Month: December 2023

Animal Births/Parturition in cattle, goats and sheep I Mshindo Media (new)

Mshindo Media

Birth in livestock is a natural process and normally does not need any human interference. But sometimes there can be birth problems where the dam needs assistance from the farmer/pastoralist.  The normal birth  Pregnancy in cattle lasts on average 280 days. It can be one week less or up to two and a half weeks more. If the cow has twins she will normally give birth before the 280 days are over. In goat and sheep pregnancy lasts 144 – 155 days, in pigs 110 – 118 days, in horses…

Animal Diseases Diagnosis I Mshindo Media (new)

Mshindo Media

Introduction – signs of disease Animal disease, an impairment of the normal state of an animal that interrupts or modifies its vital functions. Farmers and pastoralists know that animals are sick when they notice changes in behavior such as refusal to eat, keeping to shady areas, or physical signs such as different breathing, coughing, body swellings and weakness etc. Serious livestock farmers will keep observing their animals on daily basis to make sure no such signs miss their attention. It is important to catch such symptoms at an early stage in order to treat before…

Milk | Definition, Types,Products Processing & Nutritional Value

Mshindo Media

Milk is an emulsion or colloid of butterfat globules within a water-based fluid that contains dissolved carbohydrates and protein aggregates with minerals.  Dairy milk may be introduced at later ages if tolerated well. Although dairy milk may come from any mammal, cows, goats, buffalo, and sheep are common producers. Clean milk production Milk is highly perishable, it easily contract diseases. It has a high protein content making it a suitable medium for bacteria growth. For these reasons clean milk production practices are inevitable. It is advisable that farmers observe the following areas…

Silage making| Composition, Types, Process, Storing

Mshindo Media

Introduction Silage is the material produced by controlled fermentation, under anaerobic conditions, of chopped crop residues or forages with high moisture contents. Silage is produced by the activities of naturally-occurring bacteria that convert some of the plant sugars into organic acids that preserve nutritional qualities.  Ideal characteristics of material used in silage making: Species of grass used:  Advantages of Silage:  Making silage Feeding a forage chopper with forage Harvesting for silage How to make silage In Kenya, the common method of silage making are through use of: A trench silo is built…