A Nyeri farmer Mr. Muhika Mutahi has devised a new way to boost milk production among his cows.
Mutahi plays music and spreads sleeping mattresses for his cows, in order to boost milk production. Asked about the role played by music, the farmer explained that it makes the cows relax, hence increasing milk production.
Every cow has its own mattress to increase their comfort.
29 years ago, the farmer became a pioneer in owning a private milk processor in Nyeri county. The venture has since grown into yielding over 1 billion returns annually.
Initially, there were only 25 farmers and at least 31 litres to kick off the business, with the aim of getting the milk produce from local farmers.
"The first yield from the four cows I started with was just 15 litres of milk," recalled Mutahi, who got the dairy farming know-how from his grandfather.
"He (Mutahi's grandfather) used to graze his herds freely in the field. I decided to do things differently," the farmer added.
Currently, Mutahi owns 40 heads of cattle, which produce 260 litres of milk daily.
His cows feed on concentrates, hay and silage. But he attributes his high milk production to his feeding plan. The farmer aspires to become a pedigree cows' breeder, a business he says will run simultaneously with dairy farming.