Feeding practices and animal-level factors associated with daily milk yield in lactating smallholder dairy cows in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Smallholder dairy farming plays a crucial role in Kenya's economy, with many farmers relying on dairy cattle for their livelihoods. However, milk production is affected by factors such as breed selection, nutrition, and endemic diseases. This cross-sectional study determined factors associated with daily milk yield in lactating smallholder dairy cows in Kabete Sub-County, Kiambu County, Kenya. We hypothesized that milk production is significantly associated with nutrition, management practices, and cow-level factors. On-farm questionnaires were administered to farmers in 62 randomly selected farms to collect animal- and farm-level information. A total of 196 lactating cows (1-6 per farm, averaging 3) were assessed, with measurements taken on daily milk yield, California Mastitis Test score, egg/oocyst count, days in milk, and body condition score (BCS). Descriptive statistics and multilevel mixed-effects linear regression were used for analysis, with daily milk yield as the outcome variable. The mean daily milk yield per cow was 10.8 ± 4.8 liters (range 1-24 liters). Feeding practices were significantly associated with daily milk yield. Cows supplemented with yeast products were associated with a 7.56 L/day higher milk yield compared to those without (β=7.56, 95 % CI 3.66-11.45). Feeding napier grass, hay, and dairy meal was associated with increased milk yield by 3.68 L/day (β=3.68, 95 % CI 0.89-6.46), 2.73 L/day (β=2.73, 95 % CI 1.32-4.12), and 2.16 L/day (β=2.16, 95 % CI 0.88-3.44), respectively. The association between BCS and daily milk yield depended on wheat bran supplementation; when fed, higher BCS (≥3) was associated to significantly increased yield. Each additional cow in the herd was associated with a 0.25 L/day increase in milk yield. Negative associations with daily milk yield included breed (β=-2.66, 95 % CI -4.59 to -0.08) and days in milk (β=-0.01, 95 % CI -0.008 to -0.004). Ayrshires produced 2.66 L/day less milk than Friesians. Mastitis also had a significant association, with daily milk yield decreasing by 2.52 L/day, 2.58 L/day, and 3.85 L/day when two, three, and four quarters were infected, respectively. In conclusion, feeding practices, particularly supplementation with yeast and specific forages, along with cow-level factors such as breed, days in milk, BCS, and mastitis status, significantly influenced milk yield in smallholder dairy farms.

Keywords: Daily milk yield; Feeding; Lactating dairy cows; Mastitis; Smallholder dairy.