At this year’s national agric show, which ended recently on the outskirts of Abuja, some livestock farmers have presented a number of cattle breeds, which they said will be good for those intending to start a dairy farm.
One of such exhibitors is the Maliya Market and Farm based at the Tudun Wada along the Abuja-Keffi expressway, which has an array of different breeds of animals for different purposes.
Farmers who want to start dairy, for example, could invest as little as N2 million to acquire two young cows, which the farmer can use for further breeding and better milk yields.
According to one of the farm’s officials, who identified himself as Abdullahi at the exhibition, the breeds produce better milk and have bolstered the farm’s supply of milk.
- UN Women seeks traditional, religious leaders’ involvement in combating SGBV
- Drought hits food access for 26 million in southern Africa – UN
He said a young cow of about two years goes for up to N1 million. He added that a farmer who does not have a good bull to cross can buy some and leave it with them to pick them up when they are pregnant.
If the farmer is lucky that one of the newborns is a male, it will solve the problem of looking for a male for mating. He, however, added that such a farmer would have to pay for the feeding of the cows until such a time he or she picks them up.
“You don’t have to start with many animals; you can start with just one, two, or three, depending on your financial strength. But my advice is to experiment with one or two because something you don’t have good knowledge of, you have to start small first,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has received expressions of interest from Egypt and Denmark to partner with Nigeria to develop its livestock sector.
Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohamed Fouad, congratulated the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Muktar Maiha, on his appointment and expressed Egypt’s readiness to collaborate with Nigeria on livestock.
“We are ready to share our expertise with Nigeria to modernize its livestock sector,” Fouad said. Egypt’s expertise in breeding, feed production, and animal health is expected to benefit Nigeria’s livestock sector.
Similarly, the Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens Ole Bach Hansen, led a delegation of top executives from leading Danish livestock companies on a working visit to the ministry.
Hansen commended Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating the ministry, saying, “The creation of the ministry is indicative of a deep understanding of the needs of Nigeria and the strategic vision to address them.”
Livestock Development minister, Idi Muktar Maiha, expressed Nigeria’s openness to collaborations that would improve the livestock sector’s capacity to meet local and international demands.
He said the ministry is working on establishing advanced laboratories, enhancing indigenous breeds, and achieving sufficiency in feed and fodder cultivation.
The proposed partnerships with Egypt and Denmark are expected to contribute significantly to the growth and development of Nigeria’s livestock sector. The collaborations will also provide opportunities for knowledge transfer, capacity building, and investment in the sector.
The partnerships will further create jobs and stimulate economic growth in rural areas, contributing to Nigeria’s overall economic development.
The ministry has also said they are committed to ensuring that the benefits of these partnerships are equitably distributed among stakeholders.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
