Zambia Agribusiness Society

1. Make a business plan. Do a SWOT analysis of yourself and the cattle industry you will be entering. Plan what kind of cows you want looking at breeds, and what kind of farm you wish to operate. Keep in mind to start small. Try to aim for being a low-cost producer, as that is the surest way to make money, and the best way to start if you don’t have much to begin with! 2. Locate the area where you want to raise cattle. This is important because you need to find a location that you are used to or really like and are confident you can raise your animals in. 3. Research then purchase the type of facilities, equipment and machinery necessary for the type of cattle you have chosen to raise. Analyse your operation and your financial situation to see what you need (not what you want) for current facilities, equipment and machinery. Fencing, watering facilities, feed bunks/troughs or bale feeders is priority above all other assets needed. 4. Determine the type of cattle you want to

Indigenous chickens do not have desirable genetic characteristics compared to commercial breeds. They take longer to mature, have poor food conversion ratio, do not lay a lot of eggs among others. However, there are areas where the indigenous chickens have certain strong points. They generally have better resistance to diseases, produce nutritious and sweet tasting poultry products and the meat is often tender with more muscles than fat. However, the time and long-term cost for rearing indigenous chickens may not justify doing this on a commercial scale. Still, there ways to improve the system so as to make the most of your indigenous chickens ensuring they put on weight fast and offer better yields. Let’s look at some of the ways in which you can make your indigenous chickens grow faster and produce more. How to Make Indigenous Chickens Grow Fast 1. Feed High Protein Food While chicken needs a lot of carbs to meet their energy needs and make them put on weight, a high protein diet can