High-producing dairy cow requires a diet that supplies the nutrients needed for high milk production. However, the high cost of feeds and low quality of dairy meal has led to decreased milk production.
The low production is worsened by the low quality of forage caused by the drought. To cut this high cost of dairy farming, one can formulate homemade dairy meal, which, according to us, is 28% cheap compared to the current market price.
The current market price of a 50 kg bag of the high-yield dairy meal is retailing at Ks 2,500. However, using our formulation guideline, one can produce the same bag at Ks 1,786.60, a savings of Ks 713.40 per bag.
This change in cost means that for every kilogram fed to the cow to three liters of milk, KS 14.30 is saved. That is KS 4.70 per liter. This saving is a great deal for farmers
It is good to note that besides cutting the cost, dairy farmer does away with hardware diseases caused by feeding adulterated feeds.
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As they say, a product is as good as the raw materials that make it. This statement means that the efficacy of this dairy meal purely depends on the quality of the raw materials, accuracy of formulation, and storage of the feeds to prevent aflatoxin.
What is dairy meal made of?
Good quality dairy meal should be free of aflatoxin ,have a crude protein of 15% min. and contain a balanced macro-nutrients such as phosphorus and calcium.
How to make a good dairy meal
To make quality dairy meal mix the following ingredients until they are all uniform.
| Ingredients | Amounts in Kgs | Average Cost per Kg (Ksh.) | Average Total Cost (Ksh.) |
| Sunflower seed meal | 9.10 | 30 | 273.00 |
| Maize germ | 15.05 | 36 | 541.80 |
| Rapeseed/canola | 14.60 | 30 | 438.00 |
| Wheat pollard | 10.05 | 36 | 361.80 |
| Lime | 0.55 | 20 | 11.00 |
| Mineral salt | 0.55 | 230 | 126.50 |
| Dairy premix | 0.15 | 230 | 34.50 |
| Total | 50.05 | 1,786.60 | |
| Average cost per kilogram | 35.70 |
How do you feed dairy meal per day?
Dairy meal is fed depending on stage of lactation and milk production per day.
It is recommended feeding your cow 1 kg of Dairy Meal for every 2 liters of milk the cow gives you above the first 5 liters. So, if your cow gives you 7 liters a day: 7-5 = 2 liters = 1 kg of dairy meal.
Note:
Prices are subject to vary with regions. A price variance of 10% gives an average cost of KS 1,804.47. The quality of dairy meal depends on quality of ingredients used.
Whether the dairy meal will increase milk or not depends on quality of fodder fed to the cow and the stage of lactation.
The formulations can be adjusted to suit available raw materials and cost. Layers, broilers and pigs feeds formulation are available.
Farmworx.co.ke or its staff cannot be held liable directly or indirectly for effects caused by the formulation.
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