Cattle Fattening

Goals and Objectives

1. Increase Meat Production and Quality
   Improve live weight and carcass yield of cattle to meet the growing demand for quality beef in Tanzania and regional markets.

2. Enhance Farmer Incomes
   Help livestock keepers transition from subsistence to commercial production by adding value to their animals through structured fattening programs.

3. Promote Sustainable Livestock Practices
   Encourage responsible animal husbandry that ensures animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and efficient use of resources.

4. Create Youth and Women Employment
   Develop agribusiness opportunities across the beef value chain to engage youth and women in rural economies.

Key Components of the Cattle Fattening Program

🐄 Animal Selection and Sourcing

• Focuses on sourcing young, underweight but healthy local cattle breeds such as Zebu and crossbreeds.

• Animals are selected based on health status, age (typically 12–30 months), and growth potential.

🌾 Nutrition and Feeding

• Animals are fed on a balanced ration made from local feed ingredients including maize bran, cottonseed cake, molasses, hay, silage, and mineral supplements.

• Feeding schedules are designed for optimal weight gain over 90 to 120 days.

• Emphasis is placed on formulated diets that meet protein and energy requirements without excessive feed costs.

🏥 Veterinary Care and Management

• Regular vaccination and deworming programs are implemented to maintain herd health.

• Animals are closely monitored for signs of disease, stress, or injury.

• MACONET works with local veterinarians and animal health experts to ensure best practices in livestock care.

📏 Monitoring and Record-Keeping

• Daily feed intake, weight gain, and health status are recorded for each animal.

• This helps track performance and enables data-driven decision-making to maximize profitability.

🛒 Marketing and Sales

• MACONET supports farmers in identifying and accessing high-value markets, including:

  • Local butcheries

  • Meat processors and abattoirs

  • Hotels and restaurants

  • Livestock traders and auctions

• Farmers are guided on proper animal finishing and timing of sales to maximize returns.

Training and Extension Services

MACONET provides hands-on training and extension support to individuals, groups, and cooperatives involved in cattle fattening. Training topics include:

• Animal husbandry and selection

• Feed formulation and storage

• Record-keeping and budgeting

• Animal health management

• Business planning and marketing strategies

The company also offers consultation services for farmers who wish to set up or scale their own feedlots or semi-intensive cattle fattening systems.

Economic and Social Impact

• 💼 Income Generation
  Participating farmers can earn significant profits from well-fattened cattle within 3–4 months.

• 👩🏽‍🌾 Women and Youth Empowerment
  The program creates accessible entry points for marginalized groups in the livestock sector.

• 🐄 Livestock Value Chain Development
  Stimulates growth in complementary sectors including feed production, veterinary services, transportation, and meat processing.

• 🌿 Resource Efficiency
  Promotes better land use and reduces overgrazing by shifting toward intensive livestock production systems.

Partnerships and Opportunities

MACONET collaborates with:

• Local government livestock departments

• NGOs promoting food security and rural development

• Financial institutions to facilitate access to credit

• Farmer groups and cooperatives across the Lake Zone

There are ongoing efforts to expand the program and introduce feedlot financing models, mobile fattening units, and digital tracking systems for enhanced traceability and market access.