Zambia Agribusiness Society

Ticks are bloodsuckers that also transmit serious diseases. Ticks can cause anaemia and loss of production. They thrive in tall grasses and brush filled areas, which is why most areas are experiencing  heartwater   at the moment. Ticks are picked as animals walk through pastures. Common ticks 1. Bont tick - Amblyomma - heartwater transmitting ticks, may also cause tick paralysis 2. Blue tick – Boophilus - Anaplasmosis transmitting ticks. This disease is characterized by weight loss, difficulty in breathing, abortion and death. Prevention 1. Cutting vegetation short around shelter areas. 2. Dipping all animals 3. Treating herd dogs for ticks and fleas. 4. Quarantine new addition of your herd for 3 weeks or more. 5. Physically inspect all animals on regular basis. How to inspect animals for tick infestation 1. Inspect ticks around eyes, ears, and head around horns, udder and other areas particularly exposed ones. 2. Run fingers through the animal, especially go

Manure is decomposed organic matter from both plants and animals. It contributes to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients such as nitrogen. ●       Manure contains valuable plant nutrients for crop production e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. ●       It provides valuable macro and micronutrients like sulphur and boron to the soil. ●   Manure supplies organic matter to improve soil tilth, improves infiltration of water and retention of nutrients, and promotes growth of beneficial organisms. Sources of Animal Manure Sources of animal manure include cattle, goats, poultry, sheep, pigs, etc. In general, manure from pigs and poultry is of better quality and should be applied in smaller amounts (e.g. one handful per hole). The amount of usable manure that can be obtained from cattle depends on factors like: ●       The amount of feed. ●       The method of feeding (pen rearing, kraaling the animals at night, or free range) and ●       The

The disease is common across the country due to presence of Amblyomma tick also known as South African bont tick. The rickettsia that causes heartwater disease cannot survive outside a living host for more than an hour at room temperature, that's why it is transmitted through ticks. This brings us to why tick control is very important. Heartwater is a very deadly disease, but it can be prevented and it can also be cured at early stages. Symptoms of heartwater disease 1. Fever followed by 2. In appetence 3. Diarrhoea mostly in cattle 4. Dyspnoea 5. Then tremor of superficial muscles 6. Final stage; lateral recumbency, pedalling, chewing movements and finally Death. Prevention Tick control: Animals moved into endemic areas may be protected by prophylactic treatment with tetracycline. NB : Antibiotic treatment is not always successful in later stages. Advice : Buy a thermometer, always check your animals’ temperatures when you suspect they are ill. Norma

There are a number of cattle businesses to consider if you are looking for a profitable future in animal agriculture especially cattle. 1. Cow/Calf Enterprises also Known as Weaner Production Here entrepreneurs produce calves for sale, calves are sold from 6 months to 8 months at around 120kg to 180kg. This business is suitable for entrepreneurs who borrow funds from institutions such as CEDA, NDB and youth. It provides a source of finance to pay back funders while growing the business. Who should buy from cow- calf enterprises? Employed Youth looking to start off an investment, instead of saving in banks, get that money and buy a calf every month. By December you have 12 calves and by the next year they start breeding. Don't not expect to cash from this business, it's an investment, give it time to mature. Nature it, and become a commercial cattle breeder. 2. Commercial Cattle Breeding Commercial (a cross between different breeds, generally without any type of docu

·          Caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, is the most common and destructive disease of the cabbage family worldwide. The bacterium is introduced to fields on infected seeds or transplants. Once present, it may survive on decomposing crop residue for up to two years, or indefinitely on weeds in the crucifer family. The black rot pathogen develops fastest during warm, moist weather. The disease is spread quickly between plants in a row by splashing rain and gains entry through water pores at leaf margins or through wounds. ·          Early symptoms appear as wedge-shaped chlorotic (yellow) patches along the edge of the leaf that point toward the midrib. Veins in the discoloured area darken as the interveinal tissue dies and becomes brown and brittle. Eventually the bacteria enter the vascular system of the plant and the disease becomes systemic, producing leaf drop and head rot. A crosswise cut of the stem, leaf petiole or veins will reveal a darkened r

Finding agricultural land is probably the most desperate step when you want to settle. We're ready to get started, head full of ideas, crazy motivation! We become obsessed with the idea of ​​starting, but we need land that meets our criteria. After setting the criteria that make the land suitable, you have to start looking for it. The risk, after searching for a long time, is to embark on a plot that does not suit you in the end. Whenever you are thinking of acquiring a farmland, these are some of the things you should consider: 1. Location How far are you from the market? Considering which farm to buy should be determined by the location in terms of distance to the market that you have identified. 2. Accessibility How accessible or suitable is the road to the farm? This affects distribution channels if at all your farm is not accessible due to bad or undeveloped roads. Consider how long it takes you to reach your destination through remote and rural areas. 3. Infrast

Fish farming isn't a fast track to success or a money ritual. However, I can tell you with my whole heart that fish farming is profitable; you can make between 35 to 200% profits if you know your way. Despite this fact a lot of people still stumble into the business and find it hard to survive while those who survive find it really difficult to breakeven which makes them end up robbing Peter to pay Paul. They use the money they earn from their other business to fund their fish farm. A lot of fish farmers who are salary earners are struggling; with their business bleeding seriously, but you won't know because the business looks big and flamboyant. However, if you ask for their records you'll see they are almost going bankrupt. As a matter of fact the fish farm can't sustain itself and it will crash if they resign from their paid employment. Some farms don't even see the need to keep records so they don't even know if they are making profit or loss. Here are

If you think you don't need a farm plan for your small or urban farm? Think again - in many ways, sitting down to plan out a small space is the most important work you can do. Time and space are two elements that are critical in any farming enterprise, and the smaller the enterprise, the more critical they become. Within small urban agricultural enterprises, the careful timing of all of our actions allows for maximum production, greater efficiency, higher quality and more success in the marketplace. Time in the small farm enterprise must be balanced with space. They are interconnected. The successful urban farmer will develop an overall plan that plots out the stages of a crop’s development from seed to sale, including planting information, harvest details and sales/marketing projections. The plan determines, for example, how many carrots will be planted, in which block and during what time period, and when and in what amount repeat plantings will happen. And while instinct,

Poultry farming is a business that gives enough meat and eggs for daily consumption. It entails raising varied domestic birds like ducks, turkey, geese, chicken, etc. It is one of the most lucrative business endeavours to pursue. It does not require huge capital to start, and you can easily kick off your poultry farm at the comfort of your home. Here are the factors that determine the cost to start a poultry farm: 1. Land First, you would need to purchase a good plot of land that would be suitable for farming. Farm lands are usually cheaper than lands in residential areas, so you may be lucky to get a very sizable plot at a very good price. 2. Construction costs The next stage after purchase of land is construction. You would have to build a cage to keep the birds in. There are different types of cages and with varying cost implications. When you have decided on the most suitable one for you, then you can call in experts to give you a quote. You may also need to construct

The use of poultry manure fertilizer is becoming a common practice (especially chicken manure as fertilizer) with many farmers throughout the world as this matter content has in store various nutritional elements for various fields or crops. These nutritional elements are very effective in increasing the productivity and rapid growth of farms e.g. farms that produce vegetables. What manure basically is, its significance and various other factors related to it can be thoroughly understood under the following headings. For every increase in productivity of a farm, there is a need for manure application. Manure is natural and organic; it has no residual effect on humans after consumption of the farm produce. Unlike the inorganic manure called fertilizer; there is now strong campaign against its use in agriculture. Organic farming is the best form of agriculture. Manure are basically aggregation of wastes from animals or household; they are incorporated into the soil to replenish the s