Feeding practices, productivity and awareness in small-scale dairy cattle farmers in Nangakho town council Bududa district.

Abstract

The study was carried out in Nangakho Town council Bududa district to investigate the feeding practices, productivity and awareness in small-scale dairy cattle fanners in July 2017. It involved 80 dairy cattle farmers from me 5 wards and random sampling was used. The farmers were interviewed using a well-structured questionnaire. Excel software was used in data analysis. The findings revealed that the major feed resources are pasture grasses (55%) and crop residues (43.75%) supplemented with concentrates, legumes and salts. The main grazing system was zero- grazing being practiced by 93.75 of the farmers. The feeds were given in adlib 92.5% of the farmers did not practice feed preservation. The average milk yield per cow per day was 5-8 litres (5O%) followed by 5 1ittes (42.5%) and >8 litres (7.5%): A few farmers (40%) practiced feed formulation using the locally available resource and purchased ingredients while majority (60%) didn't. The major constraints to fodder production were less land (66:25%) lack of inputs (18.75%) Weather challenges (13.75%) and lack of labor (1.25%). There was a correlation between frequency of feeding(p=0.0210), supplementary (p=0:028) and type of feed(p=O.004) with milk yield. Therefore, farmers feeding practices i.e. quantity, quality and composition of feeds had an influence on milk yield. I therefore recommend further training of farmers on how to feed a dairy cow, feed preservation, supplementation and watering.