Nairobi Urban Farmer: 100 Liters of Milk Daily on a 50x100 Plot

Urban Dairy Success Story

• 💡 Daniel Taboot operates a thriving dairy farm on a 50x100 plot in Kasarani, Nairobi.
• 🎯 Starting in 2021 with one cow, his farm now produces approximately 100 liters of milk daily from five cows.
• ✅ He sells fresh milk directly to neighbors, meeting local demand and generating income.

Sustainable Farming Practices

• 🌱 The farm utilizes a zero-grazing unit to maintain cleanliness and efficiency in a residential area.
• 🌾 Cows are fed a strict diet of dry hay and Napier grass silage, with feeds sourced from Naivasha and a leased acre.
• 🧬 Daniel employs Artificial Insemination (AI) with high-quality semen, including Fleckvieh, to enhance herd genetics and production.

Breed Selection and Production

• 🐄 His herd includes Pure Holsteins, Friesian-Jersey Crossbreeds, Red Friesian, and Fleckvieh, chosen for quantity, butterfat, and dual-purpose traits.
• 📈 One cow, "002," is highly productive, yielding up to 35 liters per day due to efficient feed utilization.
• 🍼 Young stock are raised in an annex farm to ensure future milk supply and breed improvement.

Economic and Environmental Impact

• 💰 Milk is sold at 80 shillings per liter in Nairobi, offering a significant profit margin compared to other regions.
• ♻️ A 5,000-liter Home Biogas system converts cow dung into cooking gas, eliminating gas purchases and producing valuable manure.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The farm provides financial support for education and offers a therapeutic experience for Daniel, inspiring other urban farmers.

Future Vision and Advice

• 🚀 Daniel plans to expand to 20 milking cows to meet increasing demand and ensure long-term sustainability.
• 💡 He advises aspiring farmers to start small with young animals and gradually scale up, adapting to their financial capacity.
• 🌟 Emphasizes that milk demand is consistently high, making dairy farming a viable and rewarding venture, even in retirement.