Zambia Agribusiness Society

Some figures may vary from place to place so don't mock me. Can you do a successful indigenous chicken business anywhere in Africa? The answer is yes. Can you reap profits from it? Of course you can? Is it complicated? Not at all but you need enough capital to start it. First things first. Most farmers fail in this sector because they fail to plan. If you fail to plan then you are planning to fail. Do you know where farmers fail most? They start their projects without the end in mind. Today I will describe how you can rear 1200 indigenous/ village/ kienyeji chickens in a year successfully without a headache. With this method you can be churning out 200 birds every month for sale and laugh all the way to the bank. The first thing is that you should have a plan. As you know broiler farmers plan for their batch of birds every 6 weeks, pig farmers every 5 months, beef farmers every 2 years, rabbit farmers every 4 - 5 months. Indigenous chicken are ready for meat at about 6 months and a...

Layer poultry farming means raising egg laying poultry birds for the purpose of commercial egg production. Layer chickens are such a special species of hens, which need to be raised from when they are one day old. They start laying eggs commercially from 18-19 weeks of age. They remain laying eggs continuously till their 72-78 weeks of age. They can produce about one kg of eggs by consuming about 2.25kg of food during their egg laying period. For the purpose of producing hybrid eggs layer, consider the various characteristics of cock and hen before breeding. There are various types of highly egg productive layer breeds available throughout the world. Layer Breeds: According to the nature and colour of egg, layer hens are of two types. Short description of these two types are listed below. White Egg Laying Hens: This type of hens are comparatively smaller in size. Relatively eat less food, and the colour of egg shell is white. Isa White, Lehman White, Nikchik, Bab Cock BV-300, H...

Coccidiosis can be treated organically using some proven natural materials at a particular rate of application. Coccidiosis in poultry is an acute poultry disease that renders farmers helpless. This disease can ravage a large flock of chickens within a few days of infection. As an organic farmer, you have two ways of treating this disease without using synthetic drugs: Proper litter or bedding management Use of herbal medications Proper litter management is one of the organic ways of controlling coccidiosis in poultry. Although, it is one of the ways of preventing coccidiosis in poultry; this method can also be termed organic treatment of coccidiosis because it involves no use of coccidiosis drugs; it is just a method that makes the immediate environment of the birds unfit for the survival of the pathogen causing coccidiosis disease. Causes of Coccidiosis in Poultry It is very imperative you know the causes of coccidiosis before finding ways to prevent it. Knowing t...

Silage and hay are preserved feeds that come in handy for dairy cows during periods of scarcity of green forage. The process of making silage involves fermentation under anaerobic conditions. It prevents fresh fodder from decomposing and allows it to keep its nutrient quality. It requires sufficient soluble carbohydrates (sugars) for organic acid production. Adding molasses to the fodder is recommended since it is rich in sugar, which enables the bacteria to produce the organic acids immediately. The more molasses you add, the faster the acidification and preservation process will occur. Why feed your cows on silage? Silage ensures high milk production and healthy dairy animals, especially during dry seasons. It is palatable, laxative, digestible, and nutritious and requires less floor area for storage than hay. Silage preparation Silage is produced through use of pits or trenches, towers and sacks for small quantities. However, pits are mostly used to prepare silage for la...

Copper is a heavy metal element which has very important functions in the cow’s body. These include building immunity, growth and reproduction. Copper gets into the body mainly through the food the animals eat and the water they drink. Feeds from some areas have low copper content. Their intake results in what is called primary or absolute copper deficiency. In some cases certain elements in the feed, if present in high concentrations, may interfere with availability of copper to the body. The elements may form fairly stable complexes with copper and prevent usage of the mineral by the body. This is termed as secondary copper deficiency because the levels of copper in the blood may be normal but the mineral itself available for use by the body is below average. Some of the elements that reduce copper availability to the body are Iron, Zinc, Molybdenum and Sulphates. The treatment I prescribed for Greg’s cattle is called symptomatic because I based the diagnosis on the ...

Although some people find it very easy to have healthy and fresh tomatoes in their garden, not all of us have the right information or talent to do so. In this article we’ll look at some of the mistakes to avoid while planting tomatoes, to increase their size, flavour, and overall plant output. 1. Forgetting to Harden Seedlings Failing to harden your seedlings is one of the common mistakes many people make. In fact, it is one of the most important things to ensure their survival. The “hardening process” enables seedlings to adapt to the changes in temperature or exposure to weather such as wind and rain. Here are some of the ways to help you in hardening the tomato seedlings. Gradually increase the seedling’s exposure to the natural environments about a month after germination. During the first days of exposure, keep plants out of direct sunlight and do not take them out in the cold. Expose them for a few hours and then take them back to their seedbed. For the best results,...

 Meticulous planning is needed when one embarks on setting up a piggery project. Proper planning is essential in order to avoid making costly mistakes. The following factors should be carefully considered when starting a piggery project. 1. Capital It is difficult to be precise on the amount of capital required. The amount required depends on the intended scale of production. Capital is required for developmental purposes, i.e. building sites and purchasing breeding stock. Working capital is required for feed, drugs, labour and other running costs. It is important to remember that cash inflows will start eleven months after the start of the project in most cases. Peak capital requirements are between the tenth and eleventh month. It is therefore critical to have enough capital for the first year of operation. Sources of Capital It is advisable for an aspiring pig producer to use own resources or cheap funds for developmental purposes. Loans that carry high interests are not...