Nyagatare’s 215,000 cattle produce far less milk than expected

The district has the country’s largest cattle population and extensive grazing land, but local authorities say low milk production is limiting farmers’ incomes.

Acting Nyagatare District Mayor Henry Kakooza said the district has 5,287 grazing areas covering more than 68,000 hectares.

It also has 15 milk collection centres and 27 functional artificial ponds. In partnership with the CDAT project, two more ponds are being developed, one in Bwera Sector in Matimba and another in Karangazi.

The district has also drilled 184 boreholes to provide water for livestock, although authorities say more infrastructure is still needed.

“We have 184 boreholes that support livestock farming, but there is still a water shortage. We also have seven cattle markets, where around 850 cattle are sold on a busy day. We also have a modern abattoir with a large capacity compared with the small number of cattle currently taken there,” Kakooza said.

Figures from a cattle vaccination campaign conducted in late July put Nyagatare’s cattle population at about 215,000, with large numbers concentrated in Karangazi and Rwimiyaga sectors.

Only 30% of cattle produce milk

Despite the size of the herd, authorities say milk production remains a major concern.

“Although we have 215,000 cattle, only 30% are producing milk. This means our farmers are operating at a loss because the income they generate is not enough to maintain their farms. Some have to obtain money from other sources to maintain their livestock operations,” Kakooza said.

In some parts of the district, cows produce only one or two litres of milk per day.

Kakooza said better milk yields are mainly recorded among cattle kept in zero-grazing systems, citing farmers in Karama Sector as an example.

Milk prices put pressure on farmers

Farmers also face low milk prices, with a litre selling for around Rwf400.

Producers say the price is not enough to cover the cost of keeping cattle, particularly as animal feed and other inputs become more expensive.

The district is working with experts, including those from the University of Rwanda, to assess farmers’ production costs against the income generated from livestock farming.

Authorities hope the assessment will help identify ways to make dairy farming more economically viable.

Most cattle breeds are unknown

Another challenge is the lack of reliable information about the breeds of cattle kept in the district.

“Currently, we know the breeds of only 6% of our cattle. About 16% are identified as indigenous Rwandan cattle, while the breed of 77% is unknown,” Kakooza said.

The district has allocated funds to help identify the breed of individual cattle. Authorities say this will support better breeding decisions, including artificial insemination programmes aimed at increasing the number of high-yielding dairy cattle.

The district also says some farmers continue to favour traditional cattle breeds over dairy breeds, while the high cost of animal feed remains a major obstacle to improving productivity.

Water and electricity remain obstacles

Access to water and electricity in livestock-rearing areas is another challenge.

Authorities expect the ongoing expansion of electricity access this year to reach more areas used for livestock farming, which could improve conditions for farmers and support higher production.