Livestock Farmers to Benefit from Jersey Breed Artificial Insemination Initiative

By Freeman Mwenge

Livestock farmers in Chisamba District are due to be among the first beneficiaries of the Jersey Breed Focused Dairy Development Project in Zambia which is aimed at improving livelihoods resilience and dairy productivity of small holder farmers.

The project to be achieved through artificial insemination of locally available cattle breeds will raise milk production in the country by introducing the high milk yielding jersey breed in Chisamba and other areas.

Project implementers ADRA say the work on artificial insemination of local breeds would commence soon following identification of beneficiaries, trainings and sensitizations which have been conducted within the District.

And Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock in Chisamba say the project once fully implemented will increase milk production and improve the welfare of small scale livestock farmers.

Speaking at a field day held at Chisamba’s Resa Farms, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock District Marketing and Development Officer Collins Kapembwa said the project would help to reduce the deficit of milk in the country once fully implemented.

“The ministry recognizes that high milk yielding breeds are scarce in our district due to the associated cost. But through this project we now have the introduction of the jersey breed. This will transform our local breeds into high milk yielding breeds,” Mr. Kapembwa said.

Most local milk breeds in Chisamba are currently producing between 1 liter and 8liters of milk per day but according to ADRA the improved breeds through artificial insemination would give 15 to 20 liters of milk per day.

A local livestock farmer Saziba Dube Sibanda has been supplying milk to Zambeef who are the off takers through Chisamba Dairy Cooperative. Her daily milk production is 100liters of milk per day but she says with the introduction of the Jersey Breed Focused Dairy Development Project in Zambia her hope was to increase production to at least 1000 liters per day.

“With current initiatives being introduced by ADRA such as using feed from locally available food sources for animals and the jersey breed I know it is possible to raise milk production,” Mrs Sibanda later told NAIS in Chisamba.

Nchimunya Ngoma is another local livestock farmer excited with the initiative to introduce better milk yielding breeds using local breeds through artificial insemination. Mr. Ngoma is currently able to supply at least 10 liters of milk to Zambeef through Chisamba Dairy Cooperative on a daily basis.

“It is now clear to me. I had heard about this that it was possible to produce 15 – 20liters per day from one cow. Now I know that through better breeds and feeding of animals I can do much better than I am doing now,” Mr. Ngoma said.

Zambeef Extension Officer Garren Kalemba revealed that small scale livestock farmers were collectively producing only 5000 liters of milk per day, with a big shortfall of milk still remaining to be supplied.

“There isa huge deficit of milk. We are barely able to satisfy demand. I am excited about this field day because even those without animals have been invited in the hope that we can increase the number of milk producers in the near future,”Mr. Kalemba said.

ADRA project officer Wanki Miyoba said at least 8, 100 farmers from three districts in Zambia including Chisamba District are among the beneficiaries of the project.

Mr. Miyoba said apart from increasing resilience and income at household level the project would also lead to job creation among the youth.

“We are encouraging farmers to use local materials. Farmers for instance can grow hydroponic folder using barley, white sorghum or even maize which uses just about 5 liters of water and is ready within 7 days as compared to the conventional type which uses 55 liters of water to grow the same amount off older. We realize that for livestock farmers their cow is their capital,” he said.

So far 3 people have been trained to commence artificial insemination within the district as jersey semen stocks were now available. This would eventually help to reduce the milk deficit in the country and improve livelihoods.

NAIS