David Kenduiywo harvests sweet potato vines in a farm in Bomet County. The crop's tubers and vines can be used fresh, dried or fermented in making silage. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Issues to consider in pig feed production include palatability, quality and costs which will arise from feed loading and offloading labour and transport especially if feeds are bulky.
The simple stomach nature of pigs makes it necessary to feed them on commercial feeds that consume 60-80 per cent of production costs.
In countries like China, recent estimates indicate that as much as 65 per cent of sweet potato production is for animal feed production.
The vines will need a handful of manure per hole and fertiliser at the rate of 60kg per hectare. Spacing is 30x60cm and the seed rate is 4,000 or more pieces per foot long per acre.
While cattle and sheep graze, goats browse and indigenous chicken scavenge for food, pigs are legally raised in confinement as a control measure against African Swine Fever (ASF).
The simple stomach nature of pigs makes it necessary to feed them on commercial feeds that consume 60-80 per cent of production costs.
