Asian Journal of Research in Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Aims: This pilot field study assessed the response of three lactating Friesian-crossbred cows (n = 3), owned by three smallholder dairy farmers, to sequential improvements in water provision, forage intake and concentrate supplementation under smallholder farming conditions in Pongwe Ward, Tanga Region, United Republic of Tanzania.

Study Design: Three lactating Friesian-crossbred cows from three different smallholder farms were monitored over a six-week pilot intervention conducted in three consecutive phases. During the first phase, the cows were provided with unrestricted access to clean drinking water. In the second phase, fresh forage intake, comprising Guinea grass, Brachiaria spp. and Chloris gayana, was increased from approximately 20–25 kg to 60 kg per cow per day while ad libitum water provision was maintained. In the final phase, a concentrate mixture of maize bran and sunflower seed cake in a 6:4 ratio was introduced alongside the previous interventions.

Results: At the end of Week 2, milk yield had increased by 2.0–2.5 litres above the baseline levels of 10.5, 9.0 and 8.5 litres per cow per day for Cows 1, 2 and 3, respectively. By the end of Week 4, the increase in total milk production had reached 5.5–7.0 litres above baseline. By the end of Week 6, the increase in total milk production ranged from 7.0 to 8.0 litres above baseline. Mean milk yield increased from 9.33 litres per cow per day at baseline to 16.67 litres per cow per day at the end of the study, representing a 78.6% increase in milk production. Economic analysis showed that the intervention generated an additional 658 litres of milk during the six-week study period, equivalent to TZS 658,000 in gross additional revenue at a farm-gate milk price of TZS 1,000 per litre. Based on a standard lactation period of 305 days, maintaining the improved feeding regime could potentially generate approximately 6,710 litres of additional milk and TZS 6.71 million in additional gross revenue for the three lactating cows combined.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that the progressive correction of nutritional limitations and the provision of an adequate supply of clean drinking water to dairy cattle can substantially improve milk yield under smallholder dairy farming conditions, as well as farmers’ individual income.