Livestock Farmers in Laikipia County Set to Reap Big From Feedlot Breeding

Laikipia County has been hailed on numerous occasions for its prowess in the agricultural sector, a field that the County Government has continued to progress in through its ability to intertwine technology and innovation into the sector.

The Laikipia County Government in its bid, which ought to be a lesson to other Counties in the Country, to empower its livestock farmers through the introduction of feedlots which are aimed at the production of quality beef.

According to the County Government, animals bred in feedlots produce quality beef as they fatten due to restricted movement as they are fed on hay and supplements while in an enclosure and hence gain the desired weight within a short time.

Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries County Executive Member Dr. Lucy Murugi urged farmers to embrace the feedlots concept and reap better returns from their practice.

Dr. Murugi spoke during a National government service coordination committee meeting for departmental heads in County and National government convened by Laikipia County Commissioner Onesmus Kyatha and Governor Nderitu Mureithi in Nanyuki town

“We are sensitizing our farmers that feedlots will help them breed quality bulls for slaughter and thus earn better than when they graze them while moving from place to place as they don’t meet the desired beef quality when slaughtered,” Dr. Murugi informed the meeting.

Feedlots help limit animal movement and hence curb cattle rustling which has been a challenge among residents in the Laikipia County.

The Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries department has 70,000 cattle fitted with a microchip to help in curtailing rustling as it would enable easy tracking of the animals.

The Laikipia County Governor noted that if livestock farmers in Laikipia County were to embrace feedlots, then the County would be in a position to employ 10,000 to 15,000 locals the value chain.

“For us as a County to be able to produce quality beef for export, then we have to start rearing our cattle on feedlots since it’s the only profitable way of doing it,” Governor Mureithi noted.

Feedlots would enable livestock farmers in Laikipia County to easily fatten their cows for slaughter as the movement of animals leads to weight loss, this would make the top provider of beef meat in the Country and in turn employ great numbers of the residents.

Mugie Conservancy and Ol Maisor

Mugie Conservancy is at the very western edge of the Laikipia plateau and is a 200-sq-km private wildlife reserve.

Mugie prides of being home to heavyweight animals such as the big cats, elephants, Gravy’s zebras, and endangered Jackson’s hartebeests.

Mugie has been charged with the mandate to implement the Laikipia Governor’s vision when it comes to empowering livestock farmers together with the Ol Maisor ranch which is at the north of Mugie.

Ol Maisor has currently been enjoying peace and healing from the invasion of illegal herders who left several people including Britons dead, livestock stolen, and landowners including Kuki Gallmann injured.

Feedlots are most definitely the solution required to sort the mess of cattle rustling in the Laikipia ranches which is previous years has been a cause of deaths, loss of property and outright enmity among constituents.