At the heart of Kipkabus in Ainabkoi, Uasin Gishu county, sits Oito’s farm, one of the attraction sites for farmers intending to venture into dairy and Dorper sheep farming.
The farm which has adopted modern farming style is owned by Stephen Kiprop Maiyo who retired early from military to venture into farming.
Narrating his journey, Kiprop revealed he started the farm in 2016, inspired by his late father, who was a passionate farmer.
He started dairy farming with 10 imported cows from the Netherlands at a cost of Sh3 million. Today, the farm is home to about 100 dairy cows.
To cut on production cost, Kiprop feeds his cows homemade feeds including Boma Rhodes, soy beans, and super Napier grass, which are grown on his farm. Each cow consumes 15 to 20 kilos of silage daily.
“They start with silage in the morning, then after lunch, around 1 pm, they take boma Rhodes as dry matter,” he explains.
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His milking section has machines capable of milking four cows at once. He milks 3 times a day, after every 8 hours, with high-yielders producing 35-40 litres each per day.
He sells his milk to companies including KCC and Brookside for Sh50 per litre. Besides milk, Kiprop also sells heifers for Sh200,000 each.
In 2021, he introduced Dorper sheep, inspired by their excellent meat quality and consistent market demand. He has invested in a good housing structure that supports easy feeding and movement.
His rams are imported from South Africa to ensure the production of a quality flock. He explains that South African rams are improved every year to ensure quality, unlike in Kenya, where inbreeding is common.
He feeds his sheep a balanced diet of Super Napier grass, wheat bran, and mineral salt. He notes that the animals do not like cold weather as they are susceptible to pneumonia.
Besides dairy and Dorper sheep, Kiprop has also invested in crop farming and grows various crops including maize, wheat and potatoes.
