Former fourth president Uhuru Kenyatta’s Gicheha Farm, located along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway in Nakuru district, is home to around 1000 animals. The farm is home to a variety of beef breeds, the majority of which are imported from South Africa and Uganda. Uhuru, a Kenyatta scion, has a deep interest in banking, livestock, milk processing, transportation, and hospitality. Ankole from Uganda, Brangus, Charolais, Hereford, and Brahman are among the breeds raised here.
Local breeds such as Borans and Sahiwals are also kept by the lawmaker. The retired president is a huge fan of beef cattle. When he comes, we travel around the property in a pickup vehicle, observing the herd and asking questions as he wants to know how each animal is doing. The cattle were superb grazers who roamed the land for long miles in search of forage. Ankoles have lower cholesterol than other commercial cattle and are disease resistant to a moderate degree.
The farm purchased 42 Boer goats from South Africa in 2018. According on availability and demand, a litre of goat milk costs between KSh 150 and KSh 300. Each Boer goat can produce up to three kilos of milk each day, according to the Animal Genetics Training Resource (AGTR). They are exceptionally resistant to ailments like as blue tongue and prussic acid poisoning. The farm also keeps approximately 200 Dorper sheep and Galla goats for meat.The farm employs around 30 people, including a veterinary officer who keeps an eye on the animals around the clock.
The animals which feed on Boma Rhodes produced within the farm are sold in the local market when they attain a weight of between 450 and 500kg. Each animal has a file where records of birth, breed, weight and disease history are documented. To ensure they are free of diseases, they are vaccinated regularly. Any visitor who visits the farm must disinfect in the footbaths located at the entrance.