Effect of mixed maize-legume silages on milk quality and quantity from lactating smallholder dairy cows.

The study investigated the effect of the following maize:legume (70:30) mixed crop silages: maize:cowpea, maize:velvet bean, and maize:lablab on milk production during the 2016 dry season. Using a 5 × 5 double Latin square design, five Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows in early lactation (30 ± 15 days) and five Jersey crossbred cows in early lactation (25 ± 10 days) were given the supplementary mixed crop silage diets at 0.5 kg/l of milk produced over 105 days.

Viability of smallholder dairying in Wedza, Zimbabwe.

Viability differences in smallholder dairy farming are a result of differences in access to markets and services. It is hypothesized that innovations that improve productivity and market linkages also improve returns and viability. The viability of smallholder dairying in Wedza was characterised by interviewing 52 households using semi-structured questionnaires.