The impact of enhanced nutritional and feeding practices on growth and health of dairy calves in Mukurweini District of Kenya

Abstract

A pilot observational study and randomized control feeding trial were conducted in Mukurweini District, Nyeri County, Kenya over a period of eight weeks between May and August 2012, to determine the effects of nine feed intervention groups on the performance and growth of dairy calves. A total of 36 Kenyan smallholder farmers were purposively selected to participate based on Wakulima Dairy Limited records of artificial insemination (AI) that projected that the farms were likely to have a newborn calf « 1 week old) and farmers willingness to participate. The newborn calves were randomly allocated to a 3x3 factorial arrangement of feed intervention groups with 4 calves per group. The 9 feed groups were based on two possible groups of Calf Starter Intake and Milk Intake i.e., control, half and full-proper. Full calf starter intake was defined as lead feeding to achieve up to 1 kg/day consumption at weaning, half calf starter was to maximize intake at 0.5 kg/day consumption at weaning while control calf starter intake was whatever calf starter intake the farmer normally offered (0-0.2 kg/day). Full milk intake was defined as 4 Liters/day; and half milk intake was 2 Liters/day while control milk intake was whatever milk the farmer normally offered this ranged from (2-5 liters/day). Measurements were taken on the calves on a weekly basis for a period of eight weeks at ages ranging from 3 days old to 60 days old. Data were collected on the heart girth (converted to body weight) and height at the withers of the calves (along with gender), and converted to average daily gain in weight for the week. Data collected was analyzed using analysis of variance under the general linear model procedure at p:S0.05 to determine feed group effect and interaction on calf performance. In addition, the relationship between parameters studied was adjusted by the Bonferroni post-hoc test. Means and Standard deviations for weight and height were determined for ages 1 to 8 weeks