Farmers have devised many ways of enclosing their animals and feeding them 

there. Most of them are roofless enclosures on earth floors where feed and water troughs are provided. Some farmers just place the feeds on the ground. Accumulation of urine, dung and mud particularly in the wet season rapidly worsens the hygienic condition and predisposes the cows to pests, parasites and diseases. The animal becomes extremely uncomfortable which ultimately results in reduced milk production.

This situation need not continue because there is an affordable and better way of presenting the feeds to the cows without constructing a conventional zero grazing unit. Feeds constitute over 70% of the cost of production and all efforts should be made to improve its utilization for the farmer to realize maximum benefits. The use of improved feed trough will help the farmer to reduce the cost of feeding in the farm.

Construction of improved feeding trough

Measurements are in feet

Roof

Use a 2 or 3m iron sheets mounted on 4 pillars. It should be elevated to prevent direct sunlight and rains.

Sides

The three sides should be open and one half closed to prevent cows feeding from any direction. This is important to reduce feed losses out of cattle feeding habits. Timber or suitable local materials can be used.

Feed box

Timber is the most suitable material because of ease of cleaning. Other materials may be used. The feed trough should be large enough to contain roughage and long enough to accommodate all the animals. A spacing of 2.5 – 3.0ft (80 – 90cm) per adult animal is required.

Raise the floor of the feed troughs 6 inches (15 cm) above the floor. The inner wall should not be very high; the top should just touch the dew lap when the animal is feeding. Raise the outer wall high enough to prevent the animals approaching the feed trough from the opposite side and wasting feeds.

The Kenyan population is currently at 38 million people and projected to increase at 10 million people every decade. This means that the population pressure will soon overstretch the available resources, of most concern being land for the simple reason that it is fixed.

For livestock to play a significant role in optimizing the capacity of the country to realize food security, it is important to give priority to species that combine efficiency of conversion and productivity; and have the capacity to use by-products and residues from other primary industries.

Although there is a role for the small, as opposed to large ruminants, and the small non-ruminant herbivores, pigs and poultry are certainly the ideal animal species in this scenario. High reproductive rate is what gives the competitive edge to these species. For example pigs have higher reproductive rates and are prolific compared to cattle, sheep and goats. A sow produces 6 to 14 piglets and weans on average 8 to 10. It furrows twice a year therefore the advantage of continuous harvest.

Compared to other livestock species, non ruminants like pigs and poultry require less space at the farm. As farm sizes become smaller due to population pressure, farmers will have to rethink their production priorities and shift to intensive systems regardless of the huge capital requirements. Many farmers are into poultry but pig production has unfortunately lagged behind.

Looking at pig production in particular and despite the many constraints, there are tremendous economic benefits in national engagement in the enterprise. The demand for animal protein is on the increase and the rate of increase is a crucial factor so that even if the per capita consumption remains static, the total demand will increase substantially. Pig meat is bound to contribute to protein demand because of the following among other reasons:

• Invested capital produces returns quicker compared to beef
• Pigs are affected by very few diseases hence farmers in areas with endemic diseases like tick borne disease and Trypanosomiasis are better off with the pig.
• Pork contains all the essential amino acids required for human consumption

For pig production to spread and gain wide acceptance across the country factors affecting pig production in Kenya need to be addressed. Some of these include:

• Availability of grain feeds and grain by-products – 60 to 70% of pig feed contain grains and grain products therefore pig production will concentrate in areas with sufficient grain.
• Climate – pigs are not commonly found in hot humid areas because of heat stress. Production should therefore be intensive in cooler areas.
• Socio-cultural factors
• Religion – Muslims, SDA and other groups do not consume or keep pigs
• Nomadic life – it is difficult to move with pigs
• Pig handling is difficult and new to most people
• Lack of steady market for pig meat
• Lack of strong government support for pig project
• Management skills of most farmers are low
• Shortage of suitable breeding stock