New silage for ruminants introduced

Mr. Anthony K. Prah, the Birim Central Municipal Director of Agriculture and his staff, have educated farmers at Otaipro on the preparation of a new silage containing 11 percent protein.

According to Mr. Prah, the Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTIMP) team in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) have concluded that animals fed on roots, tubers and straws separately had protein intake of three percent but when the feed is combined with urea fertilizer, the protein intake increases to 11 percent.

He was interacting with the GNA Media Auditing and Tracking of Development Projects team at Akim Oda to brief the team about the new silage being introduced to farmers in the municipality.

The GNA STAR-Ghana Media Auditing and Tracking of Development projects is an initiative launched to promote local participation in governance and the development of the districts.

Mr. Prah said the new silage was developed by the Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTIMP) which was introduced in 2007 to multiply marketing materials and will end in December 2014. `

He said the RTIMP was to help to improve the farmers’ livelihood because of the multi-purpose nature of using the residue of their food product to feed the animals.

He explained that the use of the new silage accounted for high marketing price of livestock because it contributes to their increase in weight.