Livestock is one of the sectors with a huge economic benefits and the potential for job creation especially in value addition. It will play a big role in the manufacturing pillar of the Big Four Agenda.
Quick earning beef, dairy breeds
Kenya has a thriving beef and dairy industry supplying a huge local, regional and international market. Arid and semi-arid areas account for most of Kenya’s beef production. and beef and dairy products account for up to 10 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Beef and beef products
Pastoralists account for 90 percent of meat produced in the country. The bulk of cattle population is concentrated in Rift Valley, Eastern and Nyanza. Beef is produced for both local consumption and export. Most animals are kept in the pastoral areas like Samburu and Turkana and in ranches in regions like Laikipia, Nakuru, Trans Nzoia, Kajiado and parts of Kilifi and Kwale at the Coast. Kenya exports its meat through the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC).
The commission supplies meat and meat products to markets such as United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Egypt.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the total value of marketed livestock and related products in 2018 rose to Sh135.6 billion from Sh125.4 billion in 2016.
Major beef breeds include:
East African Zebu: It is the most populous breed accounting for 70 percent of beef animals in Kenya. The animals are tolerant to drought and diseases, weighs 200-300kg and are well suited to pastoral systems.
Boran: This is a large animal with an average weight of 750kg. It is tolerant to drought and diseases and is suitable for ranches and pastoralist farming systems. It is early-maturing and offers high quality meat.
Sahiwal: This breed has a medium body weighing 300- 450kg, it is hardy, tolerant to diseases and drought, produces meat and milk, early-maturing, has a high fertility and suitable for dry-land dairy farming.
Red Poll: This animal has white patches on the tail and udder, with a deep red body in colour. It is dual-purpose cattle and does not have horns. The Red Poll produces high quality beef with a high bone to meat ratio and matures fast.
Dairy
Kenya is one of the leading milk producers in Africa, with small-scale dairy farmers accounting for 80 percent of production. The dairy sub-sector contributes about eight percent of Gross Domestic Product with an annual milk production of 3.43 billion litres. Kenya has an estimated 3.3 million pure breed dairy animals, which produce 60 percent of the total milk output.
Popular dairy breeds
Friesian: This animal that originated from the Netherlands has distinctive black and white markings on its coat. They are large and outstanding milk producers and can be milked up to three times a day if kept under good management. Mature cows weigh 500 to 650kg and stand 4.8 feet tall at the shoulder. The breed is the best option for farmers in places like Nairobi, central Kenya and cooler parts of the Rift Valley like Nakuru, Naivasha, Kitale and Laikipia.
Guernsey: They have an appealing colour that ranges from yellow to reddish-brown with white patches. It is a small-breed animal compared to Friesian. The cow weight ranges from 450 to 500kg, while bulls weigh 600 to 700kg.
Jersey: It originated from England and is more adaptable to extremes of heat and cold. Normally, they are light brown, grey, brown, cream or black. Though they are the smallest dairy breeds with cows weighing 400 to 500kg and bulls 540 to 820kg, they have great personalities. The breed is popular for the highest butterfat content of its milk of over 4.9 per cent and over 3.9 per cent protein, making its milk best for making cheese and butter.
Ayrshire: This is medium-sized cattle with reddish-brown mahogany colour varying from very light to dark and white. The animal is hardy and adapts well to adverse feeding and climate, making it suitable for some areas of western Kenya.
Dairy products
Milk products
Kenya produces a variety of dairy products for both local and export market. They include powdered milk, long-life milk, butter, ghee, cheese and yoghurt
Live animals
Owing to her developed livestock sector, Kenya exports live animals (goats, camels and dairy breeding stocks) to the regional markets and Middle East. Most of the animals sold to the regional markets like Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, DRC, Sudan, Ethiopia and Zambia are for breeding purposes. Exports to the Middle East are normally for slaughter. The peak for exports is often during religious ceremonies and the pilgrimage.
Camel
There are 1.6 million camels in Kenya, with the most common being the Somali breed. Some 90 per cent of the camels are found in pastoralist areas. Camels adapt easily to harsh weather conditions and can survive 14-days without drinking water. Camels provide very nutritious milk (about six litres daily), meat, skin and cash. They are a major source of livelihood for people living in arid and semi- arid areas. There has been increased focus on adding value to camel milk, with products such as cheese, butter, sweetened condensed milk, fermented milk and yoghurt coming out of the effort. The most common product is fermented camel milk.
Due to her developed livestock sector, Kenya exports live animals (goats, camels and dairy breeding stocks) to the regional markets and Middle East
Goats
The most popular breeds in the country include the African Galla goat and the Small East Africa goat. Galla is white and long-legged, indigenous mainly to the pastoral communities of Northern Kenya. It is also referred to as the Borana or Somali goat. The goats are docile and easy to handle unlike their jumpy cousins, the East African Goat. Other breeds mainly kept for milk are Alpines and Toggenburgs.
Leather and leather products
In Kenya, the bulk of conventional leather production is accounted for by cattle hides. This accounts for 70 per cent of all leather manufactured, sheep skin (20 per cent) and goat skin (10 per cent). Other less significant sources include calf, lamb and kid skin, fish, buffalo hides, ostrich skin, crocodile and pig skin. Tanning is also a thriving industry with 14 functioning tanneries with an installed capacity of 3.3 million hides and 8.3 million skins. Products include wet-blue and tanned leather. Kenya manufactures varied leather goods including footwear, handbags, wallets and belts, some of which are exported to Uganda, Tanzania, COMESA, US, EU, and other regions.
In rural areas, about 75 per cent of households keep chicken, and 96 per cent in Nyanza and western Kenya. To meet rising demand as well as provide a breed that is resistant and productive, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation in partnership with Egerton University released the improved Kienyeji chicken in 2012
Poultry
Poultry farming is mostly practised on smallscale, for domestic consumption. Though poultry farming includes rearing of various types of birds like turkeys, geese and ducks, chicken remain, by far, the most popular.
Many types of chicken are kept around the country including improved breeds like Kuroiler, Kenbro and Kari Kienyeji. Others are Rhode Island Red, Light Sussex, New Hampshire Red, Black Australorps, White leghorns, layers and broilers. Indigenous chicken constitute over 70 per cent of the estimated 45 million fowls in the country.
Nearly half of Kenya’s households (about 5.5 million homes), keep poultry. In rural areas, about 75 per cent of households keep chicken, and 96 per cent in Nyanza and western Kenya.
To meet the rising demand as well as provide a poultry breed that is resistant and highly productive, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) in partnership with Egerton University released the improved Kienyeji chicken in 2012.