Dairy Farmers Cry Foul Over AI Services as Milk Yields Suffer in Western Kenya

Dairy farmers in Western Kenya are raising the alarm over the poor state of artificial insemination (AI) services, which they say is crippling milk production and threatening the future of livestock farming in the region. At the heart of the complaints is the reliance on private extension officers, some of whom have been accused of using expired or incorrect semen—leading to costly repeat inseminations and growing distrust among farmers. Suzan Ouma, who runs Moo and More Dairy Farm in Butula, Busia County, said she’s had to blacklist multiple service providers to protect her herd.

“Sometimes, they inject expired semen even after payment. The failures hurt production and leave us counting losses,” Ouma explained during a community dairy field day held at her farm. She further noted that the lack of semen storage facilities, the steep cost of insemination—up to KSh3,500 per session—and untrained personnel have discouraged many farmers. Ouma called on the government to establish local AI centres to ensure affordable, reliable, and quality services for rural farmers.

Source: WeEffect

Her appeal resonated with other farmers, including Peter Bwire, a young dairy producer managing 17 cows. “You call the inseminators, and they’re either unavailable or lack the right semen while your cow is in heat. That delay means a big loss,” he said. Bwire, who currently collects up to 20 litres of milk per cow daily, emphasized the need for government intervention to professionalize the AI sector. He also flagged the growing threat of pests like ticks and tsetse flies, which often result in sudden livestock deaths.

Local leaders, including area MP Joseph Oyula, acknowledged the pressing concerns, warning that more farmers are abandoning dairy farming due to these persistent issues. “We need the county to spray surrounding forests to keep deadly pests away. If we support these farmers with proper extension services, milk production in this region could skyrocket,” Oyula said. He lauded the turnout at Ouma’s event, describing it as a sign of renewed commitment to transforming agriculture.

Ouma’s three-year-old farm, now boasting 30 dairy animals and producing 400 litres of milk daily, has become a beacon of innovation. She processes half of her milk into yoghurt and fermented milk (mala) while supplying the rest locally. Her farm also uses cow dung to generate electricity through biogas—cutting costs and promoting sustainability. Experts at the event emphasized the importance of quality fodder and introduced silage-making techniques, calling on the government to supply hybrid crops to help farmers conserve nutritious feed and lower production costs.