The National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) exhibited products made from cow dung as a way of creating more income generation ventures for livestock farmers in the urban and pre-urban areas.
This was at the 2024 Harvest Money expo which took place last month at Kololo Independence Grounds.
Winnie Nanteza, the communication officer at NaLIRRI, explained that the innovations responded to the challenges of waste management by the urban and pre-urban livestock farmers, which limits their ability to farm and earn from their ventures, but also affects the environment.
She said researchers have come up with over 14 products that can be made from dung, making it more productive than waste.
“A well-fed mature cattle deposits 28kg per a day. This means that if a farmer has five cows, they will have 140kg of dung every day. Cumulatively, this will pose a big threat, not only on the incomes of the farm in struggling to dispose of the dung, but it will also affect the environment through hydrogen sulfide gas,” Nanteza explained.
Experts are encouraging farmers to use dung for biogas. Bio-researchers have also come with products such, liquid soap and shampoo
Uses of cow waste
During one of the training sessions on urban cattle keeping, Dr Jolly Kabirizi from Kyakuwa farm discussed various ways cow waste can be utilised to treat skin complications.
“Cattle urine has properties that can alleviate pimples, sunburns, eczema and acne,” she explained.
Kabirizi added that hair shampoo can be derived from urine by boiling it with coconut, sunflower oil, fragrance, and fresh lemon, which can effectively control dandruff and scalp infections. Furthermore, she shared insights on how cow dung can be repurposed to create bathing soap, face cream and shower gel, underscoring the multifaceted benefits of utilising resources in agriculture.
