Overview of Livestock in Malawi

Stanford Muyila

16 December 2016

Topics covered•Location of Malawi•Country Profile•Beef production•Dairy production•Goats•Pigs

Location of malawi

12,107km South West of Japan

Rain: October to April, 725mm to 2,500mm Temperature:  25 and 37 degrees Celsius.

Malawi

Country profileParameter Value RemarksTotal Area (including Lake)Lake area

118,500 km²29,600 km²

Japan is 3x size of MalawiFresh water

Population 16.36 million Japan is 7.8x population of Malawi

GDP Per capita $ 226.46 Japan is 170x GDP per capita of Malawi

Agriculture GDP 1960 (WB report ) 2015

50%29.3%

Usually quoted to be at 38%

Livestock contribution to GDP

7-11%

Major agricultural crops Food; Maize, g/nuts, pigeon peas, etcCommercial; tobacco, tea, sugarcane

Cattle in Malawi

Cattle Population 1,470,881 Proportion

Beef cattle 1,390,442 94.5%

Malawi zebu 1,359,326 97.8%

Pure brahman 25,513 1.8%

Brahman crosses 5,603 0.4%

Dairy cattle 80,439 5.5%

Pure Dairy 18,618 23.1%

Dairy crosses 61,821 76.9%

Cattle count/Sq Km

Beef in Malawi• Malawi zebu are everywhere, but more

concentrated in shire valley. • 1957 stall feeding started to produce

meat for domestic market. Mostly from Malawi zebu with a few crosses.

• In 2013, new stud breeder has opened in the Northern Malawi. To supply boran bulls for crossbreeding

• Challenges

FMD outbreaks from wild animals? (Lengwe National Park and Majete game reserve)

Cattle count/Sq Km

Animals in the wildlife parks

Elephant at Majete Wildlife reserve

Malawi Zebu

Photo: Kwandama ranch

Characteristics of Malawi ZebuVariable N Mean Range

Standard deviation

Birth weight (kg) 623 20.0 10-39 4.96

205-day weight (kg) 297 99.8 40.9-169 22.9

Weaning age (days) 357 205 52-302 52.3

Weaning weight (kg) 414 92.1 45-174 20.3

Growth rate (kg/day) 297 0.375 0.0922- 0.694 0.111

For beef we promote cross-breedingWe have

25,515 Brahman as pure breed

5603 Brahman crosses

BosmaraBoran

PhotoBrahman bull at Mikolongwe Livestock Center

Brahman herd atMikolongwe, Malawi

Beef cattle ranchBoran Bull and their crosses with Malawi Zebu at Kwandama Cattle Ranch. Mzimba

Dairy Production- History• 1950s’ First high-yielding breeds

imported from South Africa and Zimbabwe

• Early 1970, the Malawian Government intensified milk production by organizing farmers into milk bulking groups that collect and check the milk

• Established processing plants in the three major cities: Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu.

• In 1997, the dairy industry in Malawi was then privatized and the three private dairy processing companies were established in each region

Distribution of dairy cattle breeds　 ADD No. of

pure Dairy% of total

No. ofDairy cross

　% of total

Karonga 135 1% 301 0%Mzuzu 1,839 10% 4,665 8%Kasungu 2,766 15% 1,991 3%Lilongwe 5,319 29% 4,612 7%Salima 568 1%Machinga 351 2% 1,628 3%Blantyre 8,208 44% 48,029 78%Shire Valley 　 27 0%

　 TOTAL 18,618 　 61,821 　

Distribution of dairy cattle breeds

Pure Dairycount/SqKm Dairy Crosses

count/SqKm

Ratio of crosses to pure dairy cattle

Karonga Mzuzu Kasungu Lilongwe Salima Machinga Blantyre Shire Valley0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%Ratio of Cross breeds to Pure dairy animals

Pure Cross

Import of pure animals by NGOs i.e land o lakes

Productive parameters of dairy cattleVariable (Year) 1973-1983 1996 2012 2015 Birth weight (kg) 30.136 30Weaning weight at 200dys (kg)

136.2 ± 22

Age at first calving (Months)

38.4 36-42 35.5

Milk yield per lactation (kgs)

2704±143 7-10 7-10

Lactation length (days)

390±150 326±15 307

Daily milk yield (kgs) 8.4±0.3 7-10 8

Calving interval (days)

485 382±12 572 491

Days open 112±14First service conception rate (%)

55

Milk processing in Malawi

Selected challenges faced• From farmers perspective• Low milk prices K150/liter (21.5 yen/liter) hindering farmers

from realizing enough money to further invest in the farm i.e khola, feeds etc and improve productivity• High milk losses at MBG due to erratic electricity supply (milk)• Low conception rates

• From processors perspective• Poor milk quality (bacterial count and adulteration)• Unfair competition/Influx of imported milk powders

• From extension workers• Inadequate support systems to extension workers i.e refresher

courses, transport etc

To Blantyre CityFrom Quality assurance DepartmentDate 25 /11/2014LOW PURCHASING PRICE FOR RAW MILKParameter Result StandardTemperature 16ºC

Alcohol -ve -veAcidity 0.14 0.13-0.15Resazurin 6 6Fat % 4.02 3minSNF % 7.32 9minLactose % 4.02 4minProtein % 2.69 3minDensity 1.026 1.027Water 11.50% 10%

Comment: Your milk shows low density of 1.025g/cm2 which is belowOur minimum requirement of 1.027g/cm2. as such it has been purchased at a price of K114.

Milk price was K130 at bulking group and about K200 through informal market

CASE STUDY of Milk marketing

The role of informal milk market

Issues surrounding milk marketing in Malawi require detailed analysis. However, lack of data is a constraint

More milk is going through informal markets. Threatening the existence of bulking groups

Dairy farmers-Processor meeting

Government support to MBGS2014 2016Blantyre City MBG, Blantyre

Government support to MBGS

2014

2016Mpemba MBG, Blantyre

Farmers starting processing…

Owned by some employees of SHMPA farmer association

Farmer AI technician

Goats and Pigs

`GOAT HOUSING

Goats

Sheep

PIG HOUSING

Pigs

Local pigs are many.

For commercial purposed common breeds are landrace and large whites.

Sometimes mixed up

THE END