Improving forage processing for smallholder dairy farmers in Uganda

Abstract

Two types of improved forage choppers were developed to satisfy the fine chop requirement of materials used for animal feed and improve on labour use efficiency. The two types were set to address the economic differences among farmers, giving a range to choose from depending on ones’ affordability: the motorised one and the manually operated chopper. The choppers have been extensively tested on elephant grass, guatermala, corn stoves and calliandra with both female and male adults, boys and girls operators. The engine speed for the motorised chopper was varied during the tests between low (1000 rpm) and high (1500 rpm). Using the improved choppers on elephant grass, a clean fine chop was obtained with a capacity of between 150 - 480 kg/hr and length of cut between 25 - 45 mm for 65% of sample. For corn stoves, the capacity and length of chop were between 110 to 312 kg/hr and between 25 - 45 mm for 55 % of sample respectively. Guatermala grass registered between 170 - 394 kg/hr and between 25 - 45 mm for 60% of sample while calliandra gave between 130 to 410 kg/hr. Fuel consumption of the motorised chopper was approximately 0.89 - 1.2 It/hr. Comparative tests for the traditional manual chopping with a machete gave 37-101 kg/hr for elephant grass, 45 - 95 kg/hr for maize stoves, 44-112 kg/hr for guatermala and 69-119 kg/hr for calliandra. Besides the lack of uniformity in the length of cut, results show a significant difference in the capacities attainable with the traditional manual chopping with a machete and the improved forage choppers. The cost of the improved forage choppers is off set by the economic gain realised by the increased feed consumption which in turn improves the livelihoods of dairy farmers through the increased milk yields.