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Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent
IN an effort to increase milk production in Chipinge District, Government has disbursed farming inputs to 315 smallholder dairy farmers to help them grow food for their livestock.
The inputs will be used to grow silage in a move aimed at increasing feed for the cattle.
Each farmer received five bags of Compound D.
Chipinge livestock development officer Mr John Mwandifura confirmed the development and said the programme is targeting farmers with cows and heifers.
“The programme is targeting to reduce the cost of producing milk for smallholder dairy farmers. Much of the revenue dairy farmers generate goes towards stock feed.
“If farmers produce silage on their own, it will enable them to reduce the cost of milk production by 45 percent. We hope once these farmers harvest silage each cow will produce an average of 20 litres of milk per day,” he said.
Mr Mwandifura added that the programme was also extended to beef and goat farmers.
He said: “We are also promoting fodder production where we grow grass such as napier grass, star grass and velvet bean which is also used in feeding cattle and goats.”
Online Reporter