Smart Dairy Farming In Kenya | Best Technology For Your Farm

Get started with smart dairy farming in Kenya today by embracing best dairy farming technologies for your ultimate business success.

Smart dairy farming system has introduces new farming techniques in the dairy sector. The aim of the application of the latest technology is to improve the farming system in Kenya to acquire high milk production among farmers.

Although large-scale farming has vastly embraced the farming system, small-scale -scale farmers being encouraged to invest in smart farming to help curb challenges related to low productivity and delayed maturity.

Best Smart Dairy Farming Technologies In Kenya

The smart farm uses improvised devices to scan the general health of animals, troubleshooting any unhealthy behavior and food deficiencies. Dairy animals rely on a balanced well-balanced diet for good productivity.

The smart farm helps a farmer to come up with healthy feeding practices by hunger detection and providing the exact quantity of food they are to give with specific nutrient contents.

Popular smart dairy farming technologies in Kenya include but not limited to:

1. Smart Cow Collar

A smart cow collar is basically a tag placed on a cow and has the capability of predicting the reproduction cycle of a cow. The devices sends you signals in real time to your phone or laptop via MyFugo platform on the exact time your cow would be on heat.

As a result, the device can greatly enhance your animals reproduction capabilities since it wont just be based on luck but scientific facts that your cow needs a mate or insemination. The information from smart cow collar is accurate and increased chances of fertility.

The cost of smart cow collar is about Ksh. 15,000.

2. Artificial Insemination

Once the cow is on heat which is the best time for optimum fertility, a frozen male reproductive fluid can be inserted inside the cows uterus.

3. EASYMA 6.0 Software

In collaboration with the USAID, EASYMA 6.0 software was invented in 2014. The software offers a platform for accurate recording your products during delivery with an instant receipt received.

As a result, the automatic record keeping makes you as the farmer get your dues as expected. The system eliminated issues of lost in records especially for large scale farmers that can negatively affect your business.

4. SmartDairy Software

The software is effective in dairy management. SmartDairy software has the capability of keeping track of all cows records including breeding, milk production, cow sales, feed, stock control, health, and daily milk sale among others.

5. GMO Feeds

Genetically modified feeds contain the needed nutrients your cow requires for optimum growth and productivity

6. Milking Machines

It is worth investing in automated milking machines for faster milking especially when doing large scale dairy farming. The technique will also save you on labor cost since you will need less staff to manage the machines.

Smart Dairy Farming Practices

Smart farm farmers need to identify the kinds of feeds that are given to the dairy cows. New technology equipment develops an accurate feeding program that contains a balanced diet per day for quality milk production.

A well-balanced diet promotes animal health, strengthening their immune system hence a high disease resistance rate. Some of the healthy dairies feeds you can use during smart dairy farming include:

Napier grass

The feed is a local type of fodder that is grown in the Africa grasslands. The plant increases milk production in dairy animals and is highly embraced by small-scale farmers.

The Napier grass contains a high nutrient content when it is about 1 meter above the ground and dark green. A grown-up cow of about 400kg and above can feed on about 5kgs of Napier per day.

Disodium

The plant is a forage legume that is large used to feed dairy cows. The plant can be in two types; the green leaf disodium and the silver leaf disodium. The plant is rich in proteins and is primarily used in small-scale farming to increase milk production.

Dairy Meals

The feeds are a type of food that concentrates processed to increase milk production. The meals can be bought or locally made by the farmers from home. A mature cow can use p to 4kgs of dairy meals per day.

Maclik Super

The feed is a nutritious salt containing all the nourishing minerals responsible for increased milk production. The salt can be in the form of powder or stone-like. The dairy cows can lick up to 120grams grams per day.

Lucerne

The feed is a type of roughage highly reach in fibre and other minerals essential in dairy milk production. Famers who plant lucerne among other crops cut costs on purchasing nitrogenous fertilizers since the plant naturally fifes nitrogen into the soil. A mature dairy cow can feed on not less than 3kg of lucerne.

Hay

The feed is a type of roughage given to dairy animals. Hay can be legumes, grass, and other plants fed to domestic animals that are cut and dried, and stored for future use. The feeds are rich in fibre and are used mainly by large-scale farmers to increase yield.

Silage

The feed is a kind of roughage used by the farmers to feed the cows during off-season feeding. Silage can be made from local plant residues by farmers and stored for future use.

The feeds are rich in fibre and other minerals and can be used to supplement the animals. Silage can be made chiefly after crop harvest and is also suitable for calves.

Water

Dairy animals consume a lot of water per day due to their nature of feeding. Water consumption the animals helps boost the general health of the animals, improves digestion, and primarily increases milk volumes.

Almost 85% of animal milk is water. A mature dairy cow consumes an average of not less than 110 liters to 200 liters per day from effective milk production.

Types Of Smart Dairy Farming In Kenya

Modern dairy farming

The farming is technology intensive. High investment is required. New inventions in dairy productions have transformed many farmers into investing in large-scale farming. The rising of state-of-the-art farms with fixtures and modern utilities has been seen from recent developments.

The country’s projections are estimated on higher levels in the dairy production sector. Modern dairy farming has grown the country’s economic status and development across the country.

Small Scale Dairy Farming In Kenya

The smart farm has increased small-scale farming productivity, improving the living standards of the farming system of both farmers and workers. Quality milk production has supplemented the nutritional needs of society, improving health standards.

Large Scale Dairy Farming In Kenya

The use of smart farm technology has helped the large-scale farming system cub the issue of milk deficiency to production industries. As a result, other industries have emerged in producing other milk products such as cheese, butter, fermented cheese, yogurt, among others.

Conclusion

Smart dairy farming in Kenya has helped the farming system rise to high ground. Modern dairy farming has greatly improved on tackling animal health and welfare issues, nutrition in feeding and watering, milking hygiene, among others. Large- and small-scale dairy farming has advanced environmental and social-economic growth.

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