Livestock nutrition made easy in new book
EXPENSIVE animal feeds are a nightmare for livestock keepers across the country. This has greatly eroded the profit margins of the farmers. A sack of feeds ranges from sh35,000 to sh45,000.
BY JOSHUA KATO
EXPENSIVE animal feeds are a nightmare for livestock keepers across the country. This has greatly eroded the profit margins of the farmers. A sack of feeds ranges from sh35,000 to sh45,000.
Livestock farming contributes 9% to Uganda’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 17% to the agricultural GDP. A recent animal census put goats at around 8.4 million, cattle 11 million and pigs at 2.3 million.
A handbook on Livestock Nutrition was written to help farmers solve the problem of expensive animal feeds. The book is the fifth in a series published by Fountain Publishers, in conjunction with I@mak project. It is divided into two sections and has seven chapters.
Chapter one discusses the basic fact that animals have to be fed. It reads; “Of course one of the reasons for feeding animals is to keep them alive. The other is to help them grow up in the specified time. But just like humans, animals are not just fed. They should be fed on quality foods.â€
The quality of the feeds and food supplements is discussed in chapter two. “Feeds are classified according to chemical composition and nutritional value. This provides a basis for ration formulation and feedstuff substitution in case there is change in availability and cost,†reads page six of the book. Feeds are classified as dry forages and roughages, pasture, range plants and forages fed green, silages, energy or basal feeds and others. This chapter takes a farmer through every aspect of animal feed production and storage.
Chapter three explains the rationale for feeding different classes of livestock. While different animals may eat the same type of feeds, they do not eat them in the same quantities. The chapter gives farmers tips for measuring rations for particular animals. These include swine rations, dairy cattle rations, diary goats rations and rabbit rations.
Chapter four explains the nutrient value of different feeds. For example, what do you need to feed your animal to give it energy, enable it produce enough milk, grow and gain weight?
Chapter six and seven tackle knowing livestock weight accurately. Many farmers think they are feeding their animals effectively, but the body growth weight does not change. Knowing the animal body weight before selling it is also important. However, few farmers can make clear estimations of this weight. For example, the live body weight versus the carcass weight or the weight of a pig at six or more months.
The authors are; Prof. Eli Katunguka-Rwakishaya, the director of the graduate school at Makerere University. He has a bachelor s degree in veterinary medicine and a masters in sciences. The other writer, Dr. Jason Ndikuwera is a senior lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, at Makerere. Dr. Rose C Azuba holds a masters in development evaluation and a PhD in immunology.
EXPENSIVE animal feeds are a nightmare for livestock keepers across the country. This has greatly eroded the profit margins of the farmers. A sack of feeds ranges from sh35,000 to sh45,000.
Livestock farming contributes 9% to Uganda’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 17% to the agricultural GDP. A recent animal census put goats at around 8.4 million, cattle 11 million and pigs at 2.3 million.
A handbook on Livestock Nutrition was written to help farmers solve the problem of expensive animal feeds. The book is the fifth in a series published by Fountain Publishers, in conjunction with I@mak project. It is divided into two sections and has seven chapters.
Chapter one discusses the basic fact that animals have to be fed. It reads; “Of course one of the reasons for feeding animals is to keep them alive. The other is to help them grow up in the specified time. But just like humans, animals are not just fed. They should be fed on quality foods.â€
The quality of the feeds and food supplements is discussed in chapter two. “Feeds are classified according to chemical composition and nutritional value. This provides a basis for ration formulation and feedstuff substitution in case there is change in availability and cost,†reads page six of the book. Feeds are classified as dry forages and roughages, pasture, range plants and forages fed green, silages, energy or basal feeds and others. This chapter takes a farmer through every aspect of animal feed production and storage.
Chapter three explains the rationale for feeding different classes of livestock. While different animals may eat the same type of feeds, they do not eat them in the same quantities. The chapter gives farmers tips for measuring rations for particular animals. These include swine rations, dairy cattle rations, diary goats rations and rabbit rations.
Chapter four explains the nutrient value of different feeds. For example, what do you need to feed your animal to give it energy, enable it produce enough milk, grow and gain weight?
Chapter six and seven tackle knowing livestock weight accurately. Many farmers think they are feeding their animals effectively, but the body growth weight does not change. Knowing the animal body weight before selling it is also important. However, few farmers can make clear estimations of this weight. For example, the live body weight versus the carcass weight or the weight of a pig at six or more months.
The authors are; Prof. Eli Katunguka-Rwakishaya, the director of the graduate school at Makerere University. He has a bachelor s degree in veterinary medicine and a masters in sciences. The other writer, Dr. Jason Ndikuwera is a senior lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, at Makerere. Dr. Rose C Azuba holds a masters in development evaluation and a PhD in immunology.