The clinic: Experts give insights on varied crop and livestock issues

I WANT TO BE A GOAT, PIG AND SHEEP INSEMINATOR

I am a cattle inseminator but would wish to know how to do the procedure on pigs, sheep and goats. Where can I get training?

Artificial insemination in dairy cattle is a widespread practice in the country made easier by the availability of local and imported semen, trained inseminators, ease of access to the reproductive system for AI purposes and zero-grazing production systems, which make heat (oestrus) detection easy and lower the unit cost of AI products.

Easy availability of the product, on the other hand, is due to the ability of cattle semen to be processed by diluting (extending) and preserving it for longer periods under very low temperatures (cryopreservation).

These parameters are not universal and in beef cattle, for example, the extensive management systems like ranching and pastoral production complicate heat detection.

The unit cost of AI products in sheep and goats is low, while access to the reproductive system in sheep whereby semen is deposited in the uterus instead of the cervix is complex.

On the other hand, cryopreservation does not work well with pig semen. These factors constrain AI in these animals, leading to few inseminators and inseminator trainers.

Try Farmer’s Choice on 0722331706/0733570433 for AI in pigs and University of Nairobi or Dr Muchemi 0722874095 for training on goat insemination. The latter might require that you be in a class of 20-30.

OVERCOMING CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS AS A DAIRY FARMER

Climate change is here and most farmers are devastated. The rains are unpredictable and pests and diseases are also on the rise. Please advise on the ideal dairy animal, which is hardy, to keep in Eldoret profitably. I am tired of the hybrids.

Climate change is a challenge not only to dairy cattle keepers but also to all farmers. However, due to the increasing demand for animal products, the need to create employment and earn a reasonable income, there is need to understand the various coping strategies that one can use to mitigate the effects of climate change.

In dairy cattle farming, some of the strategies include management of breeds, weather information, feed/fodder and water.

The preferred dairy animal breeds locally are Friesian and Ayrshires. However, these breeds consume a lot of feeds and water and require strict disease control measures plus other management practices.

The advantage of these breeds is that they produce more milk per day than other breeds. Climate change, therefore, is likely to affect producers of these breeds but this does not have to be the case. All one needs is to produce and conserve feeds in the form of silage or hay.

Harvest and store adequate water and keep animals in structures that do not expose them to extreme temperatures.

Zero-grazing units are an example of such facilities. However, one can switch from the high to low consumers as another coping mechanism.

Relatively low consumers include breeds like Guernsey, Jersey and Brown Swiss. One can also crossbreed the high consumers with low consumers and keep dual purpose animals for meat and milk.

These animals tolerate weather changes and consume reasonably. Such breeds include Fleckvieh, Simmental and Sahiwal.

Another coping strategy is to switch from dairy cows to dairy goats, which can do well in Eldoret and they consume very little.

A-Z OF TOMATO FARMING
Could you educate us on tomato farming?
David Mbithi

Tomatoes can be grown in a greenhouse or in an open field. This means one should consider the ideal variety to plant since greenhouse tomatoes are usually indeterminate, while open-field tomatoes are often determinate.

To be a successful tomato farmer, it’s ideal to identify the correct varieties depending on the ecological conditions of your locality.

Ensure that the seeds are certified by Kephis. It’s advisable to first raise the seeds in a nursery and carry out the management practices effectively.

The nursery bed should be prepared adequately. A raised nursery bed would be ideal in areas that are prone to flooding, while sunken beds would be best in the dry regions to conserve moisture.

One may also use potting or seedlings trays to raise the seedlings. The management practices in the nursery include watering at the right time and quantity depending on the soil moisture contents, and the weather conditions.

Other management practices include weeding to control all the weeds that would compete for nutrients and harbour pests and diseases.

Control pests and disease in the nursery such as Tuta absoluta, and provide shade if necessary. This should be done until the seedlings are ready for transplanting.

One week to transplanting, the seedlings should be hardened so that they get used to the ecological conditions that they are likely to get in the field or the seedbed.

The seedlings are usually ready for transplanting after 3-4 weeks in the nursery. In this case, a seedling has 2-3 true leaves and about 10-15 cm in height.

Members of Solanaceae family (tomatoes or pepper) ought not to have been planted on the land in the previous season.

The land should be prepared to a fine tilth early enough to give time for the weeds to dry up. Well-rotted manure should be incorporated into the soil during land preparation.

This should be done early in the morning or late in the evening or when the weather condition is cool to prevent the transplanting shock.

The seedling should be planted at a spacing of 40 by 60cm depending on the variety.

While transplanting, one should ensure that the seedling is uprooted with a lump of soil to prevent root damage.

Transplant the seedling at the same depth they were in the nursery.

Watering should be immediately done after transplanting.

Fertiliser application
This should be prepared in line with the soil test analysis results, which show the nutrients required by the plant that are missing in the soil.

However, phosphorus fertilisers such as DAP can be used during transplanting. Top-dressing should be done using calcium ammonium nitrate.

One should be on the lookout for pests such as cutworms, which affect the seedlings, Tuta absoluta that affects the leaves, stems and damages the fruits, lowering their quality.

Some of the diseases include powdery mildew, early and late blight, among others.

The land should be weed-free as unwanted plants harbour pests and diseases, compete for nutrients and light. Weeding should be timely.

Staking should be done to offer the crop support and prevent the tomatoes from being affected by soil-borne diseases. Pruning is done to remove the affected leaves.

This is done when the tomatoes are mature. In most cases, the plants are usually mature after 2-3 months after transplanting.

The maturity index depends on the skin colour.

Answered by agronomist Ann Macharia.