Located about 100 meters off the Olkalou-Nyahururu highway is Stevenson’s Dairy Farm Nyahururu. This farm has over 130 cows, producing roughly 40 litres of milk daily. Plans are already in place to increase the herd to 170 cows before the year ends.
At the farm’s gate is a footbath that helps control diseases and prevent outbreaks among the animals. Stevenson’s farm structures are beautifully designed. The cows’ shed is well partitioned with separate areas and clean stalls to ensure the animals’ comfort.
One of these areas is the calf pen, where newborn heifers are placed. This is Stage One. The calves are fed milk for the first four months, and their daily consumption is tracked using a chart. After four months, the calves are gradually weaned off milk and transitioned to fodder.
“We don’t go direct to feeding silage. We usually give them a week or two so that the milk can clear from their system. If you feed them milk and silage, you can give the cow lactic acidosis,” said the farm manager on a recent farm tour.
After weaning, the young cows are moved to a different section of the farm to gain weight. This is the second stage and houses cows between 5 and 15 months old.
Once they complete this stage, they are transferred to another section for special feeding as they prepare for serving, which occurs after they reach 1 year and 2 months. The farm also has separate sections for pregnant cows and non-pregnant cows.
There is another section where dairy cows are divided into two groups: high and low producers. Some cows produce up to 30 litres of milk daily, while others produce as little as 10 litres.
The feeding ratio for the cows corresponds to their milk production rate. Stevenson’s Dairy milks the cows thrice a day; from 12 am to 2 am, 9 am to 11 am, and 4 pm to 6 pm.
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“We usually say that a cow should feed 3% dry matter of its body weight to support milk production. The bigger the cow, the more the feed,” explained the farm manager.
“You must also control feeding since you are in business. Do not underfeed and do not overfeed.”
Stevenson’s Dairy keeps four breeds of cows on the farm. They include Pure Friesians, Holstein Friesians, Red Friesians, and Ayrshires.
Another section of the farm displays the machinery used in running farm operations. There is also a feed store where the feeds are formulated according to the stage of each animal.
“Dairy farming is very enjoyable and interesting to people who are dedicated and people who are committed. Without these, you cannot do it,” the farm manager advised as his parting shot.
The farm invites members of the public and institutions interested in learning more about dairy farming to book an appointment and schedule a visit. They also offer attachments to learners who are in agribusiness-related fields.
