James Ndung’u: Invest in Your Breed If You Want to Reap Big from Dairy Farming

James Ndung’u, a dairy farmer and the founder of Pokea  Dairy Farm in Njoro Nakuru County, now says the secret to reaping big in dairy farming is by rearing the right breed.

Ndung’u is not only a breeder but also a leading milk producer in the region. His 17-acre farm hosts 60 black and white Holstein Friesian cows, out of which 30 are pedigree.

He gets an average of 400 litres per day from his 10 lactating cows. Each cow produces 40 litres per day, but there is one that produces up to 55 litres.

”This is the magic cow. It gives me the most. I have never treated it against any disease apart from now when I am closely monitoring mastitis as it is getting old… If you want to reap big in dairy farming, invest in your breeds because what you put in is what you get,’’ he said.

Ndung’u adds that the use of high-quality semen is key as you are assured of a top breed with minimal disease concerns. He recounts buying semen from the US at Sh7,000 instead of cheap local semen of Sh500, a move he says was fruitful.

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“I import Friesian Holstein sexed semen from Germany to serve my cows, which guarantees me the calves born are all female,” says Ndung’u.

He feeds his animals on Napier grass, Rhodes grass, Lucerne, and sorghum silage, which is nutritious and rich in energy and protein. The animals are fed thrice a day at 9 am, 1 pm, and 5 pm.

“I mix a tonne of silage with 20kg of dried pyrethrum to curb aflatoxin. You have to feed a cow according to its weight. We feed a cow that weighs 650kg with 30kg silage and 20kg roughage twice a day. If a dairy farmer strictly adheres to such a feeding program, which includes concentrates, the animals will remain healthy and produce more milk.” He said.

Unlike many farmers, he does not bury his silage in the ground. He harvests his fodder at dough stage and covers it in a canvas, and then puts soil on top, avoiding excess moisture.

Besides milk, which he supplies to Brookside and Njoro Farmers Cooperative Society, the farmer also sells heifers and semen to other farmers.

Heifers go for between Sh150,000 and Sh250,000, while pedigree cows go for between Sh300,000 and Sh600,000. He also sells semen to farmers at between Sh500 and Sh9,600 and charges between Sh300 and Sh500 to train farmers.