Public-private partnerships for unlocking the potential of dairy cattle productivity in Uganda for improved livelihoods
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Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Livestock Research for Rural Development
Abstract
Complementary synergies between the private sector endowed with agro-industrial sugar cane molasses
and university scientists equipped with scientific knowledge and skills were used to convert sugarcane
molasses into a commercial dairy feed supplement. Scientists from Makerere University in partnership with
Kakira sugar Works Ltd., Kakira Out-growers Rural Development Fund (KORD) and Dairy Development
Authority (DDA) in a participatory manner tested the effect of molasses urea supplement (MUS) on dairy
cattle productivity among zero grazing farmers. One hundred Friesian dairy cows were used to evaluate the
effect of graded levels of MUS on milk productivity using four treatments: 1) Control, representing
farmers’ dairy management practice without the MUS supplement intervention, 2) control + 0.5 kg/animal
/day MUS 3) control + 1 kg/animal/day MUS 4) control + 2 kg/animal/day MUS. Data was analysed using
polynomial contrasts with linear and quadratic functions. Adoption of the intervention was also tested
among the zero grazing farmers to find how farmers embraced the innovation.
Milk yield increased linearly with a quadratic trend. Increasing response in milk production at a decreasing
rate suggested that MUS supplementation was optimal at 1 kg/animal/day. The dairy supplement has now
been commercialized as “milk booster”. Adoptability analysis of the innovation indicated existence of
variations in milk yield across different farms even when the farms were supplied with similar levels of
supplementation of MUS. It was concluded that complementary synergies between public and private
sector is crucial in translating science into tangible commercial molasses urea supplement for improved
dairy cattle productivity in Uganda.
Description
Keywords
Agricultural research, Commercialization, Competitiveness, Innovations, Knowledge and skills, Molasses urea supplement, Zero-grazing dairy farmers
Citation
Kabi, F., Bareeba, F. B., Kwizera, M., Walekhwa, P., Prasad, V. D. S. R., Raju, D. V. N., ... & Ssekitoleko, A. (2013). Public-private partnerships for unlocking the potential of dairy cattle productivity in Uganda for improved livelihoods. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 25(6), 109.