Vol. 10, Issue 2, Part C (2025)

Author(s): Ondiek JO, Kemboi F, Muema L, Ntinyari PN, Shakala EK, Mugambi A, Ajambo R, Olengo G, Odongo S and Cheng Y

Abstract: This study evaluated the seasonal pattern and variability of rice straw for feeding livestock within smallholder farming systems in Ahero, Kenya. This study adopted both qualitative and quantitative research methodology, data collected from smallholder farmers. Demographic analysis focused on gender with 62.86% of the respondent being male while age distribution revealed 39.18% of the respondent fell within the 45-54 age bracket. Education levels were modest, with 70.85% completing primary or secondary school. All respondents were farmers, growing rice in one to five acres of land (85.71%). The respondents had over ten years of rice farming experience for 24.29% of respondents. The most adopted rice variety was the IR 27 (88.89%). Rice straw was identified as the leading rice by-product used in feeding livestock (71.21%) and its utilization includes baling (34.65 %) and mulching (30.69%). Nevertheless, advanced utilization methods, such as silage production, were minimally adopted (0.99%). The survey revealed that livestock systems were largely based on extensive grazing (50%) and tethering (47.14%) in both the wet and the dry season, thus limiting intensification. Seasonal feed accessibility remained a major challenge, with crop residue (55.2%) and pasture (42.4%) being the main feed sources. The dry season supplements included rice straw at 56.86%, and maize stovers at 43.14%. Among the respondents, 48.57% indicated that they used value-addition techniques; drying was the most prevalent method (97.06%), and the grinding method was rarely practiced (2.94%) in the region. Knowledge about value-addition techniques knowledge was low, 54.26% of respondents expressed no knowledge about the practices. There was also minimal effort on feed conservation techniques, with no respondents reporting the use of barns, silos, or concentrate supplements in the study area. Therefore, enhanced awareness and adoption of value-added feed technologies and conservation strategies across the study area will bolster feed accessibility as well as livestock productivity.

DOI: 10.22271/veterinary.2025.v10.i2c.2065