Zambia Agribusiness Society

In order to be a successful goat farmer, there are basics you must consider or know before you start a goat farm. These include but not limited to the following: 1. Location : The most important consideration you must first make is location. Common goats generally survive in warm areas that are well drained. Apart from temperature, space is necessary. Goats live in groups, so individual pens are not effective. A large field is needed if you want your animals to roam freely. Freely roaming goats usually have better resistance to sickness and infection. The best locations for a goat farm are those that are far from towns because urban pollution is dangerous to animal health. Goats are known to eat a lot of grass on a daily basis. So make sure their food source is highly accessible and not too far from the rearing area. 2. Land Requirement : Goats can be reared intensively on small acreage by using supplemental feed. If using an extensive system, 2 to 10 goats per acre is a rough guide de

1. Land Preparation Site Selection : Choose a place that has fertile soil. Loam soil is the most favourable. Your field should be able to receive full sunlight (do not plant under a shade); okra doesn't tolerate too much water, therefore avoid waterlogged places. Prepare your soil by ploughing and harrowing. Ensure you clear the boundaries of your field to avoid weeds from growing into the cleared field. Depending on the season you can plant your seed on ridges or basins. Ridges: This is most favourable during rainy season to avoid excessive moisture from the ground. Too much water is a breeding ground for most of the fungal infections that affect the plants. Too much water will wash away nutrients in your soil hence starve the plant causing it to underperform. Basins: (20cm deep x 30cm wide) This is most favourable during dry/hot season. The basin can be filled with decomposed manure (2 - 3kg) and watered regularly to mix with the soil before planting. The basi

Once again I am posting this article to help farmers who are into free-range/ indigenous/ village chicken farming . Misuse of antibiotics among poultry farmers is rampant and this is dangerous to both animals and human beings. Misuse of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance. The residues of antibiotics are left in animal products like eggs, poultry meat and milk. Fasten your seat belt and travel with me to the school of poultry studies. This lesson is for free; you won't find such a simplified article for free. We normally use food and spices in our day to day lives, but have you ever known that these foods are a cure to various ailments in your poultry flock? Ginger, pepper, garlic, aloe vera and yoghurt are just among the various foods and spices that are medicinal in nature. Farmers practising organic farming will understand this better. These natural remedies should be used alongside conventional drugs and vaccines, but try as much as possible to include biosecurity me