When Isaac Nderi began dairy farming some five years ago, the bulk of his peers discouraged him to the point where he considered abandoning the endeavor.
However, he clung to his plan and used the setbacks as daily inspiration to see it through.
Those who once discouraged him are now envious of him, with others attempting to learn from him about dairy farming now that the miraa business has failed due to the closing of big marketplaces.
His influence is encouraging many Igembe North inhabitants to start dairy farming, despite the fact that they have long been recognized for large-scale miraa production and some small food crop cultivation.
Nderi runs Mlinzi Ni Mungu Dairy Farm in the constituency’s Nkandone district.
He credits his success to his enthusiasm for dairy farming and the information he gained from visiting agricultural institutes such as the Kaguru Agricultural Training Centre in Imenti South.
Nderi raises 30 Ayrshire and Freisian dairy cows on his quarter-acre plot of property and employs six people to work on the farm and in his dairy businesses in Laare and Nkandone.
“The farm is solely for milk production, and if a cow calves a bull, I give it to my two boys who help me on the farm as a way of motivating and appreciating their work,” he stated.
Nderi’s cows can produce 150 litres of milk each day, which he distributes between his two dairy depots in Laare, with the remainder sold to adjacent households and local hotels.
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This equates to approximately Ksh 7,500 per day and a monthly gross income of Ksh 225,000.
“From milk only, I get about Ksh 100, 000 income per month after deducting other expenses including workers’ pay. This is without including the amount of milk consumed by calves that are below three months, with each calf consuming approximately seven to eight liters per day,” he said.
Nderi stated that there is typically no waste on his property since he uses the manure from cow dung on his crops and sells the rest for Ksh 40,000 every truckload.
He stressed the need of providing cows with dry grass and enough water because cows consume less of them than green items such as new nappier grass, which only lasts a short time in their stomachs.
Apart from dry and green grass, Nderi feeds his cows processed meals tailored to each cow’s specific needs.
“I give pregnant cows canola and sunflower because they are high in protein. They also require dry salts, which supply iodine to pregnant cows and have been linked to stillbirths and weak newborn calves,” he said.
Nderi’s cows are typically served two to three months after birth, but if a cow is not ready for mating, he uses a GONAbreed injection to induce heat and the cow is ready to be fed within 24 hours.
He has divided his cow-pen into four sections: maternity (for cows who have just given birth), suckling, calves that have finished suckling and expectant cows.
Nderi has incorporated technology, using a milking machine to milk his cows and installing CCTV cameras to help him with security and herd monitoring.
“With the CCTV cameras, I can determine whether any of my cows are in heat, hurt, or giving birth even when I am away from the farm. I just need to link my phone to the cameras and tell my farm assistants what to do next,” he said.
Nderi has been able to acquire approximately 20 acres of land, two lorries and a Toyota probox vehicle for agricultural usage as a result of his farming activities.
