Full research paper presented in the COVAB scientific conference Between 18th-19 July 2015.The research was carried out in Northern Uganda Under the supervision of Director of Research Ngetta Zonal Agricultural and development Institute (NGETTA ZARDI).

1. Materials and methods
The experiment was conducted at the Ngetta Zonal Agricultural
Research and Development Institute (NGEZARDI).
The 12 Friesian crosses were arranged in a Latin square design on-
station while yield trials carried out both on-station & on-farm.
Feeding regimes in form of 4 blended rations constituted the
treatments; Brachiaria + lablab (A) , Napier + lablab (B), wild/road side
pastures + lablab(C) and wild/road side pastures alone (D) were used.
Adjusted the yields were obtained by reducing on-station by 18.4%
to represent actual on-farm yield scenarios.
The economic analysis involved estimation of costs that vary, gross
field benefits and net benefits as described by (CIMMYT, 1989).
Materials and methods
The experiment was conducted at the Ngetta Zonal Agricultural
Research and Development Institute (NGEZARDI).
The 12 Friesian crosses were arranged in a Latin square design on-
station while yield trials carried out both on-station & on-farm.
Feeding regimes in form of 4 blended rations constituted the
treatments; Brachiaria + lablab (A) , Napier + lablab (B), wild/road side
pastures + lablab(C) and wild/road side pastures alone (D) were used.
Adjusted the yields were obtained by reducing on-station by 18.4%
to represent actual on-farm yield scenarios.
The economic analysis involved estimation of costs that vary, gross
field benefits and net benefits as described by (CIMMYT, 1989).
Introduction
 In northern Uganda, achieving the expended livestock outputs necessary to
meet prospective demand is still a daunting challenge (Nviiri et al., 2014).
 This is due to none sustainable supply of quality forages especially in the dry
seasons (Nviiri et al., 2014).
 Farmers therefore need to provide alternative feeds like forages of Calliandra
calothyrusus, Lablab purpureus and brans (Kabirizi, 1996; LSRP, 1999).
 Since the nutritive value of Lablab purpureus is high with crude protein (CP)
content and organic matter digestibility (OM Dig) of the leafy component
ranging between 21-38 and 55-76% respectively (Cameron, 1988) it can be used
to compliment high quality forages of Brachiaria, Napier and Panicum.
 However, these feeding strategies have not adopted fully by the dairy farmers
in the zone to address the feeding constraints.
 This is because these feeding constraints are deeply rooted into the limited
understanding of the benefits from pasture farming based dairy production
Introduction
 In northern Uganda, achieving the expended livestock outputs necessary to
meet prospective demand is still a daunting challenge (Nviiri et al., 2014).
 This is due to none sustainable supply of quality forages especially in the dry
seasons (Nviiri et al., 2014).
 Farmers therefore need to provide alternative feeds like forages of Calliandra
calothyrusus, Lablab purpureus and brans (Kabirizi, 1996; LSRP, 1999).
 Since the nutritive value of Lablab purpureus is high with crude protein (CP)
content and organic matter digestibility (OM Dig) of the leafy component
ranging between 21-38 and 55-76% respectively (Cameron, 1988) it can be used
to compliment high quality forages of Brachiaria, Napier and Panicum.
 However, these feeding strategies have not adopted fully by the dairy farmers
in the zone to address the feeding constraints.
 This is because these feeding constraints are deeply rooted into the limited
understanding of the benefits from pasture farming based dairy production
Conclusion
•Pasture farming in Northern Uganda is economically viable for farmers who can
afford to invest at least 1,400,000 shillings in an acre of land to produce forage.
•The adoption of pasture farming based dairy production is greatly challenged by
lack of reliable information to the farmers as regards feed resource development.
Conclusion
•Pasture farming in Northern Uganda is economically viable for farmers who can
afford to invest at least 1,400,000 shillings in an acre of land to produce forage.
•The adoption of pasture farming based dairy production is greatly challenged by
lack of reliable information to the farmers as regards feed resource development.
Objective
The study aimed at determining the economic benefits of pasture farming based
dairy production using Brachiaria hybrid cv mulato, pennisetum purpureum,
Panicum maxima and lablab purpureus in Northern Uganda.
Objective
The study aimed at determining the economic benefits of pasture farming based
dairy production using Brachiaria hybrid cv mulato, pennisetum purpureum,
Panicum maxima and lablab purpureus in Northern Uganda.
A comparative analysis of Pasture Farming based Dairy production systems in Northern Uganda
Nviiri Geofrey1*
, Constantine Katongole3
, Mugerwa Swidiq2
, Jolly M. Kabirizi2
1
Ngetta Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute P.O. Box 52 Lira, Uganda …
2
National Livestock Resources Research Institutes, P. O. Box 96, Tororo, Uganda…….…….…….
3
Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
Cost-benefit analysis table for the different feeding regimes
Results and discussions
The combination Brachiaria hybrid cv. Mulato Lablab purpureus forage recorded the
highest organic matter digestibility (OM dig) & digestible organic matter yield of 67.8%
& 4.163 tons per hectare respectively.
The milk yields were maximum for the Brachiaria hybrid cv. Mulato Lablab purpureus
forage feeding regime due to its high organic matter digestibility.
In this current study, the marginal rate of return (MRR) from feeding natural pastures
to cultivated Panicum + lablab, Napier + lablab and Brachiaria hybrid cv mulato + lablab
were 130.9, 217.6 and 237.7% respectively, all far beyond 50%. However, the minimum
MMR acceptable to farmers before making a decision to change from an old practice to
a new practice is 50% (CIMMYT, 1989).
The results therefore fully justify the adoption of pasture farming based dairy
production in Northern Uganda.
However, pasture farming is out of phase compared to growing interest and adoption
of dairy farming.
Results and discussions
The combination Brachiaria hybrid cv. Mulato Lablab purpureus forage recorded the
highest organic matter digestibility (OM dig) & digestible organic matter yield of 67.8%
& 4.163 tons per hectare respectively.
The milk yields were maximum for the Brachiaria hybrid cv. Mulato Lablab purpureus
forage feeding regime due to its high organic matter digestibility.
In this current study, the marginal rate of return (MRR) from feeding natural pastures
to cultivated Panicum + lablab, Napier + lablab and Brachiaria hybrid cv mulato + lablab
were 130.9, 217.6 and 237.7% respectively, all far beyond 50%. However, the minimum
MMR acceptable to farmers before making a decision to change from an old practice to
a new practice is 50% (CIMMYT, 1989).
The results therefore fully justify the adoption of pasture farming based dairy
production in Northern Uganda.
However, pasture farming is out of phase compared to growing interest and adoption
of dairy farming.
Milking dairy cow feeding on TNR from SS
Chopped stovers before pulverizing
Preparing Tithonia for making TMR
Pulverized stovers
Treatment Milk yield
(L/cow/day)
DMI
(kg/cow/day)
OM dig
(%)
(A)
13.5179a
8.6286a
64.3
(B) 13.4393a
9.6857a
61.5
(C) 12.1286b
10.7071b
67.8
(D) 6.1429c
6.5607c
45.72
LSD 0.8003 0.5631
P - value <0.0001 <0.0001
Feeding treatments
(A) (B) (C) (D)
Dry matter yield (t/ha). 3.521 4.5732 5.86 -
Adjusted dry matter yield (t/ha). 2.95764 3.84148 4.9224 -
Total costs that vary of availing forage at the units
(‘000 Ugx) 1,053 1,140 1,540 -
Cost of feeding for the 4 weeks (Ugx). 106,667 80,185 93,644 56,000
Gross milk benefits (4 weeks) (Ugx). 453,960 407,520 451,200 206,400
Forage requirement per cow per day. 10.7 9.65 10.69 6.56
Feeding period per acre (days). 276 398 460 -
Net benefits in the 4 weeks (Ugx). 347,293 327,335 357,556 150,400ab
Means within the same column with different superscripts
are significantly different (P<0.05)
1 US Dollar =2,800 Uganda shillings
Dry matter intake (DMI), OM digestibility and milk yield of
Friesian-crosses fed on the four dietary treatments
Tables