Mzee John Wanjohi Mundui tending to his ram which emerged the best during this year’s ASK Nyeri show.
Over 30 years of experience in sheep rearing has been the secret that propels mzee John Wanjohi Mundui to Nyeri County glory in terms of sheep farming almost each year the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) holds the central Kenya’s annual show in Nyeri.
Mundui who remembers having started rearing Hampshire Down Sheep breed in 1987 retained his two trophies after again producing the Best Ram and Best Ewe, the tittles he says he has now retained for three years in a row.
“I am so happy to come top among my peers again this year having won the same tittles during the last year’s agricultural show and the year before,” said Mundui.
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He had received a ram, ewe and a lamb from his father as an inheritance having shown interest keeping the sheep and he took it up as a serious venture by 1990s when he started attending agricultural open days and show where he received more trainings on how to rear the breed for to commercial levels.
Since then Mundui has seen steady increase in his flock something he owes to good feeding, housing and protecting his sheep from diseases.
“I feed my sheep on Boma Rhodes, Napier grass, X-Mukurweini sweet potato vines which I grow in part on my 4 acres farm. I also buy commercial feed to boost the diet,” said Mundui.
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He says he does not sell ewes as they are left for generational continuity but sells well mature rams at Sh20, 000 each. His main market is Nyeri town and other big agricultural farms which buy his breed to train other farmers.
The Hampshire sheep acquired its name from the agriculture county of Hampshire in Southern England where they were developed then the Hampshire-Down evolved from the mingling of different strains of kindred blood from sheep in co-existence along the borders of Hampshire County.
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Research has found that Hampshire-Down has those traits that make them give maximum productivity, profits and breed characteristics.
Hampshire-Down sheep is a large, open faced and active sheep with a mild disposition. Mature rams weighs 275 pounds (125kg) or more and mature ewes should weigh 200 pounds (91kg) or more in breeding condition.