Economic Analysis of Smallholder Dairy Cattle Enterprises In Senegal

Smallholder dairy production in Senegal is important to both livelihoods and food and nutrition security. Here we examine the economic performance of smallholder dairy cattle enterprises in Senegal, using data from longitudinal monitoring of 113 households. The mean (and standard deviation) of the net returns (NR) per cow per annum (pcpa) was 21.7 (202.9) USD, whilst the NR per household herd per annum (phpa) was 106.1 (1740.3) USD. Only about half (52.2 %) of the dairy cattle enterprise had a positive NR. The most significant income components were milk sale followed by animal sale, whilst the most significant cost components were animal feed followed by animal purchase. When households were grouped by ranking on NRpcpa an interesting trend was observed: whilst the mean NRpcpa showed a fairly linear increase from the lowest to highest NR groups, income and cost did not. Income and costs were both higher for the lowest and highest NR groups, in comparison to the intermediate NR groups. The mean NRs of households grouped by the main breed-type they kept were not significantly different from each other, due to large variances within the breed groups. However, the mean total income and costs were significantly higher for households mainly keeping improved dairy breeds (Bos taurus or Zebu x Bos taurus crosses) in comparison to those keeping indigenous Zebu or Zebu by Guzerat crosses. This study highlights the highly variable (and often low) profitability of smallholder dairy cattle enterprise in Senegal. Further actions to address this are strongly recommended.

The impact of education and experience on profit of smallholder dairy farming at Batu City of Malang Raya, Indonesia

The research was conducted at Batu, City, Malang Raya of Indonesia. Study addressed to examine the farmer characteristics, dairy farming income, and the factors influencing on profit. The case study applied multistage sampling method to select 34 representative farmers which divided into three strata namely, stratum-1 (rearing <4 Animal Units), stratum-2 (owning 4-8 AU), and stratum-3 (controlling >8 AU). Primary data collection used survey method with structured questionnaire, whereas secondary data were available in related institutions and sources. Data analysis implemented descriptive and multiple regression technique. Results confirmed that farmers has experienced about 6-10 years in raising dairy farming and they has secondary school education. The profitable dairy farming was smallholder dairy farming that rearing more than 8 AU with daily income per Animal Unit of IDR 64,554 and structured with IDR 11,131 of revenue and IDR 47,577 of production cost. Farmer’s experience was positively explaining the smallholder dairy profit, and the high school education attainment was more likely to increase venture’s income. The farm return has positive and strong relationships with the more number of dairy cattle owned.

Milking Hygiene and Handling Practices among Smallholder Dairy Farmers in Zanzibar

The livestock farming especially dairy industry is among the important components of the livestock sector in Zanzibar in terms source of animal protein, income, and employment. The present study was meant to investigate milking hygiene and handling practices among smallholder dairy farmers in Zanzibar. Cross-sectional study was conducted whereby a structured questionnaire was addressed to 359 dairy cattle farmers. The assessment of milking hygiene and handling practices among smallholder dairy farmers on were analyzed and then judged based on the selected indicators of good dairy farming practices of FAO and International Dairy Federation (IDF) and IDF, (FAO, 2011) and Zanzibar Food and Drug Board standard. The results revealed low milking hygiene and good handling practices. In addition, based on the Zanzibar Food and Drug Board’ standards, farmers comply lowly with milk quality standards and food safety regulations. It was also found that farmers, traders and processors practised milking hygiene and handling measures like hand washing, udder and utensils cleaning milking boiling and packaging. However, key un-hygiene practices include the use of plastic containers, untreated water, and lack of teat dipping. It is recommended that, for safe and quality milk availability, farmers must be equipped with knowledge and skills on good milking hygiene and handling practices. There is a need to improve farmers’ knowledge and implement hygienic milking practices in the milk production process to meet required milk quality and food safety standards. In addition, awareness creation on the importance of good milking and handling practices will create behavioural change and lead to an improvement in milk quality in Zanzibar.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Neospora caninum and Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus in smallholder dairy cattle in Kenya

Little is known of the risk factors associated with occurrence of Neospora caninum and Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV) infection in Kenya. This cross-sectional study hypothesized that there are significant biosecurity measures associated with N. caninum and BVDV infections on smallholder dairy farms in Kenya that could be adopted to reduce seroprevalence and impacts. From 158 randomly selected farms in Meru County, Kenya, 470 serum samples were collected from dairy cattle (over six months of age and unvaccinated for these two pathogens). Sera were analyzed for antibodies to N. caninum and antibodies and antigens to BVDV. Data on risk factors were obtained through face-to-face interviews with the farmers. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify significant risk factors associated with seropositivity for the pathogens. The apparent seroprevalence of N. caninum, BVDV antibody, BVDV antigen, and co-infection with N. caninum and BVDV antibody and/or antigen were 35.1%, 47.1%, 36.2% and 18.5%, respectively. Risk factors associated with N. caninum antibody included: introducing milking cows into the farm, lending of cattle between farms, farm dogs having access to bovine aborted fetuses, and dogs whelping in the farm compound, with an interaction between the last two variables. BVDV antigen was associated with cattle having contact with pigs, and an interaction between cattle age and whether farms introduced new calves onto farms, and cattle age and whether visiting dairy farmers have access to the cow shed. Cows had higher odds of having BVDV antibodies compared to heifers. Factors associated with co-infection included cow parity, direct contact between dairy cattle, dogs and goats, and introducing new milking cows into the farms. Antibody and antigen results may be partly a function of classical swine fever virus or border disease virus interactions. Farmer education on these biosecurity measures is recommended, along with introduction of BVDV vaccination.

Smallholder Dairy Farmers' Livelihoods: Opportunities and Challenges in Metta Robi Woreda, West Shewa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

In today's world, small-scale dairy farming has become commonplace. Farmers in Ethiopia, particularly in rural areas, have used it to supplement their income and ensure food security. This study aimed to assess the opportunities and challenges for the livelihoods of smallholder dairy farmers in Metta Robi woreda. A mixed research method was applied, with descriptive and cross-sectional research designs. A total of 372 SDFs (households) who performed dairy farming in the research area were selected using a systematic sampling technique. In addition, three kebeles in Metta Robi woreda were randomly picked from a total of 23 kebeles. The questionnaire was used to obtain quantitative data, while in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, and personal observation were employed to collect qualitative data. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, which were performed using SPSS Version 21. On the other hand, the qualitative data were transcribed and analyzed thematically. The findings showed that households in the study area engaged in a variety of livelihood activities. For more than half of the sampled households, on-farm activities are their primary source of income. The data also revealed that the study area's opportunities included appropriate environmental conditions, availability of land and water, market and road, social networks, access to information, crop residue availability, and credit service. However, land-use change, market fluctuations and inaccessibility, a lack of labor and sufficient competence, a lack of infrastructure, livestock diseases, and a scarcity of feed and water were mentioned as issues that affected SDFs' livelihoods. It was suggested that the government pay special attention to the challenges that affect SDFs' livelihoods in general and the study area in particular.

The performance of smallholder dairy farms in West Java

Small farmers dominate dairy farming in Indonesia, and the average productivity is low. An understanding of the performance of farmers and dairy farming businesses is needed to formulate policies for developing small-scale dairy farms. This study aims to provide information about the performance of dairy farms and recommend policies or measures to develop smallholder dairy farms in West Java. The data used in this paper is taken from the IndoDairy Smallholder Household Survey (ISHS) database, covering 600 dairy farm households selected randomly in Bandung, Garut, Cianjur, and Bogor Districts. Data collection took place between August and September 2017. A purposive and proportional random sampling method was utilized to select the samples. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistical analysis. The results show that the main income activity of households (80%) was dairy farming. In addition to dairy farming, households received 10% of their income from off-farm activities, 8% from horticultural production, 2% from other livestock, and 1% from crop production. On average, dairy herd sizes were 5.6 cows per farm, of which the highest found in Bogor (7.7) and lowest in Garut (3.1). The results also show that milk production per cow ranged from 14.1 to 15.2 liters/day/lactating cows, with an average of 14.9 liters/day/lactating cows. Policies and efforts to increase milk production, productivity, and quality of fresh milk through improving feed technology and better dairy farming management are critically important to increasing smallholder dairy farmers’ income in Indonesia, especially in West Java.

Randomised controlled trial on estrus and conception impacts of reproductive and nutrition interventions on Kenyan smallholder dairy farms.

This field trial tested the hypothesis that providing Kenyan smallholder dairy farmers with training and resources can enhance cows’ cyclicity and conception using conventional or sexed semen. One hundred farmers were randomly selected and randomly allocated to five equal-sized intervention groups: 1) reproduction only; 2) nutrition only; 3) reproduction and nutrition; 4) education only (quasi-control); or 5) nothing (control). Reproductive interventions included provision of prostaglandin F2? (PG) and/or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) to induce estrus, and reproduction education. Nutrition interventions included provision of leguminous shrubs and nutrition education. At monthly visits over 17 months, farm and cattle data were collected, and open cattle underwent physical and reproductive exams to determine readiness for farmer decisions on sexed semen utilization. Cox proportional hazards modeling (CoxPH) was used to determine if intervention group was significantly associated with risk of conception. The final dataset included 191 cows and 26 heifers. Lowest and highest heat submission percentages were 8.5% and 35.5% in the control and reproduction groups, respectively. Conception percentages in cows and heifers were 44.0% and 54.5% for sexed semen and 72% and 79% for conventional semen, respectively. In the final multivariable CoxPH model, each unit increase in average body condition score was associated with 3.5 times higher risk of conception. Cattle that were inseminated following spontaneous heat had 1.8 times higher risk of conception over cows that were inseminated following a hormone-induced heat. In a significant interaction variable, when cows were supplemented with dairy meal in the last month of gestation, a higher risk of conception was achieved in cows on groups where leguminous shrubs were fed compared to groups where no leguminous shrubs were fed. This study concludes that focused effort on improving reproduction through education, hormone use and improved nutrition can improve heat submission and conception percentages on Kenyan smallholder dairy farms.