Improved dairy production: milking the benefits
Smallholder dairying has been identified as the preferred system for the
provision of milk in Tanzania by the Ministry of Agriculture.
However, in many regions, milk production is
often poor and cows are at risk from a wide variety of diseases. Humans may
also be at risk from the presence of tuberculosis and antibiotic residues in
milk. Technology transfer has therefore been the emphasis of a collaborative
project to improve cow health and to raise milk production between the Sokoine
University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania and the Universities of
Glasgow, Liverpool and Reading in the UK. The project has involved accurate
collection of data from two contrasting locations in Tanzania to
identify and qualify current causes of death and disease.
Most farmers are, however, already aware of the problems but, in order to
improve cow health and to raise milk production, communities have been involved
in participative approaches for disseminating the
information.
Revealing results
The majority of resource-poor dairy farmers only own one milking cow and perhaps some other younger dairy cattle, but these few livestock provide a diverse contribution to their livelihoods. However, data collected in 1998 from 400 Tanzanian farms has revealed that a significant number of dairy cattle were lost in the study regions that year: 13% in Iringa, a dry, cool highland region and 8% in Tanga, which is hot, humid and coastal. Of these deaths, 41% were caused by tick-borne disease. Treatment of tick-borne disease was also found to be inadequate, with severe underdosing with acaricides being frequently identified.
In addition production diseases, although usually less obvious than infectious diseases, were found to be a significant problem. For instance, mastitis (inflammation of the udder), which results in reduced production and quality of milk, was often not recognized and/or went untreated with the result that cows were at risk from persistent infection. Mastitis was also found to be most serious among urban dairy farmers where communal udder wash cloths, which are likely to spread infection among cows, were used prior to milking.
Spreading the word
To improve the quantity, quality and safety of milk produced, a greater number of farmers need to learn how to recognize and treat mastitis. Improved knowledge of drugs is also required to reduce costs to farmers and to decrease death and disease in cattle. A five-day mastitis workshop was held in Iringa for 40 village leaders and 15 extension officers, which was led by five Tanzanian and UK veterinary surgeons and by staff of the Southern Highland Dairy Development Programme. The hidden effects and cost of mastitis, including the possible risk to humans from disease and drugs, was highlighted. The outcome was the compilation of action plans which extension officers and village leaders felt were acceptable and affordable for the farmers in their particular areas.
Six village meetings, each attended by up to 150 people, have also been held in which a video has been used to show how to recognize mastitis, particularly sub-clinical mastitis where special tests are required to diagnose the condition. However, cheap tests that are easy to use to detect it are available and farmers have been instructed in the methods required to do this.
Collaborating scientists for the project are hopeful that further dissemination of this vital information on preventing mastitis will result in the improvement of milk production and quality in these and other regions in Eastern Africa. However, they are also keen to stress that, "Any messages that we do supply must be based on accurate data and we must ensure that they are suitable and relevant to other areas." To this end, further data will be collected during 2000 to assess the outcome and value of interventions, which will be introduced to the study herds in the form of acceptable, affordable control measures for reducing mastitis and tick-borne disease. If these management techniques prove to be a success, then the need for costly preventative measures will be reduced and resource-poor farmers - and consumers - will able to benefit from healthier cows and improved milk production.
