Research Results - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID
Research Results - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID
Research Results - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID
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Economic Analysis of Small Ruminant<br />
Production and Marketing Systems in Kenya<br />
Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development<br />
Hendrick C. Knipscheer<br />
Principal Investigator<br />
H. C. Knipscheer, Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development, Route 3,<br />
Morrilton, Arkansas, 72110<br />
Collaborating Scientists<br />
Enrique Ospina, Co-Investigator, Winrock International<br />
Fanny Nyaribo, Resident Scientist, Small Ruminant CRSP, P. O. Box 252, Maseno, Kenya<br />
William Ochiang, KARI<br />
Marris Shisia, KARI<br />
U.S. Institution<br />
Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development, Route 3, Morrilton, Arkansas, 72110<br />
Collaborating Institution<br />
Kenya Agricultural <strong>Research</strong> Institute (KARI), Kenya House, P. O. Box 57811, Nairobi, Kenya<br />
Summary<br />
An economic analysis of feeding practices<br />
in Kenya prior to weaning young goats<br />
indicated that sweet potato vines provided the<br />
best replacement for milk among all previously<br />
analyzed forage supplements. This finding is<br />
particularly useful because sweet potatoes are<br />
widely grown in western Kenya. No additional<br />
capital is required unless production of sweet<br />
potatoes is increased, in which case extra labor<br />
is needed which is readily available.<br />
Preliminary results with intercropping<br />
maize with food and forage crops in Kenya<br />
indicate that intercropping maize with sesbania<br />
is uneconomical compared to such intercrops as<br />
finger millet and pigeon pea. <strong>Results</strong> also<br />
indicated that rzarginal costs per kilogram of<br />
dry matter is lower for the phosphorous plus<br />
7W<br />
,t L' " '" "" ...- ", -" 7<br />
nitrogen co<strong>mb</strong>inations than for phosphorous<br />
alone. These results are preliminary since not<br />
all data has yet been analyzed.<br />
Linear program models representing<br />
smallholder farms in Kenya with dual purpose<br />
goats and supporting technologies revealed<br />
increased net farm income by 30 to 80 percent<br />
compared against all other farm enterprises.<br />
With improved management, the dual purpose<br />
goats were better than Zebu cattle as a co<strong>mb</strong>ined<br />
crops-livestock enterprise. Factors to<br />
consider in refining the dual purpose goat<br />
technology are: (a) extension education efforts<br />
to improve management quality, (b) available<br />
credit as herd sizes grow, and (c) strengthening<br />
the milk marketing infrastructure to absorb<br />
surplus milk.<br />
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