Nutritive value of forages and diets in some small-scale dairy farms in Kiambu County, Kenya in the short rains season

Sixteen selected small-scale dairy farms were investigated in Kiambu County (Kenya) during the short rains season to develop a snapshot of the types of rations fed, milk yields obtained and sources of fodder. On average farmers had 1 ha of land and 2.2 lactating cows yielding 8.93 kg milk/cow/d with feed intake of 10.5 kg DM/d. Only 35% of feed consumed was produced on farm. Boma Rhodes grass hay and green Napier grass were the main forage components (37.9 and 28.3% of total DM). Protein forages used were the herbaceous legumes lucerne and desmodium (19.9 and 15.9% CP, respectively) and leguminous shrubs (Leucaena, Calliandra and Sesbania with 21.1% CP and 43.4% aNDFom, on average). Grasses had higher aNDFom digestibility (47.1%) than legumes (39.7%). Napier grass, Boma Rhodes grass, lucerne and desmodium had fiber digestibility of 51.9, 48.6, 46.8 and 32.6%, respectively. The energy and protein balances (actual vs. requirements) of the cows were on average-19.3 and-16.4%, respectively, indicating that cows utilized body tissues to produce the levels of milk obtained. Mutiple correspondence analysis showed that a milk yield higher than 9.1 kg/d was associated with a level of Boma Rhodes grass 5 kg DM/d, concentration of non fibrous carbohydrates in the diet 22.0% (DM basis), concentrate level >2.63 kg/cow/d and CP% in the ration >9.1%. To improve milk yields during this season farmers should harvest grass forage at a younger age, include leguminous forage in the diets and increase the level of concentrates fed. These strategies should be demonstrated on farms to show possible benefits.