Livestock farmers in Kiambu Sub-County have been urged to keep livestock production records to enable them to evaluate performance. An official from High Chem Essential Limited, Mr. Richard Kibe told representatives of over 50 self help groups dealing with livestock production that records were crucial in monitoring the performance of their livestock.
Mr. Kibe was speaking during a farmer’s field day organised by the company at Ndumberi grounds. He urged farmers to attend record keeping seminars which were offered free of charge during field days.
"Although farmers know that it is important to keep records, most of them have no knowledge on how to go about the process,’’ said Kibe.
He challenged the farmers saying that lack of education is not the major reason why they do not keep records but that they have simply neglected a very important aspect of their livestock keeping.
“Probably if farmers kept records they would be able to see trends in their enterprise and make strategic plans to improve where they are not doing well which would then help them to see their enterprise as business ventures,’’ he added.
“The assumption that rural farmers are not educated and are therefore not able to keep records limits efforts in this regard thus undermining livestock development. This cannot assist researchers know where and when help is required,’’ Kibe further told the farmers.
However, a representative of the farmers, Mr. James Muya lamented that they lacked time to keep records. But Kibe told them that livestock farming without records was like a blind man groping in the dark without any assistance.
At the end of the meeting, farmers were given exercise books and pens to encourage them to begin keeping records.