Economic contribution and viability of dairy goats: implications for a breeding programme

Tropical Animal Health and Production
T D O OgolaI S Kosgey

Abstract

To augment the incomes of smallholder farmers in Kenya and consequently improve their nutrition and income, many development organisations and policy makers are increasingly promoting dairy goat farming. Among the key organisations supporting the initiative is Heifer Project International-Kenya (HPIK). However, the economic contribution and viability of dairy goats under the HPIK project have not been studied so far. The aim of the present study was to determine the contribution of dairy goats to household income and the performance of the dairy goat enterprise using gross and net margins from dairy goat farming as an indicator of economic viability. A survey covering 71 farmers was carried out in the Coast, Nyanza, and the Rift Valley provinces of Kenya using a set of pre-tested structured and semi-structured questionnaires. Results showed that, on average, the dairy goat enterprise contributed, correspondingly, about 15.2% and 4.8% to the total livestock and overall household income and was viable. Differences in gross and net margins across agroecological zones were attributed to milk prices. Despite the existence of non-viable enterprises in two of the provinces, the few present suggest the possibility of obtaining reliable...Continue Reading

References

Jan 20, 2006·Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics = Zeitschrift Für Tierzüchtung Und Züchtungsbiologie·T O ReweA K Kahi

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Citations

Dec 6, 2012·Tropical Animal Health and Production·Plaxedis Ivy ZvinorovaNobbert Takarwirwa Ngongoni
Dec 24, 2015·International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics : JOSE·Robert GałązkowskiStanisław Paweł Świeżewski
Dec 22, 2010·Tropical Animal Health and Production·Robert MwebeChristopher Dennis Laker
Jan 31, 2021·Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience·J ManirakizaN Antoine-Moussiaux

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