The Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization (KALRO) has introduced a cross-breed Sheep that matures early with higher productivity ratings that is expected to turn around the livestock sector.
The Dorper sheep that was bred in South Africa and well adopted in the Kenyan environment was a hybrid of the Dorset Horn and local blackhead Persian sheep. It has been proven to produce more meat rather than fat during the case study on ration technology.
The new technology is expected to be a game-changer in the sector that has for years seen pastoralists rear traditional breeds for ages without notable improvement in their well-being as the ravages of climate change take a toll on their livelihoods.
Studies indicate that rearing sheep under feedlot systems will save time and space and post better returns, with maturing periods reduced from two years to seven months.
Speaking in Narok County, KALRO Director General Dr. Eliud Kireger said the feedlot technology will see the sheep acquire weight and mature early.
He noted that farmers with large stock were grappling with the challenges of feeding the local sheep for close to three years before maturity to attain around 45 kilograms of their weight incurring huge losses.
“The feedlot finishing rations given to the Dorper sheep are able to attain market weights above 40kgs within two and half months’ post weaning at four months of age beyond which there is no economic incentive for continuing keeping the animal,” he said
“The secret is the high quality of these forage-legume based finisher rations which are well formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of the young growing animals and enhanced management systems.”
Kenya is currently a net importer of meat and related products, and the situation is projected to worsen as income and urbanization grow. Under the existing production systems, the slaughter weight of sheep in the country is low.
Dr. George Keya, the national coordinator of the AgriFi Kenya Climate Smart Agricultural Productivity Project (CS-APP) funded by the European Union and the Government of Kenya, said the development of the sheep ration technology was critical in developing finishing ration that can finish small ruminants of sheep and goat in a short time so that they can reach the market weight within the shortest possible time.
“Farmers were initially releasing their cows to graze from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m taking almost 10 hours to feed their animals, but under the new system, the nutrient concentrations in the feeds give the animals the critical components to develop faster unlike when those found in pastures which had deficiency gaps,” Dr. Margaret Syomiti, the Principal Investigator of the project said.
AgriFi Kenya Climate Smart Agricultural Technologies productivity project is a 5-year government project co-funded through a grant from the European Union and is being implemented by KALRO with partners.
Sheep rearing contributes to food production, rural employment, and GDP by converting roughage into meat, wool, and skin. The project developed the technology, and the validation trial was implemented between May and July 2023 in Narok County.
