Dairy production in Western Burkina Faso in a context of emergence of dairies: Diversity of breeding practices and proposals for improvement

In Western Burkina Faso, dairies are facing a local milk supply problem because production is low, seasonal, fragmented and expensive to collect. This study aimed to identify levers to increase production and reduce seasonality. It was carried out at 18 multicultivator-breeder farms of the Hauts-Bassins region involved in milk production. A multivariate analysis based on variables of farm structure, operation and performance identified five types of polyculture-livestock farms involved in this production: Low-input, pasture-oriented suckling cows with a large number of cows (T1), with a medium number of cows (T2); agropastoral-oriented suckling cows (T3); commercially-oriented, specialized dairy farms with little use of green fodder (T4), or with high use of green fodder (T5). T1 and T2 were characterized by grazing almost exclusively in all seasons and milk production levels of less than two liters per cow per day at lactation peak. Milk from these farms was poorly marketed and seldom sold to dairies. T3 made greater use of dry fodder and feed, allowing to improve milk production, which was frequently marketed in dairies (about 2 L/cow/d at lactation peak). T4 and T5 were characterized by the use of improved breeds, and the extensive use of forage and feed purchased year-round, ensuring higher milk yields (5–13 L/cow/d at lactation peak). These farms sold all of their milk to dairies. Our results highlight the fact that production was severely penalized by a diet that was too poor in quality feed and fodder, and that the seasonality of calving worsened the drop in production at the end of the dry season