Factors responsible for low milk production among smallholder dairy farmers in Buyobo sub county in Sironko district.

Abstract

Dairy farming remains the economic backbone of livestock farmers in high potential areas like Buyobo Sub County. However, in such areas, milk production has been quite low. This is an indication that there are constraints which results in low milk production. For potential milk yields to be realized, all production constraints and their individual effects on milk production must be identified. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors influencing milk production in Buyobo sub County through a qualitative analysis of milk production, and the performance of the dairy enterprises at the farm level. The specific objectives of the study were: 1. To identify the how marketing factors influence milk production in Buyobo small scale dairy farmers; 2. To establish how farmers’ awareness on dairy farming affects milk production in Buyobo sub county; 3. To identify how demographic characteristic of small- scale dairy farmers influence milk production in Buyobo sub county; 4. To establish how cattle breeds variability affects milk production in Buyobo sub county. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 60 small scale farms in Buyobo sub county of Sironko district and key informants were also interviewed. With the use of SPSS version 20, data from the survey was analyzed and presented using descriptive statistics. The results from the study showed that there are constraits that influence milk production in the area with farmers’ exotic breeds producing more than farmers with cross breeds of cows. Majority of farmers from Buyobo sub county sold their milk locally to shops and milk collection centres in the area. More than half of the farmers in Buyobo sub county do not receive training on dairy farming with the government and the private sector has provided most of the training for a small number of selected farmers in the sub county. Majority of farmers in Mauche had most of their cattle in the foundation of breeding. This study recommends that the government should: promote commercial dairy farming, and more so promote the stocking of quality dairy breeds through easily accessible financial arrangements; strive to help the farmers improve their breeds by registering them and offering semen through the government veterinary doctors and extension officers.