Browsing by Author "Manyeki, J.K."
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Item Arid and Range Lands Research Institute Annual Report 2022-2023(Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, 2023) Katiku, P.N.; Bett, C.; Ogillo, B.P.; Manyeki, J.K.; Wambulwa, L.M.; Kuria, S.G.; Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research OrganizationThe Arid and Range Lands Research Institute (ARLRI) is one of the Institutes created under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act No 17 of 2013 to drive the research agenda and provide technical support to the livestock sub-sector with a focus on the rangelands of Kenya. The mandate of the ARLRI is to develop appropriate Technologies, Innovations and Management Practices (TIMPs) geared towards increased livestock productivity and sustainable management of landscapes that guarantees living income and quality life to communities living in the rangelands of Kenya. The Institute headquarters (HQ) is in Kiboko, Makueni County and has range grass ecotypes testing sites in Katumani (Kambe Mawe), Buchuma, Mariakani, Lanet and Alupe and Perkerra. The institute does basic, applied, adaptive research and facilitate the use of improved TIMPs in priority agricultural products value chains including beef, goat, range grass and fodder legume hay, range grass and legume seed in order to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency in feeds and food among the rangeland communities. The institute partners and collaborates with individual farmers, producer organizations, national and county governments, international development and research organizations in undertaking its research and technology transfer programs. Through these links, the institute is currently implementing 3 research projects funded to the tune of KES. 19 million for 2 years mainly by the EU, Government of the Kingdom of Netherlands and the World Bank. The main areas covered by these projects are; registration and release of range grass varieties, development of agronomic packages for the grasses, development of beef finishing and dairy improvement feeding innovations, commercial production of range grass and fodder legume seeds and technology transfer.Item Economics of Seed and Hay Production in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas(Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, 2017) Manyeki, J.K.; Kirwa, E.C.; Bryan, P.O.; Muthiani, E.N.; Mnene, W.N.; Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research OrganizationNational efforts to rehabilitate the degraded Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) has been ongoing through reseeding with the appropriate grasses, namely, Chloris roxburghiana (CHROX), Cenchrus ciliaris (CECI), Eragrostis superba (ERASU) and Enteropogon machrostychus (ENMA). However, there is inadequate information on the expected economic returns resulting in low priorities being assigned to range improvement by farmers and the government.Item Fodder Farming In The Arid And Semi-Arid Lands Of Kenya: A Potential Profitable Venture(IOSR Journal of Economics and Finance (IOSR-JEF), 2023-05-24) Manyeki, J.K.; Kuria, S.; Kidake,B.; Maweu, A.; Mulei, B.; Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research OrganizationBackground: In Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), the productivity of livestock is seriously constrained by the productivity and nutritive value of the common fodder species. Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization in partnership with SNV Netherlands promoted an innovative project of a mixed-sward of legume and grass production materials using a wide array of twenty genetic fodder materials. Materials and Methods: This paper employed a profit frontier efficiency alongside the financial accounting of gross margin and benefit-cost ratio to examine the profitability of the fodder materials promoted. Results: The results revealed how profitable the production of fodder legumes and grasses could be both in the lowlands and highlands zones of ASALs with an average of over 83.94% profit efficiency score and more than 2.7 benefit-cost ratios. It was also very clear that profit efficiency measurement is different from financial accounting measures of gross margin and benefit-cost ratio. Conclusion: Thus, an effective and broad-ranging legume-grass development program based on the two measures is central to addressing the productivity of fodder production in Kenya.Item Mortality in Galla Goat Production System in Southern Rangelands of Kenya: Levels and Predictors(Journal of Agricultural Production, 2022-12-15) Manyeki, J.K.; Kidake, B.; Mulei, B.; Kuria, S.; Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research OrganizationHerd health and adaptability are of concern in animal production in the tropics because of the persistent exposure to multiple stresses of low quality and quantity feeds, heat stress, high disease, and parasite incidences, poor husbandry, and breeding practices; the combined effects of these factors is high livestock mortality. High health-related mortality has been frequently reported as the major impediment to livestock production and thus the aim of this article is to investigate the vital infectious diseases and non-infectious factors that account for the majority of deaths which is crucial in determining mortality control strategies. The study applies a descriptive, Kaplan-Meier method, and truncated regression analysis using an eight-year retrospective data spanning from 2014 to 2021 was applied for this analysis. The results indicate infectious diseases as the most important cause of Galla goat mortality. The mean monthly and annual mortality rates are higher and the pre-weaning mortality of Galla goat appeared to be one of the major constraints hampering the development of replacement stock. The risk factors considered for high mortality were the age and sex of the kids. Among the infectious diseases analyzed, bacterial, parasitic, and non-specific infectious diseases were identified as the important causes of Galla goat mortality, while the non-infectious conditions included malnutrition and thermal/cold shock. The analysis provided an improved insight into animal-health-related factors which once addressed could reduce mortality and hence optimize animal husbandry performance in Galla goat production systems. Interventions in Galla goat health and husbandry are recommended to control kids' mortality.Item Promoting Improved Forages for Increased Livestock Productivity in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) of Kenya: A Case of Kajiado, Narok, and Taita Taveta Counties(International Journal of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, 2023) Maweu, A.N.; Korir, B.K.; Kuria, S.G.; Ogillo, B.P.; Kisambo, B.K.; Wambulwa, L.M.; Kubasu, D.O.; Musyimi, D.M.; Manyeki, J.K.; Chege, P.W.; Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research OrganizationInadequate nutrition is a major constraint that negatively impacts the growth and viability of cattle farming in Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). This is hastened by the adverse effects of climate change that lead to feed scarcity and poor-quality feed. However, these impacts can only be checked with the use of improved technologies hence the need to disseminate adaptation strategies and technologies. In an attempt to resolve the situation, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KARLO) in partnership with SNV Netherlands Development Organization agencies instituted a research program; Integrated & Climate Smart Innovations for Agro-Pastoralist Economies and Landscapes Kenya’s (ICSIAPL) and established demonstration plots across highlands and lowland regions in Kajiado, Narok and Taita Taveta counties. This paper focused on evaluating forage nutritive value and its impact on livestock productivity through testing changes in milk yield and animal acceptability for selected grasses and legumes that were promoted. All the grasses established in the lowland regions (Brachiaria camello, Nutrifeed, Sugar graze, Foxtail, Panicum maximum var Maasai) and legumes (cowpea, dolichos lablab and crotalaria) had crude protein above the critical level of 70kg/Dm except Sugargraze which had a Crude protein of 48 kg/Dm. The test animals showed high acceptability to Nutrifeed (83%) relative to the sugar graze (50%) and recorded 33% and 25% increase in milk when fed on nutrifeed and Sugargraze respectively. The highland grasses (Brachiaria cobra, Brachiaria cayman, Boma rhodes, Panicum maximum var Siambaza) and legumes (Desmodium, Lucerne, purple vetch, sweet potato vines and Mucuna) were also high in nutritive quality with Panicum maximum var Siambasa having high animal acceptability of 75% relative to Brachiaria cobra with 20%. Desmodium had animal acceptability rate of 80%. and recorded 23% increase in milk yield. The results inform that legume species promotes animal performance and should thus be included while feeding to boost the production for sustainable ruminant productivity under ASALs ecosystems.
