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Uganda officials look for dairy solutions

Farmers and leaders from around the world come to World Dairy Expo to learn how to improve dairy production and animal health in their own countries.

Hamid Rutaro with Uris works to provide U.S. dairy and beef genetics to clients around the world to improve their productivity.  Rutaro says in Uganda about 80% of milk production is on farms that hand milk two to five cows, and milk volumes are five times lower than goals set by a presidential mandate. “Dairy production is right around five liters per cow per day, so we’ve provided them with genetics, and those that have been improved will average close to twenty liters which is about forty pounds.”

Rutaro says he convinced the Uganda Agriculture Secretary to attend the World Dairy Expo and take tours of Wisconsin dairy farms to see what can be done with modern technology like genetics and machinery. “It didn’t take much convincing really, but to a dairy farmer who wants to see the country take the next level because the dairy sector there is growing. It’s growing. We have about sixteen million cows, but only maybe 1.2 million are really productive.”

Rutaro says Uganda’s dairy goals are achievable, but they need to address several issues. “I think it’s going to take definitely good genetics, good management, and good nutrition. Nutrition is lacking and is a barrier there.”

He says the Uganda officials were amazed to see U.S. dairy cows producing around 50 pounds of milk in a single milking.

Rutaro spoke to Brownfield during the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

AUDIO: Hamid Rutaro discusses Uganda’s dairy challenges with Brownfield’s Larry Lee