The main objectives in establishing a smallholder dairy industry in Malawi were:
· to provide fresh milk for the increasing population;
· to reduce imports of milk byproducts; and
· to provide an alternative source of income to farmers.
Malawi is a land-locked country with an area of 118 484 km2, a third of which is covered with water. The country lies south of the Equator, between latitudes 9° 30'S and 17°S and longitudes 33°E and 36°E. A map of Malawi showing administrative regions, districts and major towns is shown in Figure 1. The climate is subtropical. Rainfall is unimodal occurring between November and April. The rainy season is followed by a long dry season from May to October. The average annual rainfall ranges from 750 mm in the drier parts of the country to 1000 mm in the wetter parts. The mean annual rainfall for the period 1972-81, recorded at four meteorological stations representative of the area in which the smallholders and multiplication centres operate, is shown in Table 1. The monthly mean rainfall at the Chileka meteorological station for the period 1972-1980 is shown in Table 2.
The objectives of the analyses reported here were to:
· Compare the important reproductive and productive traits of crossbred dairy cattle on smallholder farms and at multiplication and research centres;· Measure the influence of environment (years, seasons, etc.) on dairy production traits;
· Assess the suitability of various crosses to the different agricultural areas; and to
· Determine the trends in dairy production over the years.
Table 1. Annual rainfall at Chileka, Chichiri, Lilongwe and Chitedze meteorological stations, 1972-81.
|
Year |
Rainfall (mm) |
|||
|
Chileka |
Chichiri |
Lilongwe |
Chitedze |
|
|
1972/73 |
559.1 |
948.1 |
622 |
- |
|
1973/74 |
1 258.8 |
1 312.2 |
1 079.0 |
- |
|
1974/75 |
729.0 |
987.0 |
922.8 |
- |
|
1975/76 |
856.0 |
1 335.5 |
885.1 |
982.7 |
|
1976/77 |
1 082.5 |
1 306.6 |
1 153.6 |
983.3 |
|
1977/78 |
1 153.4 |
1 378.7 |
790.3 |
1 129.0 |
|
1978/79 |
750.3 |
877.9 |
882.1 |
645.9 |
|
1979/80 |
852.7 |
1 155.2 |
767.0 |
785.4 |
|
1980/81 |
905.0 |
939.6 |
1 045.5 |
704.6 |
|
Average |
905.2 |
994.1 |
836.2 |
871.8 |
Source: Meteorological Department, Chileka, and Chitedze Agricultural Research Station
Table 2. Average monthly rainfall distribution, Chileka meteorological station, 1973-81.
|
Month |
Rainfall (mm) |
|
January |
182.9 |
|
February |
204.5 |
|
March |
154.6 |
|
April |
44.2 |
|
May |
9.7 |
|
June |
0.9 |
|
July |
4.9 |
|
August |
1.6 |
|
September |
1.8 |
|
October |
17.7 |
|
November |
82.5 |
|
December |
164.3 |
Figure 1. Map of the Republic of Malawi.
