Charles Kalili, a farmer from Mwingi, Kitui county, has seen a potential for big money in livestock farming after a persistent drought in the region, which made crop farming undoable.
The farmer, who currently owns 63 goats, and 52 sheep, expects to earn more than Sh977,500 from the sale of his sheep and goats at the end of the year.
Kalili stepped into the venture in 2017 after successfully acquiring the animals from the International Livestock Research Institute at a cost of Sh200,000.
The journey was, however, challenging, particularly due to the scarcity of water, which prompted him to invest in a water pan.
The farmer procured raw materials at a cost of Sh100,084 to construct the water pan, which measures three meters deep, 25 feet wide, and 50 feet long.
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“Initially, I used to take my animals to quench their thirst two kilometers away from my home at a neighbor’s homestead. This was tiresome and time-consuming but with the water pan, I can harvest 500,000 liters in a rainy season, enough to last for half a year,” said Kalili.
With assurance of having water all year round increased his livestock herd from 20 to 63 goats and sheep from 20 to 52. His ewes are a cross-breed of doper and red Maasai sheep that gave birth to 19 lambs in May 2017.
Dorper and the red Maasai sheep are known for their superior characteristics, which include resistance to drought and some diseases.
The farmer targets the Christmas season to sell his animals. He expects to sell a mature ewe at a cost of Sh7,000 to Sh8,000, a mature ram at Sh9,000 to Sh13,000, and a nanny at Sh4,000 to Sh5,000.
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