Page 229 - Agriculture_Form_Three
P. 229
Agriculture for Secondary Schools
Management of dairy cattle
A herd of dairy animals is divided into several groups of milking cows, calves,
weaners, heifers, bulls and dry cows’ herd. This is done for easy management of the
herd especially for breeding and feeding.
Selection of suitable dairy animal
The selection of a suitable dairy animal to raise for milk production depends on:
(i) The records of milk production of the cow or from the mother in case of a
heifer.
(ii) The environment/climate of the area where you want to raise your dairy cattle.
Some breeds are more affected by harsh environment than others.
(iii) The availability of feeds.
(iv) Reliable market of the milk and other products such as calves and heifers from
the farm.
(v) The capital you have to invest on your enterprise.
(vi) The availability of dairy animals in your area. In Tanzania, pure dairy breeds
are few. Majority of the available dairy animals are a result of crossing between
dairy breeds and Zebu or other exotic breeds.
Housing management
The dairy cattle house should be well ventilated to allow good air circulation. It
should preferably have concrete floor for easy cleaning. The floor should have
furrows leading to the sewage system. The house should also have a milking parlour
and a crush. More details of dairy houses are explained in Chapter Four of this book.
Feeding management
A dairy cow should be well fed so as to produce milk at optimal quantity and quality.
The more you feed your dairy cows the higher the milk yield you can get. Normally,
the dairy cow dry matter intake is 2.5% to 3% of its live weight. Feeding should be
targeting that intake. Apart from feeding forages, dairy cows should also be fed with
concentrates as supplementary feed which can be made from brans (maize bran,
wheat bran), oil cakes (sunflower seed, cotton seed), salt, minerals mixtures, and
limestone.
Student’s Book Form Three
218
10/01/2025 12:32
AGRICULTURE FORM 3 9.11.2022.indd 218
AGRICULTURE FORM 3 9.11.2022.indd 218 10/01/2025 12:32
