Makerere uses agricultural waste to boost beef production

By Agnes Nantambi

For long, industrial and agro-processing residues have been going to waste, yet farmers can use them to feed their animals. Breweries have been struggling to dispose of brewers spent grain, a byproduct of beer production.

Crop residues such as maize stovers are always burnt after harvesting, while sugarcane factories have been grappling with the problem of disposing of molasses, a by-product of sugar production.

The good news is that researchers at Makerere University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are now converting these waste materials into high-quality feeds for livestock.

They have dubbed the innovation as “Feedlot technology”. In 2011, researchers at the college embarked on the study on how to use industrial and crop residues by feeding them to animals to boost beef production. The major feeds used in the research are maize bran, molasses, brewers spent grain from Luzira and Jinja and maize stovers.

Dr. Denis Mpairwe, the head of the department of agricultural production, said the research work is being done on the farm of Tarsis Bishanga Rwaburindore, a leading farmer in Mubende district. Rwaburindore owns a 4.5 square mile ranch called Betar Ranchers, with over 2,000 head of cattle and over 2,000 goats and sheep.

The researchers are comparing two systems. In one system, animals graze on pasture the whole day and are then put on a special feeding plan in the evening. In the second method, the animals are raised on maize stovers and the feedlot in one place.

“We are comparing the weight gain of different cattle breeds like the Boran, Bosmara, Ankole and friesians, because they have different requirements. We are costing the feed, the labour and structure so that at the end of the day we can come up with a cost benefit analysis for him (Rwaburindore),” Dr. Mpairwe said.

After weaning the animals at around one year, they are brought into the feedlot and fed until they obtain market weight of Ugandan standard, which is 350kg, putting into consideration the meat to bone ratio. Researchers then assess which animal will give more meat; grow faster and at what age they should be brought to the feedlot.

Denis Asizua, a PhD researcher, who is currently stationed on the farm, collects samples at three-hour intervals with the objective of establishing how much feed a farmer needs per day to raise different breeds and how long it would be profitable for animals to stay in the feedlot.

“We are evaluating the type of animal, the type of feeding system, the feeds and how different feeds are utilized by animals to produce meat. We started with animals, which weighed 220kg on average. After about 40 days, the average weight has gone up to 250kg,” he said.

Under the feedlot technology, different feeds are rationed to provide different nutrients. The maize stovers provide the source of fiber to take advantage of the ruminant microbes, which can convert the fiber for the animal to feed on.

So far, the sources of protein that most Ugandan farmers use are cotton seed cake, sunfl ower cake and fish meals, but they are expensive. On the other hand, brewer’s spent grain is cheaper that the feedlot, cotton and sunfl ower seed cake.

The fi rst benefi ciary, Rwaburindore, advised farmers to take up the technology. He also commended Makerere University for offering advice, ration percentages, feeds and conducting research on performance of feeds, saying the fi ndings will go a long way in boosting beef industry.

He, however, called upon the Government to provide support to the commercial farmers if the beef industry is to flourish. “Lack of adequate water, trained personnel, long-term financing and veterinary services and the high cost of drugs are huge challenges because the investment is big and needs huge capital. Also, most of the feeds come from Kampala, which is far away,” he lamented.

Experts in animal production at the university called upon the Government to support commercial farmers who will in turn support small holders on grounds that they have land, and can easily reach out to the population to sustain the supply of beef throughout the year.

“A farmer like Rwaburindore needs support by way of water and soft loans of about sh1b and low interest of about 2%, because pumping water over 4.5 square miles, fencing and feeding are expensive,” Dr. Mpairwe appealed.

The researchers also called on the Government to come up with policies to regulate the export of feeds. About 90% of the feeds like sugar molasses, maize bran and rice are exported to Kenya.