The status and role of ruminant livestock in Kenya
Dairy Cattle
Dairy production takes place all over the world but with different levels of development. In some
countries dairy production is a highly developed and sophisticated industry while in others such
as developing countries it is very rudimentary. Compared to Tanzania and Uganda, Kenya is
considered to have a relatively well developed dairy industry. This started in the time of colonial
settlers. Kenya is self-sufficient in dairy products with occasional imports during severe drought
(milk powder for reconstitution). In Kenya milk comes from cattle (84.4%), camels (11.5%) and
goats (4.1%). Most of the milk (90% of milk production) comes from improved dairy cattle that
include pure breeds (exotic –Friesian, Ayrshire, -Guernsey and jersey) and crosses (exotic and
Grade cattle. Most of the dairy cattle are found in the highland districts of Central, Rift valley
and Eastern provinces. National milk production is about 2.0 billion litres produced as follows:
Small scale producers 60%
Large scale produces 30%
Pastoralists 10%
National average production is estimated at 1200-1500 kg/cow/lactation, with most grade cows
ranging between 1,900 - 2100 kg/yr. The dairy industry in Kenya is now liberalized since 1992
and there has been an entry into the market by many small scale and medium size milk
processors as well as a few large scale processors. Hopefully, this will reward producers with
better prices and hence higher production in the medium and long term.
Constraints to improved Dairy Industry in Kenya
1. Prevalence of breeds with very low milk production potential
2. Diseases - high incidence of diseases some of which are endemic.
3. Presence of Insect pests such as ticks, tsetse flies etc
4. Harsh climatic conditions
5. Hot climate, intense solar radiation
6. Seasonal rainfall fluctuates. 80% of E. Africa is classified as ASAL
7. Little application of technical knowledge and skills in dairy production.
Development of an organized dairy industry in east African region will require the following:
1. Improvement in quality of livestock. Good dairy cattle with better genetic potential can be
obtained through selection and crossbreeding. A.I will play a crucial role in this area.
2. Proper disease control programmes; including creation of disease free zones and stringent
veterinary sector control.
3. Provision of adequate high quality fodder and supplementary feeds.
4. Efficient animal management including proper housing
5. Availability of qualified manpower in animal nutrition, breeding and dairy technologists.
6. Well organized marketing infrastructure- efficient dairy co-operatives, private firms.
7. Improved infrastructure and in particular roads since milk is a highly perishable commodity
and has to reach processing centres on time.
8. Incentives by Government particularly subsidy of prices of inputs
,9. Improved land tenure system; Land consolidation to enhance economics of scale as well as
free hold title of lease rather than Government ownership to ensure guarantee of ownership of
facilitates and at the same time offer stability of investments.
Beef Cattle
Beef farming in Kenya is a type of livestock keeping which involves rearing of cattle for
production of meat. With about 80% of Kenya’s landmass being arid and semi-arid, beef
farming is a viable way of using land, which would have otherwise been left to lie fallow. 90%
of beef cattle in Kenya are in the hands of subsistence farmers and pastoralists. Today, cattle
population exceeds 10 million head with the largest number in the Rift Valley, Nyanza and
Eastern Provinces. It is estimated that over 6 million head of cattle go to slaughter houses every
year and provide beef for local and export market. The major slaughter-houses are located in the
urban areas like Dagoretti in Nairobi, Miritini in Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret. The
national meat processing factory is located at Athi River township near Nairobi. Canning and
freezing plants are located at Nairobi, Thika and Nakuru.
The distribution of beef cattle in Kenya is controlled by the rainfall pattern. Most animals are
kept in ranches in the former Rift Valley Province like in Laikipia, Nakuru, Trans Nzoia and
Kajiado counties. Large ranches are also found in parts of Kilifi and Kwale counties in the Coast.
Small scale beef farming is carried out in almost all parts of Kenya. The small scale farmers sell
their traditional breeds to the nearest open air markets to traders, who in turn sell them to the
butchers. The butchers slaughter them at their respective abattoirs and in turn sell their beef at
their respective butcheries to customers within the locality. Before the meat is sold, it must be
inspected by a Veterinary Extension Officer, who declares it either fit or unfit for human
consumption. The canned and frozen beef is mainly exported to some African and other overseas
countries. The marketing of beef and related products is dominated by Kenya Meat Commission.
Significance of Beef Farming in Kenya
Beef farming has benefited the Kenyan economy in several ways. These include:
1. Provision of beef for local consumption – The industry has produced beef which is consumed
locally. This has saved the country the foreign exchange that could have been used in beef
importation. This has also served as a cheap source of protein.
2. Foreign exchange – Through the exportation of beef products and livestock, the country has
earned foreign exchange.
3. Employment – Beef farming is a source of employment to many people e.g., in the beef farms
and processing plants.
4. High standard of living – Through sale of livestock the farmers are able to earn some income
thus improving their standards of living.
Challenges of Beef Farming in Kenya
A number of problems limit farming in Kenya. These are:
1. High temperatures – In most parts of the country temperatures are high. This makes it hard
to rear cattle of high quality.
2. Unreliable rainfall – In most parts of the country rainfall is unreliable leading to inadequate
pasture in some times of the year. This affects the general growth and weight of the livestock.
3. Poor soils – The hard ancient rock that underlie Kenya produce poor soils prone to erosion.
Natural grass is poor and not good for quality animals.
,4. Overstocking – The pastoral tribes care for quantity rather than quality. As a result large
herds of poor animals are steadily ruining pastureland.
5. Pest and diseases – Some regions of the country are infested by the tsetse fly whose control
has been difficult. The environment also encourages the spread of diseases e.g. Nagana,
Rinderpest, Foot and Mouth and East Coast Fever. Controlling the diseases is quite difficult
since these diseases are constantly spread by wandering herds of wild animals.
6. Competition from other land use activities – Wildlife poses a significant land use challenge
in the utilization of rangeland pastures e.g., the conflicts between the Maasai pastoralists and
the National Parks.
7. Poor quality animals – The animals kept are of poor quality due to the poor pastures. These
fetch low prices.
8. Inadequate capital – There is insufficient capital for the development of the beef industry.
There are inadequate funds for the establishment of additional processing and storage
facilities.
Sheep and Goats
Distribution trends by ecological zones indicate that the arid areas take a substantial share of
the African small ruminants, accounting for 36% of the sheep and 39% of the goat populations.
In Kenya, small ruminants (mainly the indigenous animals) are predominantly kept under
pastoral production systems in the ASALs. These areas account for 80% of the country’s
landmass and have traditionally been characterised by low human populations.
Kenyan farmers keep small ruminants for both tangible (i.e., cash income from animal, milk
and meat sales and for home consumption) and intangible benefits (e.g. savings, an insurance
against emergencies, cultural and ceremonial purposes) (Kosgey, et al., 2006).
Currently, however, these areas are experiencing increasing human populations, recurrent
droughts, tribal conflicts, dramatic urbanisation, and monetarization of economies and income
change that endanger the survival of pastoral systems.
Goat Farming
Commercial dairy and meat goat farming in Kenya are growing fast and contributing much to the
national income, economic growth and better human nutrition source. In the past few years, goat
farming has become very popular with small scale farmers in urban and densely populated areas
of Kenya. Goat farming in Kenya has many benefits. These include;
Require little capital and investment.
Relatively easier care and management compared to cattle.
Need less labour.
Climate or weather is very suitable for goat farming in Kenya.
Good return of invest ratio.
Goat’s products like meat and milk has a great demand in the international and local market
of Kenya.
Helps meet the nutritional demand of families.
Great income source for the women and youth.
Sheep farming
, Sheep rearing in Kenya has come a long way and recently it has seen an increase by farmers
showing a lot of interest to practice it as a source of income. Today rearing sheep is a source of
income. Sheep are mainly reared for production of mutton for the food industry and wool for the
wool industry. Milk sheep breeds are rare in Kenya. The benefits of rearing sheep include;
Less capital intensive - You are required only to have a housing shed and a good source of
forages to start rearing sheep in your home yard.
High market demand – There is a big market for sheep produce thus a farmer has no need to
worry about market. There is an increased meat consumption in Kenya due to life style
changes.
Disease resistant - Sheep are not highly susceptible to many diseases that attack livestock
makes it even economical.
Low feed consumption - Sheep are not heavy feeders compared to larger stock like cows.
Source of income – Sheep farming offers employment opportunities for job seekers if
practiced as a business venture. The youth ought to take the advantage of this opportunity to
earn an income and also be able to create jobs of their own across the production value chain
Prejudice against Ruminants
Prejudices against some ruminant products occur in both developed and developing regions.
Their basis may be mystical, whimsical or trivial; yet to the people concerned the reasons for
certain actions may have well grounded rationale. The problem with many of these non-
biological or socio-economic constraints is partly one of benign neglect. Broadened and
enlightened viewpoints accepted by all agencies and persons involved would do much to bring
about understanding in attitudes and favorable changes in any socio-economic environment.
II GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN RUMINANTS
Several major changes occur as an animal passes from the zygote to its mature form and size.
Perhaps the most obvious change is in size and mass - these have been termed growth. In
addition to these, there are fundamental changes in shape and body composition which have been
termed differentiation. Because growth and differentiation are inseparable their combination is
called development.
Factors affecting growth and development
a) Genotype
The genetic make-up of an individual influences the rate of growth and development. Majority of
indigenous ruminant livestock breeds in Kenya though hardy and disease resistant have slower
growth rates compared to their exotic counterparts.
b) Sex
Dairy Cattle
Dairy production takes place all over the world but with different levels of development. In some
countries dairy production is a highly developed and sophisticated industry while in others such
as developing countries it is very rudimentary. Compared to Tanzania and Uganda, Kenya is
considered to have a relatively well developed dairy industry. This started in the time of colonial
settlers. Kenya is self-sufficient in dairy products with occasional imports during severe drought
(milk powder for reconstitution). In Kenya milk comes from cattle (84.4%), camels (11.5%) and
goats (4.1%). Most of the milk (90% of milk production) comes from improved dairy cattle that
include pure breeds (exotic –Friesian, Ayrshire, -Guernsey and jersey) and crosses (exotic and
Grade cattle. Most of the dairy cattle are found in the highland districts of Central, Rift valley
and Eastern provinces. National milk production is about 2.0 billion litres produced as follows:
Small scale producers 60%
Large scale produces 30%
Pastoralists 10%
National average production is estimated at 1200-1500 kg/cow/lactation, with most grade cows
ranging between 1,900 - 2100 kg/yr. The dairy industry in Kenya is now liberalized since 1992
and there has been an entry into the market by many small scale and medium size milk
processors as well as a few large scale processors. Hopefully, this will reward producers with
better prices and hence higher production in the medium and long term.
Constraints to improved Dairy Industry in Kenya
1. Prevalence of breeds with very low milk production potential
2. Diseases - high incidence of diseases some of which are endemic.
3. Presence of Insect pests such as ticks, tsetse flies etc
4. Harsh climatic conditions
5. Hot climate, intense solar radiation
6. Seasonal rainfall fluctuates. 80% of E. Africa is classified as ASAL
7. Little application of technical knowledge and skills in dairy production.
Development of an organized dairy industry in east African region will require the following:
1. Improvement in quality of livestock. Good dairy cattle with better genetic potential can be
obtained through selection and crossbreeding. A.I will play a crucial role in this area.
2. Proper disease control programmes; including creation of disease free zones and stringent
veterinary sector control.
3. Provision of adequate high quality fodder and supplementary feeds.
4. Efficient animal management including proper housing
5. Availability of qualified manpower in animal nutrition, breeding and dairy technologists.
6. Well organized marketing infrastructure- efficient dairy co-operatives, private firms.
7. Improved infrastructure and in particular roads since milk is a highly perishable commodity
and has to reach processing centres on time.
8. Incentives by Government particularly subsidy of prices of inputs
,9. Improved land tenure system; Land consolidation to enhance economics of scale as well as
free hold title of lease rather than Government ownership to ensure guarantee of ownership of
facilitates and at the same time offer stability of investments.
Beef Cattle
Beef farming in Kenya is a type of livestock keeping which involves rearing of cattle for
production of meat. With about 80% of Kenya’s landmass being arid and semi-arid, beef
farming is a viable way of using land, which would have otherwise been left to lie fallow. 90%
of beef cattle in Kenya are in the hands of subsistence farmers and pastoralists. Today, cattle
population exceeds 10 million head with the largest number in the Rift Valley, Nyanza and
Eastern Provinces. It is estimated that over 6 million head of cattle go to slaughter houses every
year and provide beef for local and export market. The major slaughter-houses are located in the
urban areas like Dagoretti in Nairobi, Miritini in Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret. The
national meat processing factory is located at Athi River township near Nairobi. Canning and
freezing plants are located at Nairobi, Thika and Nakuru.
The distribution of beef cattle in Kenya is controlled by the rainfall pattern. Most animals are
kept in ranches in the former Rift Valley Province like in Laikipia, Nakuru, Trans Nzoia and
Kajiado counties. Large ranches are also found in parts of Kilifi and Kwale counties in the Coast.
Small scale beef farming is carried out in almost all parts of Kenya. The small scale farmers sell
their traditional breeds to the nearest open air markets to traders, who in turn sell them to the
butchers. The butchers slaughter them at their respective abattoirs and in turn sell their beef at
their respective butcheries to customers within the locality. Before the meat is sold, it must be
inspected by a Veterinary Extension Officer, who declares it either fit or unfit for human
consumption. The canned and frozen beef is mainly exported to some African and other overseas
countries. The marketing of beef and related products is dominated by Kenya Meat Commission.
Significance of Beef Farming in Kenya
Beef farming has benefited the Kenyan economy in several ways. These include:
1. Provision of beef for local consumption – The industry has produced beef which is consumed
locally. This has saved the country the foreign exchange that could have been used in beef
importation. This has also served as a cheap source of protein.
2. Foreign exchange – Through the exportation of beef products and livestock, the country has
earned foreign exchange.
3. Employment – Beef farming is a source of employment to many people e.g., in the beef farms
and processing plants.
4. High standard of living – Through sale of livestock the farmers are able to earn some income
thus improving their standards of living.
Challenges of Beef Farming in Kenya
A number of problems limit farming in Kenya. These are:
1. High temperatures – In most parts of the country temperatures are high. This makes it hard
to rear cattle of high quality.
2. Unreliable rainfall – In most parts of the country rainfall is unreliable leading to inadequate
pasture in some times of the year. This affects the general growth and weight of the livestock.
3. Poor soils – The hard ancient rock that underlie Kenya produce poor soils prone to erosion.
Natural grass is poor and not good for quality animals.
,4. Overstocking – The pastoral tribes care for quantity rather than quality. As a result large
herds of poor animals are steadily ruining pastureland.
5. Pest and diseases – Some regions of the country are infested by the tsetse fly whose control
has been difficult. The environment also encourages the spread of diseases e.g. Nagana,
Rinderpest, Foot and Mouth and East Coast Fever. Controlling the diseases is quite difficult
since these diseases are constantly spread by wandering herds of wild animals.
6. Competition from other land use activities – Wildlife poses a significant land use challenge
in the utilization of rangeland pastures e.g., the conflicts between the Maasai pastoralists and
the National Parks.
7. Poor quality animals – The animals kept are of poor quality due to the poor pastures. These
fetch low prices.
8. Inadequate capital – There is insufficient capital for the development of the beef industry.
There are inadequate funds for the establishment of additional processing and storage
facilities.
Sheep and Goats
Distribution trends by ecological zones indicate that the arid areas take a substantial share of
the African small ruminants, accounting for 36% of the sheep and 39% of the goat populations.
In Kenya, small ruminants (mainly the indigenous animals) are predominantly kept under
pastoral production systems in the ASALs. These areas account for 80% of the country’s
landmass and have traditionally been characterised by low human populations.
Kenyan farmers keep small ruminants for both tangible (i.e., cash income from animal, milk
and meat sales and for home consumption) and intangible benefits (e.g. savings, an insurance
against emergencies, cultural and ceremonial purposes) (Kosgey, et al., 2006).
Currently, however, these areas are experiencing increasing human populations, recurrent
droughts, tribal conflicts, dramatic urbanisation, and monetarization of economies and income
change that endanger the survival of pastoral systems.
Goat Farming
Commercial dairy and meat goat farming in Kenya are growing fast and contributing much to the
national income, economic growth and better human nutrition source. In the past few years, goat
farming has become very popular with small scale farmers in urban and densely populated areas
of Kenya. Goat farming in Kenya has many benefits. These include;
Require little capital and investment.
Relatively easier care and management compared to cattle.
Need less labour.
Climate or weather is very suitable for goat farming in Kenya.
Good return of invest ratio.
Goat’s products like meat and milk has a great demand in the international and local market
of Kenya.
Helps meet the nutritional demand of families.
Great income source for the women and youth.
Sheep farming
, Sheep rearing in Kenya has come a long way and recently it has seen an increase by farmers
showing a lot of interest to practice it as a source of income. Today rearing sheep is a source of
income. Sheep are mainly reared for production of mutton for the food industry and wool for the
wool industry. Milk sheep breeds are rare in Kenya. The benefits of rearing sheep include;
Less capital intensive - You are required only to have a housing shed and a good source of
forages to start rearing sheep in your home yard.
High market demand – There is a big market for sheep produce thus a farmer has no need to
worry about market. There is an increased meat consumption in Kenya due to life style
changes.
Disease resistant - Sheep are not highly susceptible to many diseases that attack livestock
makes it even economical.
Low feed consumption - Sheep are not heavy feeders compared to larger stock like cows.
Source of income – Sheep farming offers employment opportunities for job seekers if
practiced as a business venture. The youth ought to take the advantage of this opportunity to
earn an income and also be able to create jobs of their own across the production value chain
Prejudice against Ruminants
Prejudices against some ruminant products occur in both developed and developing regions.
Their basis may be mystical, whimsical or trivial; yet to the people concerned the reasons for
certain actions may have well grounded rationale. The problem with many of these non-
biological or socio-economic constraints is partly one of benign neglect. Broadened and
enlightened viewpoints accepted by all agencies and persons involved would do much to bring
about understanding in attitudes and favorable changes in any socio-economic environment.
II GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN RUMINANTS
Several major changes occur as an animal passes from the zygote to its mature form and size.
Perhaps the most obvious change is in size and mass - these have been termed growth. In
addition to these, there are fundamental changes in shape and body composition which have been
termed differentiation. Because growth and differentiation are inseparable their combination is
called development.
Factors affecting growth and development
a) Genotype
The genetic make-up of an individual influences the rate of growth and development. Majority of
indigenous ruminant livestock breeds in Kenya though hardy and disease resistant have slower
growth rates compared to their exotic counterparts.
b) Sex
