Cows and Goats Management
Primary 6 · Science and Elementary Technology
Cows and Goats Management
Lesson 3 of 6
15 min
Let's begin
Gatete's cow gives 4 litres of milk a day. His neighbour's cow is the same breed, and she gives 10 litres.
"Did you buy a better cow?" asks Gatete. The neighbour laughs. "No. I just feed mine better." What does feeding better actually mean?
Cows and goats need six things in their diet: water, energy, protein (for growth and milk), fibre (for healthy digestion), vitamins and minerals (for strong bones, milk and fighting disease).
| Kind of feed | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roughages: bulky feeds | Napier grass, maize stalks, banana stems and leaves, sweet potato vines, hay and silage | The main part of the diet. Usually grown on the farm, and the cheapest feed. |
| Legume fodder | Leaves of calliandra and leucaena trees, desmodium | Rich in protein, which helps milk and growth. |
| Concentrates | Dairy meal, maize bran, brewers' waste, seed cake | Small amounts give extra energy and protein, especially to cows giving milk. |
| Minerals and salt | A mineral lick or salt block | Needed in small amounts every day. |
| Water | Clean drinking water | Milk is mostly water, so a milking cow needs a lot. |
A milking cow in the tropics needs about 60 litres of water a day for her own body, plus about 4 more litres for every litre of milk she gives. On hot days she needs even more.
The neighbour's cow gives 10 litres of milk:
A cow that is short of water gives less milk, however good her grass is.
Goats eat grass, but they prefer to browse on the leaves of shrubs and trees, and they also eat root vegetables and other plants. Hang their fodder in a rack above the floor, because they refuse feed that has been soiled. Give them clean water and a salt lick.
A newborn calf or kid has no protection against disease of its own. The mother's first thick, yellow milk, called colostrum, gives it that protection, so it must drink colostrum within the first few hours of life.
Tip
A balanced meal for a cow: Grass to fill the belly, Legumes for growth, Salt for strength, Water for milk.
Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.
Sort these feeds into roughages and concentrates: Napier grass, dairy meal, banana stems, maize bran.
Answer: Roughages: Napier grass and banana stems. Concentrates: dairy meal and maize bran.
A cow gives 6 litres of milk a day. Using the rule above, how much water does she need?
Answer: 60 + (6 × 4) = 60 + 24 = 84 litres a day.
Why is young Napier grass better than tall, old Napier grass?
Answer: Young, leafy grass has much more food value. Old grass is woody and hard to digest.
Why must a newborn calf drink colostrum quickly?
Answer: Colostrum gives the calf protection against disease, which it does not have when it is born.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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