Farmers in Laikipia County have been urged to embrace German Alpine goats breed aimed at boosting their livelihood and increased productivity.
The German Alpine goat also called Kenyan Alpine has high milk production, easy to manage and resistant to diseases.
Laikipia livestock director Pius Butishi speaking in Naibor and Rumuruti on Wednesday during a German Alpine goat distribution exercise where about 10 groups benefited courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Kenya, he said that goats farming was a solution to addressing poverty in the area due to their high market value with an year old goat fetching more than Sh.16,000.
He said that Kenya Apline goat milk was costly with about Sh.150 per litre and in demand hence the need to focus on rearing them to fill in the deficit of the highly sought nutrition product.
‘’German Alpine has a higher pedigree and factories are looking for their milk to make cheese. We can come together and produce enough milk, the demand is good and with good returns,” said Butishi.
Butishi revealed that Alpine breeds were resilient and profitable compared to traditional goats breeds.
Habitat for Humanity Kenya livelihood officer Ms Vivian Wafula encouraged the beneficiaries to practice Zero grazing farming aimed at reducing raiding.
‘’Majority of our farmers are pastoralists and if they concentrate on zero grazing cattle, rustling will drastically reduce and at the same time restock the goats among themselves,” said Ms Wafula.
Udugu Umoja Self Help Group treasurer Rahab Wambui and one of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude noting with the goats their lives would improve.
‘’We are empowered, our lives will change since when we get the milk, we will be able to feed ourselves and educate our children,” said Wambui, revealing that some of the proceeds from milk would be channelled to the group bank account to enable members engage in table banking.
The beneficiaries were further cautioned against selling donated goats but instead to use them to improve their lives.
