| dc.description.abstract | Dairy farming plays a crucial role in Kenya’s agricultural sector, contributing 6% to
8% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Enhancing the efficiency of commonly
used diets in this sector is of utmost importance. This study aimed to investigate the
overall effect of six treatments on three response variables in dairy cows, namely, feed
intake, milk yield and manure yield. Improving the efficiency of dairy farming diets
is essential for the growth and sustainability of the industry in Kenya. However it is
necessary to identify the effects of the treatments on key variables such as feed intake,
milk yield and manure yield to make informed decisions and optimize dairy production.
Understanding the effects of different treatments on feed intake, milk yield, and manure
yield in dairy cows can lead to improved practices and increased efficiency in the
dairy sector. This knowledge can contribute to better decision making regarding diet
formulation and resource allocation, ultimately benefiting farmers, dairy industry, and
overall economy. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was employed to evaluate
the effect of six treatments, namely Napier grass (A), Napier grass and Lucerne
Hay (B), Napier grass silage (C), Napier grass silage and Lucerne Hay (D), Rhodes grass
(E), and Rhodes grass and Lucerne Hay (F) on six crossbreed cows. Treatments were
randomly allocated within each block and the experiment was conducted at the Dairy
Research Institute (DRI) of the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation
(KALRO) in Naivasha. This study employed a Multivariate Analysis of Variance
(MANOVA) using Pillai’s Trace test statistics to determine the overall treatment effects
on the three response variables. The analysis revealed a statistically significant multivariate
effect [Pillai′sTrace = 1.2137, F = 3.3971, P<0.05] among the six treatments on
feed intake, milk yield and manure yield with effect size Partial Eta Squared (η2
p=0.40).
This indicated a moderate effect, where 40% of the variance in the overall dependent
variables was attributable to the treatment factor, suggesting that the treatments had a
moderate influence on the overall dependent variables under study. To further examine
the significant difference within the treatments, a Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA),
a multivariate Post-Hoc test was conducted. The results identified two groups of treatments:
(A, B,C, and D) and (E,F). The study provides valuable insights into the effect
of different treatments on feed intake, milk yield, and manure yield in dairy cows. The
findings can guide farmers in making informed decisions regarding diet formulation and
optimizing dairy production. | en_US |
