuming but it will save you a lot of money as a beginner farmer.

Feeding

Cows are simple creatures. Give them food and they will give you milk. Give them enough good and nutritious food and they will give you a lot of milk. Food and water should readily be available to your dairy cows.

29/12/2024

How much feed does a cow need to produce 1 litre of milk?

On average it takes 1.25 to 1.44 kg of feed to produce 1 L of milk or 0.63 to 0.72 kg of dry matter, which is the nutrient content of the feed with all the water removed.

Dairy farmers feed their cows to aim to produce 1.4 to 1.6 L of milk per kg of dry matter intake. In early lactation ( less than 100 days in milk), cows will produce an average of 40 L of milk per day and eat 50 kg of feed per day, which averages 50% water and 50% dry matter.

So, early lactation cows need 1.25 kg of feed per L of milk, which results in 1.6 L of milk per kg of dry matter intake. In late lactation (over 200 days milking), cows will only produce an average of 25 L of milk and eat 36 kg of feed per day. So, late lactation cows need 1.44 kg of feed per L of milk, which results in 1.4 L of milk per kg of dry matter intake.

In general, dairy cows are fed a total mixed ration, which should contain all the nutrients a cow needs in every bite. A total mixed ration will contain roughly 50 to 60% forage (hay and silage) and 40 to 50% concentrates (grain, protein meal, fat, vitamin/mineral) and each kg of dry matter should break down to 70% carbohydrate, 18% protein, 6% fat and 6% vitamins and minerals.

29/12/2024

How to make your poultry feeds from day old chicks
1.
Starter Feed (0-8 weeks)
- Maize: 50 kg
- Soya Meal: 17.5 kg
- Fish Meal: 12 kg
- Maize Bran: 10 kg
- Sunflower Cake: 4.5 kg
- Limestone: 4 kg
- Bone Meal: 1.5 kg
- Salt: 300 grams
- Premix: 200 grams
- Toxin Binder: 100 grams

This feed provides the necessary high protein (18-20%) for the rapid growth and development of the chicks.

2.
Grower Feed (9-20 weeks)
- Maize: 60 kg
- Soya Meal: 14 kg
- Fish Meal: 10 kg
- Maize Bran: 7 kg
- Sunflower Cake: 5 kg
- Limestone: 2.5 kg
- Bone Meal: 1.2 kg
- Salt: 200 grams
- Premix: 100 grams
- Toxin Binder: 50 grams

This formulation lowers the protein content to around 16-18%, which is ideal for the continued growth and preparation of the birds for laying.

3.
Layer Feed (20+ weeks)
- Maize: 55 kg
- Soya Meal: 13 kg
- Fish Meal: 8 kg
- Maize Bran: 12 kg
- Sunflower Cake: 6 kg
- Limestone: 5 kg
- Bone Meal: 2 kg
- Salt: 300 grams
- Premix: 150 grams
- Toxin Binder: 100 grams

This feed supports egg production with around 16% protein and the necessary calcium for strong eggshells.