P1.'ojec't R6138 (XO277)

S~~LHOLDER MILK PRODUCTION

(NRI)..Nat~1ral Resources Institute

and Specialist Services (DR&SS)Department of l~esea:r.'ch

(1..1cltOPOS F<.esearch Station)

Site 'J.isit, 15t.l1-18th January 1997by 'l' Snuth {former pI'oject leader) .

Background

In January 199]. an exotic (j,...i.ry bull (Jersey) was purchased, by

Matopos Research Station, to cr.oss with indigenous (Nkone and

Tuli) cows. The objective was to evaluate crossbred cattle, formilk,

draught and meat output, in readiness for an expected

interest by smallholders in dairying in semi-arid areas (with a

time lag of up to four years from first mating to the production

of milk from the Fl). Current shortages of cattle and feed are

reflected in shortaq(:;s ot' mil k alld other dairy products.

~

population growth suggest a doubling by

irnplicat.ions for the intensification of

ofRecent predictions

the year 2020. This has

livestock production systems

A preliminary report on .

1994 (Smith, t1oyo, Beffa,

Harare)

.

In the late 1980s SADC/ICRISI~T developed aprograrnme to evaluate

pennisetum hybrids as a potential forage source for semi-arid

the Department of Research and

1990s, with a strong input atThis was handed to

)verareas.

the earlySpecialist Services in

Matopos Research Stal.:ion

j. nvi ted to submi t a concept note

:or smallholder dairy production to

(NRI). The resulting project was

and 1995/1996. in March 1996 a

,

for 1996 1997for funds

for

torequest

accepted

wasrurming expenses

technologyused materials andmilking. All the i:

available to smallholders

nstallations

been submitted to NRI

Division of Livestock

andQuarterly and Annual Rep havert

and)f thethe Anr!L1al

Repo

appear in

Pastures Services

Africa

(Smith,

A.esearch and Specialist

at the Al;l.

in April 1996

(Department f

AnimalNdlovu

presented

Pretoria,

progress report vias

Agriculture Conference

and Mhere) (proceedings)

The reasons for thjs visj 'let

the projecthad been able to visitNo member1 of

NRI

994in

2)

since funding startecThree projects, tentatively approved for funding in 1997 to

2000, quoted this projec!:. as a foundation study for the new

ct;:: "vEc:;re -to a separate review

, '\', (Drs J Morton and T

subjected

1997)

work.

mission

Smith) .

These proje

(20th-24th Januar

3) The original project leader (T Smith) had left the site on

completion of his contract with the Government of Zimbabwe

(April, 1996).The manager of the dairy unit (K Ndlovu) resigned in

September 1996.

Direct funding (;:!I1C

4)

1-1arch 1997.5)

,n

st

Forage Programme

Details of agronomic stud:i ('::'-5 are reported by the researcher (0

Mhere) .Of the four lines I.-::stablished in late 1994 (Bana; SDPN

3, 29 and 38) two vJill now be dropped: SDPN 29 because of

insufficient yield; SDPN3[i bc~cause of signs of frost damage.

difficult,

because of the irregular

subsequent performance of Bana and

:Ln terms of yield and acceptability

is not available at this site (it is

but watering was

Although establishment was

rainfall pattern of 1994-95,

SDPN3 have been good, bot:h

to cattle.

on otherpossible.

Full irrj.<:J.ation

strategic

j-11e.., t~at.ion)sites on

ma(j(~ in March 1996, was readily eaten

there was some rat and

and greater compaction

repeated in 1997, with

silage in 1998 (this

A trial batch of s ilag"e,

Sept-Oct:

~>uggesti

However,

lined pit

be

by cattle in

insect damage,

,viiiTh isewere necessary. e:"

xperimentalmilking cows recei \7_i_119

programme is tentati'Te

~

~

Crossbred Cattle Proqramm.::~

Detailed reports have b(~E'ri ffi;-jde by the project leaders (T Smith

followed by Mrs S t1oyo). v!hi 1st at the site the reviewer took

part in discussjons of [!.It\1!:e management, and a number of

decisions were agreed .0

1

2)

3)

4)

Confidence was expressed in the new manager (Mr L Mpofu).

he joined Matopos staff (1991) as a certificate holder and

has recently (1996) completed his diploma in agriculture.

It is planned to evaluate three of the forage lines (Bana,

SDPN3 and 38) with dairy cows in two 3 x 3 latin square

design trials. The possibility of measuring intake and

digestibj.lity on t\'!o or three animals per forage, and

splitting the remainj.ng animals into tl;lree groups, one

group to receive each forage was discussed. Because of

good rains there is ample forage available.

The choj.ce of bul.l for };'2 hei fers: All F1 stock have been

bred to a Jersey bull. Because this class of stock (F1)

has proved capcible of surv.iving, both on and off station,

there is little point in producing females with less than

50% Jersey blood. The upper inclusion limit for Jersey

blood has not been established (with good management it

will be near 100~,) for smallholder cattle. The F3 would be

87.5% Jersey. This was the option decided upon (there is

no intention of producing a composite breed).

Seasonal production (bascd on a fixed breeding season) is

still practised, because of the forage deficit in the dry

season. Currently there are a total of 52 F1 and F2

females of various parities ready for bulling. Labour and

financial constraints suggest cutting the herd down, but it

was requested that all felrlales should be bred so that the

l~)r I:) Ball would have the option ofbyproject proposed

4

tIe.

This was agreed to. If Dr

surplus stock will be soldI-l:is

option,

to smallholders

During the current season peak yields of 11 litres/day have

been recorded. At present. it looks as though lactation

yield will be greatest in the third lactation animals,

:l and first respectively.followed by the sec

Outreach

belonging to

!emr)ers

of Ekuphileni, were visited: on::s

Ngwabi) has planted Bana on six of

Two farms,

the first, the r-11

farmer

four cows, surplus

current cash income

On the second farm, Mr

their plot of Bana and

day). Some of this

arid

1 .'

She milks

Her

3tore.~$15

per day.

ten contours in her arabl

milk being sold at the 1

from milk is approximat::el),

& Mrs Ncube are currently establishing

milking one cow (cash income +/-

milk is sold fresh and some soured.

Z$8 per

5

Reports for Ekuphileni and J'.1jela are attached. Mr Kempadoo

visits Matopos frequently and .is preparing his annual report (in

discussions he reports that the group now have nine cows in milk

and own Jersey bulls, \""hictl move between sites). Hlekweni

Training contacted by telephone and reporteda Dairy

~:)hase of this

report of the Review

Centre ...Jas

accepted

second 1

progress.

Irisvale is

Development Project (DDP) site,

progranune is approve() (for o11tline of DDP

Mission to Zimbabwe, J ~1orton and T Smith).

lj-kely to

if

bethe as

alternative, therebjl increasing shelf-life of the distance milk

can be transported. Sourecl m.l lk products are popular.

The Future

Current interest in milk [Jroduction suggests that the project

should continue and develop. If the facility is to be actively

involved in the projects of [)rs Ball and Titterton between 1997

and 2000, then the i~mediate ability to function is guaranteed

for the period. However, the outreach aspects of this programme

also need developing. The current project leader is also acting

head of station and is responsible for two large projects of herown.

There is little possibility of an extra research officer

in the near future.

It is reconunended, t:hat funding be sought to:theref::or~

1 (1100 man daysto milk and feed cows

2)

Support casua.l labour

per year).To employ outside tc;;chnic:al co-operation (part-time?)

support the project, fJr,:)ugh the head of station.

The outreach and studies should increase,

\~i th greater supervision

to

3) or1- farm the

approach to be formalised

extension and researc;h

Supply of a vehicle:

necessary.

A PhD project to be

from

4)

items (2) and (3) above make this

5) de'leloped. This could be in dairy

The student could be regarded as a

the end of the project. The

Officer would act as local

management or systems.

counterpart to take over at:

Technical Co-operatiofl

supervisor.

7

Funding

Due to the changes in senior staff on the ground, the allocation

of funding has suffered during the 1996-97 financial year.

(£2870) is requested by theThe balance of the money held by NRI

station for the purchase of:

and notplanned for

1995-96,

and1 A computer printerpurchased, for the forage programme. This would release

funds to relieve budgetary constraints in Dr Titterton's

planned programme. lt~ would also be a contribution to

maintain.ing and upgri'lding the Matopos computer capacity.

8

2) (-1:

_,tracts

(Forage and Pastures; Animal

Needed by NRI project staff (value

To purchase 1997 CAR

Breeding; Nutrition).to all research statOr

3) Balance for chemical~

~1cknowledged) .) to complete analysis of forage

progranune samples.

Conclusions aI!QSurnm~

1 Justification for tJ1e project is

by farmers

confirmed by increasing

in producing milk frominterest and awareness

cultivated forage

2) The Jersey crossbred has proved itself capable of surviving

and being producti~Je (milk; draught; meat) on and off

3)

4)

station. ..

Population increase predictj.ons make it imperative to seek

methods of increasing agricultural production from

smallholdings, especially from livestock, where there has

been little improvement since 1980. FAa figures suggest

that per capita consumption of protein of animal origin is

above 11g/day in Zirobabwe (developed world 28g).

The physical facilit:ies and expertise generated under this

project will contribute to planned NRI funded work (1997-

2000) .,",, '-L- r ,.

5) J:urcner Iundlng should be sought to continue the momentum

started under Project: 6138 (X6277). In particular outreach

activities need increasing and formalising.

9

progranu-ne and People Consulted

Tuesday 14th January 19~!

T Smith flew to Zimbabwe.

visit,

!!ednesday 15th Ja~ua~

T Smith arrived in Zimbabwe

Discussions with:

Dr N R Gata (Director', DR&SS) (outlined purpose of

agreed to report back)

Mrs Nyazaume (Senior ~.c(;ounts Officer, DR&SS)

Dr M Titterorl

Mrs B Maasdorp

University of Zimbabwe. Progress of

forage work (current trial)

and registration of 0 Mhere at

University of Zimbabwa for MPhil

,tudies

Travelled to Matopos.

(EnkuphileniNcubefarms and Mr MrsVisited of :tvlrs &Ngwabi

Smallholder Dairy Project)

Discussions with 0 Mhere regarding 1996-97 prograrmne.

10

Friday 17th January

Discussions ~lith:

Ms S Ngwabi (Agritex

0 Mhere

r-fi e la proj ect)

Beffa/S Ncube

S Moyo (report bclC~}:

T Bmi th

for NRI

11