Abstract:

milk prices and to identify constraints to marketing of raw milk. Seventy seven farmers
heads of cattle, the medium herds had 50-100 heads of cattle, and the large herds had
over 100 heads of cattle.
The majority of cattle owners (47.4%) (n=77) were illiterate, while only 5.3% had studied
above ordinary level. The land acreage per unit head of cattle was 1.6, 2.7 and 6.5 acres
for the small, medium and large herd size strata respectively. The majority of farmers
from the large herd stratum took dairy farming as a way of life; whereas the majority in
the medium herd size herd stratum said it was profitable. There was overwhelming
gender imbalance in livestock ownership. Ninety point seven percent (n=77) were males
as compared to 11.3% . The majority of farmers in the large herd stratum (68.4%), kept
local long-horned Ankole cattle, whereas the majority of farmers in the small and
medium herd strata (62.5% and 90.5%) kept crosses respectively. All farmers raised their
herds on natural pastures, none of the farmers gave supplements to their calves, used
manure nor borrowed a bank loan. The mean AFC, CI and LL were 27.9, 16.7 and 10.7
respectively. Farmers were using local, cross bred or exotic bulls for breeding. No farmer
used AL Farmers in the small and medium herd size strata used cross breeds as sires
mainly; whereas those with large herds used local Ankole bulls as sires. Eighty eight
percent (n=68) were watering their cattle from dams and 12% from river Katonga. Water
scarcity during drought and high costs of bush clearing were the major constraint to their
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The study was done in Burunga Sub-county to establish impact of fluctuations in raw
were sampled from stratified farms according to herd size. The small herds had 1-50
cattle enterprise. Only 32.5% of the overall farmers were members of dairy cooperative;
preservatives to raw milk to extend its shelf life. Milk vendor especially pick-up milk
traders attributed the payment of low price for raw milk to long distance, seasonal roads
and poor quality of milk. For 50.2% of the respondents, the income from raw milk sales
could not sustain farm activities; whereas 27.6% had to sell live cattle to manage farm
expenditures. Eighty eight percent (n=66) made ghee when there was no buyer for milk,
whereas 11.6% retained it for home consumption. Dairy plant managers set lower and
upper price limits when prices fell and
form of tick control using acaricides, antibiotics, anti trypanocides and dewormers.
There was marked rise of prices of milk during dry season averaging Ug. Shs. 340±16.2;
and lowest during rainy season averaging Ug. Shs. 150 ±12.2. The average price for raw
milk was Ug. Shs. 266±12 for the whole year sales.
The gross margin (GM)/acre for the small, medium and large herd size strata were found
to be Ug.Shs. 50,000 Ug.Shs. 93,000 and Ug.Shs. 26,000 respectively