Learn how Nyandarua dairy farmer Anthony Kiarie cut feed costs by 60% using climate-resilient forages like Lucerne, PAN 691 maize, and vetch, while boosting milk production and promoting sustainable farming.

Dairy Farming in Kenya: Lessons from Nyandarua on How Climate-Resilient Forages Can Cut Dairy Feed Costs by 60%

For the last seven years, dairy farmers in Kenya and the East African region have been grappling with the high cost of animal feeds, and Anthony Kiarie Muigai has not been spared.

The Nyandarua County-based farmer says that in the 19 years he has been in dairy farming, he has never experienced difficulties as intense as those of recent years.

The rising cost of animal feeds—largely driven by high taxes and levies imposed on raw materials- is further compounded by climate shocks, with rains, especially in arid and semi-arid land (ASAL) regions, becoming erratic and paving the way for drought.

As livestock farmers continue to contend with escalating feed prices, Mr Kiarie has turned to climate-resilient forages to cushion himself from the economic strain.

“Even with the challenges facing the livestock sector, through the use of climate-adapted forages, especially those rich in protein and energy, I have been able to significantly reduce production expenses,” he explains.

Prices of dairy meal and concentrates are very high, with some feed manufacturers in the country being forced to scale down operations.

Nyandarua County, predominantly known for dairy and potato farming, experiences cold weather patterns, heavy rainfall, and occasional droughts.

On his four-acre farm, supplemented by an additional 10 acres under lease, Mr Kiarie grows Lucerne, maize, super napier grass, vetch fodder, and sweet potato vines.

He cultivates maize for silage on 10 acres, while the super Napier Pakchong grass occupies a two-acre piece of land.

Rich in energy, the maize variety he uses is PAN 691, an improved, drought-resilient, and high-yielding hybrid.

The variety, suitable for both grain and forage, can mature in as little as 90 to 100 days under ideal conditions and with proper management. According to Kiarie, the crop has helped him stay afloat in the dairy industry.

“Lucerne occupies half an acre, while sweet potato vines and vetch fodder are alternated with other crops,” he explains.

Currently, Kiarie keeps 12 cows,  with eight of them currently producing milk. His farm operates on a zero-waste model. He uses cow dung to generate cooking gas and has installed a biodigester for this purpose.

After gas production, the slurry is directed to his farm as manure. Several ditches and furrows have been dug to deliver the slurry to various sections of the land.

“It not only acts as manure but also as ground cover to suppress weed growth,” he told Climate Action during a visit to his farm in Pasenga village, Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County.

The decision to switch to climate-resilient forages, Kiarie says, was informed by the research he conducted to find alternative ways to lower production costs.

“ For a farmer who wants to remain afloat in the milk business, there must be alternative ways to cut down production expenses,” he explains.

Among the platforms he turned to for solutions was the Nourishing Prosperity Alliance (NPA) Forage Project, which supports smallholder farmers in lowering production costs.

The project operates in seven counties across Kenya, namely, Meru, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Nakuru, Kericho, Baringo, and Uasin Gishu.

With a key focus on scaling up outreach through cooperative societies, the initiative aims to establish a foundation for commercially viable forage markets that will impact the entire dairy sector and transform rural livestock systems.

“We promote the cultivation of Lucerne, maize varieties such as PAN 691 and PAN 9M-91, forage sorghum, and pearl millet. These are rich in protein, energy and are climate-resilient crops,” said Ms Chemtai in an interview.

“We are looking at smart, improved-quality forages. We also advise farmers to conduct laboratory nutrient testing to help formulate balanced rations for optimum milk production. Introducing climate-resilient forage makes dairy production more effective.”

She emphasises that the project is keen on regenerative agriculture technologies, including the use of cover crops like sweet potatoes, mulching, minimum tillage, and water harvesting techniques. These sustainable farming methods are designed to help dairy farmers maintain year-round fodder production.

On his farm, Mr Kiarie has dug a pan and installed a water reservoir tank, enabling him to irrigate his climate-resilient pastures during drought seasons.

Now, five years since embracing what he calls viable, diverse, and nutrient-rich climate-adaptable forages, he reports having reduced his feed costs by about 60 per cent.

“Initially, I was using a lot of dairy meal—about 10 to 12 kilogrammes per cow per day. However, with the fodder I grow, the expenses have significantly dropped,” he notes.

He has invested in feed formulation machinery, including a tractor-operated chopper, chaff cutter, and tractor, equipment and machines that cost him approximately Sh5 million.

Kiarie has also witnessed a notable improvement in milk production. On average, each of his cows produces 25 litres of milk per day, with the lowest-producing cow yielding 14 litres and the highest 32 litres.

He attributes this growth to his bold decision to explore alternative feed sources.

“A litre is bought at Sh48 by Brookside Dairy, and I supply the processor with between 200 and 300 litres of milk daily,” says the farmer, who holds a Diploma in Electrical Engineering.

Kiarie urges farmers to consider adopting alternative feed sources to reduce production costs and preserve the environment.

By Sammy Waweru

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