January 31, 2023

 

New animal husbandry farm with cow milking parlour set up in Nigeria, Sokoto State

 

 

Nigeria's National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has established an animal husbandry farm with a cow milking parlour on 100 hectares of land in the country's Sokoto State.

 

The authority is establishing a modern farm that would sustain itself and reduce the movement of cows within the area.

 

The executive secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, said he was satisfied with the level of work at the facilities.

 

He explained that the establishment of the farm — which has cow pens with capacity for 500 cows, a cow milking parlour with capacity for 200 cows in a set and napier grass on a 50-hectare space — along with the construction of clinics and veterinary sections, and a training centre, was based on the Nigerian President's directive, in line with NALDA's mandate.

 

Ikonne said NALDA was committed to achieving food security and development, as he assured that the farm would generate employment, hygienic milk production and cow fattening for meat.

 

At the same time, the farm would train and encourage young farmers to go into animal husbandry farming and animal food formulation.

 

The animal husbandry farm is located at Dabagin-lafia, opposite the Usman Danfodio University farm, while a poultry feed mill is situated in Dayin village along the road to Doba.

 

"NALDA is into partnership with Prime Ranch Ltd, who donated the 100 hectares of land where we are establishing the animal husbandry farm and napier grass field, and will cultivate maize and millet on 30 hectares of said land," Ikonne said. "The establishment of the napier grass field is to ensure feed production for the cows, as that will eliminate the roaming around of the animals in search of feed, thereby curtailing farmer/herder clash.

 

"The milking parlour will serve both the cows in the farm and other animal husbandry farmers who would want their cows milked in a hygienic way.

 

"Prime Ranch will manage the farm on completion based on their wealth of experience in animal husbandry. This type of partnership is sustainable, productive and should be encouraged in order for us to achieve food security and development."

 

- Radio Nigeria