7 ways to increase egg production by local poultry

Written by collins

http://www.livestockkenya.com

Eggs produced by local poultry are often seen as money lying loose that needs to be collected to prevent losses. However keeping local chicken should be to make profit hence it is necessary to increase the egg produced as much as possible. The bulk of local poultry lay eggs only for a short period in the year and this need not be the case. With a little more attention local birds can be made to yield eggs throughout the year.

The measures discussed here are also applicable to exotic layers on extensive systems of production.

Determine the egg laying percentage                          

Egg laying percentage is always the best measure of egg-producing capacity and has the advantage in calculating the value of the hens. Relying only on the actual number of eggs produced may not be very valuable as it does not reflect the efficiency of the birds in producing the eggs.

Calculate the egg laying percentage by dividing the number of eggs laid by the number of layers and multiplying by 100. Obtained this figure on a daily basis and compute the average for the week or month. This will help in assessing the performance and setting targets for improvement. Averages below 70% means the feeds are going to waste. Always strive to achieve percentages above 80%.

Select Layers

Laying hens are nearly always noisy. They work and hunt for food all day, and are the first off the roost and the last to go to roost. They are nervous and very active, keeping themselves up to the greatest possible pitch.

An indication that the hen is laying is when the pelvic bones are soft and pliable, and spread sufficiently to allow three fingers to be placed between them. Experience has shown the hen is not laying at the time of examination if the pelvic bones are hard, bony and close together.

Select hens that are healthy; comb, wattles and face red; eyes bright and lustrous; neck not short, but medium to long; breast broad and long, sloping upward; back, long and broad; abdomen, wide and deeper than breast; shanks, well spread and rather long; well-spread tail

Only mature pullets should be selected for laying. All birds that are stunted, undersized, lazy, weak or otherwise undesirable should be weeded out and sold, especially those that are inferior to other stock hatched at the same time.

Only hens that have proved their worth in the previous year should be kept over for a second or third year. They usually make good breeders and the breeding flock should be selected from them rather than from pullets. Too often the reverse practice is followed whereby hens that are in best condition are sold and inferior ones used for egg production. This is suicidal to profit and should be reversed.

Improve Laying Ability

Hens should be brought into laying as early as possible. Pullets that delay in coming to lay are naturally poor layers and soon burn out. Such fowls should not be used for breeding and the sooner they are taken out of the flock the better. In the long run such control helps in improving the flock and it is better to have some system of selection than to have none at all.

Put everything in readiness for egg production. Pullets and hens should be placed in their separate quarters early enough and special care taken to prevent overcrowding. This way the flocks get accustomed to their quarters and there is less danger of upsetting them when they begin to lay.

Manage Laying Stock

It is just as important to feed well for eggs as it is to breed well.  Fowls do best when given plenty of space to forage in. At all times there should be abundant clean water available to the hens.

During cold weather increase the energy content of the feed by adding carbohydrates to the normal ration. As the weather grows colder larger quantities of energy are used to maintain the body heat. Egg production can continue without interruption even during extremely cold weather if the hens are fed well.

Plenty of shade should be provided during hot weather and the houses kept as open as possible so as to be cool and comfortable for roosting. Reduce the energy content of the feed by reducing the amount of carbohydrates in the ration.

Hens that are molting should be fed well but should not get a ration too rich in protein because they are not laying. They do better when given a ration richer than usual in energy content. By proper management, many good laying hens can lay an occasional egg even while going through the molting.

Hens that have stopped laying should be culled out and managed differently from the rest of the flock. A layers ration and reduced exercise can start them laying again. Those that do not go back to laying within a reasonable time or lay for only a few weeks and then stop should be sold.

Manage pullets

Pullets can be fed more highly than hens during the early months of growth. At this time, they need abundant protein, because they are not only growing in flesh but are filling out their bones and either preparing for, or actually laying.

A pullet is by no means fully mature when she starts to lay. It needs ample food to complete its development. Pullets should neither be forced to begin laying early nor to delay laying.

Handle birds gently

Hens should be protected against sudden changes. Excitement due to rough handling and fear from any cause are detrimental to the birds. Often the entrance of foreign objects, animals or visitors in the pens will cause disturbance, so these should be kept out as much as possible. When it is necessary to carry some unfamiliar object among the flock, this should be done gradually. Even the wearing of unusual attire, especially if this is of some flashy color, will disturb the fowls until they are accustomed to it.

Although birds on free range are not so likely to be disturbed, making sudden motions, calling loudly, or otherwise startling the fowls should be avoided. Enter the pens as quietly as possible and if necessary signify entrance by making some noise such as low whistling, so the hens are alerted of your approach.

Hens, especially laying hens, become attached to their quarters. They therefore should not be unnecessarily moved as this also affects the laying. Changes should be done with the least possible disturbance where it is absolutely necessary. When hens must be handled or carried, this should always be done at night and the fowls should be held gently with the hand beneath the breast, never by the feet.

Manage Broodiness

Broodiness is a characteristic of hens. Persistent brooders should be culled out and never used as breeders. But in otherwise normal hens, broodiness can be broken when necessary. One of the quickest ways is to confine the hens with a reserve male in a pen where there are no nests and feeding them well on a layers ration. Often the hens will begin to lay within a week or ten days. Under no condition should the hens be starved because it is not only cruel but also causes injuries to the hen.

Business opportunities in poultry farming

Written by Maurice Rangoma

Practicing casual poultry farming is often costly especially when the poultry are allowed to fend for themselves and breed randomly. You cannot tell whether the birds are producing a loss or a profit. The poultry farmers might appear to be making some profit until they factor in the cost of grain fed, the amount of food picked up, the space occupied and the time and care the flock requires.

Eggs for home consumption

Farmers rarely consider the cost and value of the eggs consumed at home. Most of them keep a few hens to avoid purchasing eggs or meat. The hens more or less care for themselves by utilizing farm waste where the yield in form of eggs and chicks offsets losses incurred on feeds.

Home consumption of eggs and poultry should be put on a business basis. Every amount of food fed to the flock should be charged against the flock, and every egg used by the family should be credited to the hens at current market prices so that the full value may be known. This way the farmer determines whether poultry kept for home needs is profitable or not.

Eggs for the market

There is a huge demand for eggs and the market has never been fully supplied. On this account egg production offers exceptional opportunities to make money. Compared to other opportunities in the chicken business, egg production and sale can be more profitable because of the lower cost of production.

The first four to six months is the most costly because pullets have to be raised to the point of lay before realizing any returns. Bring back to laying hens that have molted and produced well over for another year.

Day Old Chicks

The business of raising day old chicks is becoming attractive as more farmers engage in poultry farming. However, this specialized area requires the businessman to be proficient in artificial hatching and have quality chicks when customers are in need. The alternative to hatching which most businesses prefer is opting to import and distribute the day old chicks. But developing a local business can equally pay well if good strains of poultry are bred. This might easily be the foundation of a special trade for day old chicks within the locality.

Broilers

No one should go into the broiler business unprepared. Broilers are profitable when sold early enough before they have eaten all the profits. A guaranteed market is imperative to supply broilers with cost-effective prices. It has been estimated that more than 90% of the failures in broiler business come from poor planning and marketing. It is more economical to sell the broilers as soon as they are of marketable size, usually earlier than 8 weeks of age.

Roasters

Roasters are fairly mature birds large enough to supply a family dinner. Such birds are sold when four or five months old. The birds are marketed when they have reached the heaviest weights and before their flesh hardens. These birds are most profitably raised by being allowed free range where they grow from the time they leave the brooder or the mother hen to the time they are sold. Frequently they are fattened for two weeks or so before going to the market.

Capons

Farmers who cannot handle large numbers of early chicks can dispose of surplus cockerels as capons or ordinary roasters. Cockerels can be caponized, fattened to add weight and sold at much higher prices. Capons do not quarrel therefore can be kept in large flocks.

Layers

The production of layers is another specialized area of the poultry business. Egg farmers are glad to pay higher prices for pullets raised to the point of lay avoiding risks of deaths and other uncertainties incidental to raising chicks. Profits are maximized when losses arising out of chick mortality are kept low. This business does well where commercial egg producers go directly into egg production without the hustles of raising chicks.

Turkeys

The huge demand for turkeys and the best prices come around December during the Christmas holidays. Turkey production does not interfere with other poultry because turkeys get along well with the chickens and because they cover a wider field in their foraging. They do best where there is unrestricted range. Hatching can be done so that the poults grow to salable size in time to reach the markets.

Ducks                                                                            

Duck farming is a business for the specialist and unless carried out carefully it is not likely to be profitable. The business demands skilled labor in feeding and dressing. Although ducks are in small demand, there is a small market for breeding stock and a few duck farmers are making money in this niche.  If there is a good local market for ducks it may be worthwhile to take up this branch of poultry farming experimentally on a small scale and develop it as you gain experience. The demand for ducks is steadily increasing in the local markets and you may find it profitable to expand.

Geese

Geese require extensive space to become profitable. They cannot be economically raised in confinement. Where farms have swamps or large water pools, such lands can be made profitable by means of geese. The birds practically feed themselves on pasture.  All the breeding flock needs is a dry place to sleep and moderate feeding. The markets for geese are more or less the same as that for ducks.

Ostrich                                                                                                                             

Ostrich farming is fast gaining popularity with current demand for ostrich breeding stock far surpassing supply resulting in very high prices for all ages of birds. Demand for products such as skin or hide, plumage, and meat are also increasing. Profitable business depends on demonstrated practices in management and husbandry; breeding, brooding and rearing; nutrition, health maintenance and, above all, hatchery management and incubation. Extensive production system and maximum utilization of quality forage is necessary to make production economically feasible.

Guineas Fowl

The guinea bird has a game flavor and can be sold as various kinds of flesh in restaurants as a substitute for a range of game as well as being sold under its own name. This fact has encouraged the growing of guinea birds to supply the demand. Like the turkey the guinea bird thrives best where there is ample free range, and unless one is sure of the market, you better not engage in guinea bird farming. Guineas are more exacting in their demands than turkeys, but where one has the space and is sure of a good market it may be well to make a venture in this direction.

Pigeons

Many people have been induced to go into the production of pigeon squabs. This is a niche market and while there are successes in this line of poultry production, the demand is low and the price is about fixed, so that it is not advisable to go into this business without knowing the market. The business is a specialist’s line, and not adapted for ordinary farm conditions.

Routine husbandry practices when raising pigs

Written by Adele jones

Feeding pigs

Feed all animals twice a day with a restricted amount of dry concentrates and free access to fresh water. Restricted access is used for the following reasons:

• It gives maximal feed conversion efficiency (FCE). FCE is the most important factor in the economy of feeding of pigs as the cost of feeds account for about 70% of the total costs in pig production.
• Restricted feeding gives animals meat quality. The most important factors in grading of pigs meat in Kenya are carcass weight, back-fat thickness and age. A too high level of feeding will produce a carcass with too much fat and subsequent low grading.
• Recording of feed consumption makes it possible to calculate FCE for various groups.

Alternative feeding systems are adlib and semi adlib feeding.

The feeding standards used are available at the National Research Council and Kenya Bureau of Standards.

Feed mixtures

Feeds for pigs must be energy rich, low in crude fibres and contain all nutrients required by pigs. Various age groups have different nutrient requirements. Commercial feed mixtures commonly used are.

• Sow and weaner meal is used for all breeding animals and growing pigs from weaning to about 50kg liveweight.
• Pig finishing meal is used for finishing pigs from 50kg liveweight to marketing.
• Creep pellets are used from 2 weeks to weaning.

Other available commercial feed mixtures for pigs are cereal balancers used to mix with home grown cereals, and skim balancer used together with skim milk.

Home made mixtures

No simple feedstuffs contain all nutrients pigs need in the correct proportion. A feed mixture will principally be composed of

• Energy rich feeds (cereals)
• Protein feeds (plant or animal origin)
• Mineral feeds (salts)
• Vitamin premix

Cleaning

Routine daily cleaning – Remove the manure from all pens twice per day.

Clean empty pens to reduce transfer of diseases. Thoroughly and mechanically clean by scrubbing with water and brush all pens which are emptied when either the pigs are sent to slaughter or transferred to other pens.

Prepare farrowing pens because newborns are more susceptible to all diseases than older pigs. One of the most important steps in reduction of mortality in pigs is to provide the newborn pigs with an optimal environment. About one week before the expected time for farrowing the sow is brought into the farrowing pen. Before this clean and disinfect the pen and wash the sow then treat for external and internal parasites. Equip the creep area when farrowing is expected to ensure an environment with optimal temperature and humidity free from draught.

Weighing

Suckling pigs

The weight at birth, 2,3,4,6 and 8 weeks indicate milk production in the sow and mothering abilities.

Growing pigs

Weigh growing pigs once per fortnight and when approaching market weight once per week. This is useful for

• Allocation of amounts of feeds
• Calculation of growth rate and FCE
• Checking performance
• Estimate the most economic time for slaughter.

Method for estimation of liveweight

Suckling pigs can easily be weighed by an ordinary scale. Older pigs (20 kg upwards), however, can only be weighed in special scale designed for weighing animals. Heavier animals are cumbersome to handle.

The liveweights can roughly be estimated from the heart girth. The weight can then either be estimated directly from the weigh band or from tables. Such tables vary according to type of pigs, breeds and level of feeding.

Castration

Castrate all male pigs to avoid the “Boar taste” which develops in boars approaching sexual maturity. Castration is easily done at 3 weeks of age. Avoid castration of sick pigs and check for malformations such as cryptochidism, hernia and intersex.

Parasite control

Spray against external parasites such as lice and mange. Spray sows once or twice leaving a three weeks interval. Then spray the last time one week before farrowing.

Piglets at weaning

Spray growing pigs and boars when necessary. Don’t spray during the last week before slaughter.

Deworming should be done at the same time as spraying.

Identification

Although ear tattooing is cheap and can be used on new born, it can be difficult on older pigs. Ear notching is also cheap but one must know the system to be able to interpret the numbers. Notched ears can be damaged during fighting or ear biting and cannot be used on new born. Ear tags are easy to read but expensive and can be lost.

Practically all newborn pigs are tattooed and ear notched at weaning. Breeding animals are ear tagged

Selection of breeding animals

Factors to consider when selecting breeding animals ranked according to importance.

• Feed conversion efficiency
• Backfat thickness (lean to fat ratio)
• Fertility, litter size
• Growth rate
• Conformation
• Type
• Body length
• Weight gain in piglets

Heat detection and mating

Gilts have their first heat at 5 – 6 months age. They should not be served before 8 months and 100 kg liveweight.

Sows come on heat 2 – 5 days after weaning, depending on length of suckling period

The length of heat is between 40 – 43 hours and ovulation takes place in the beginning of the half of the estrus period.

Signs of heat include swelling and reddening of vulva and discharge of mucous, changed behavior, restless, loss of appetite, and riding on others.

Gestation period takes 113 to 115 days.

Record keeping

Keep the following records:

Breeding animals

• Service record
• Litter size (dead, living)
• Liveweight of piglets

Baconers

• Liveweight
• Feed consumption
• Grading

FORMULATING FEED RATIONS FOR PIG

Written by Maurice Rangoma, livestockenya.com

Feed rations for pigs are primarily made of grains, legumes, vitamins and minerals. Many pig farmers still allow pigs to forage on pasture and supplement with any available farm waste. Some offer maize and other grains without considering the amounts and economic returns. This type of feeding program is very inefficient and the best feed to gain ratio that can be achieved is normally in the range of 5:1.

In advanced systems pigs are totally kept in confinement and provided a well balanced diet. To provide such a well balanced diet the nutritional requirements of different classes of pigs must be known and met. The main considerations for feed ration for pigs should therefore consist of meeting biological needs with appropriate combination of feed ingredients and pure sources of limiting nutrients to provide a nutritionally balanced diet. This information must be accurate so as to make a cost effective diet when you take into account that feed cost contributes about 55 to 70% of the total cost of production

Daily nutrients requirement for pigs

There various nutrients required by pigs and other farm animals which include water, energy, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and additives. Under practical feeding conditions whereby natural feedstuffs are used some of the required nutrients are likely to be deficient. Lack of these nutrients are manifested in various forms such as impaired growth, weak pigs, weight loss, skin problems, rickets, problems with blood, hypersensitivity, reproductive problems, cracked hooves, lameness and sometimes death.

In addition the daily nutrients required by the pig for maintenance, growth and reproduction depend on the size and physiological state of the pig. Nutrient interaction also plays an important role. It refers to a situation whereby the presence of a certain nutrient in the diet affects the availability of another required nutrient. The feeding standards as provided by NRC, ARC or KEBS are minimum requirements and should be considered as starting points in diet formulation.

Procedure for formulating rations

Due to the complexity of this procedure which any farmers might not be able to perform it is prudent to use already prepared rations from reliable commercial sources. Mixing the rations at home after getting the formula can also be very tricky. Experienced farmers use complex computer programs to come up with accurate diets and mix the feed ingredients with complex equipment. However, there are those who use trial and error methods with varying degrees of success.

The following information is required to be able to formulate a pig ration.

1.      Recommended nutrient levels for various categories of pigs.

An example is given on the table below.

 

	Liveweight in Kg
	10 – 20	20 – 50	50 – 110
Expected daily intake (g/day)	950	1900	3100
Energy intake (Kcal DE/Kg diet)	3400	3400	3400
Protein (%)	18	15	13
Amino acids (%)
Lysine	0.95	0.75	0.60
Methionine + Cystine	0.48	0.41	0.34
Threonine	0.56	0.48	0.40
Tryptophan	0.14	0.12	0.10
Minerals
Calcium (%)	0.40	0.60	0.50
Phosphorous (%)	0.60	0.50	0.40
Zinc (mg/Kg diet)	0.80	0.60	0.50
Vitamins
B12 (µg/Kg diet)	15	10	5
A (IU)	1750	1300	1300
D (IU)	200	150	150
E (IU)	11	11	11

2.      Nutrient composition of various feedstuffs

For example

Nutrient	DE	CP	Ca	P
Reject wheat	3400	12	0.4	0.2
Barley	3100	10	0.05
Soya bean	3220	44	0.3	0.65
Dicalcium phosphate			23	18
Limestone			38

Once this information is available various methods of calculation can be employed. The simplest is the Pearson square method. A portion of the ration is fixed and the variable part is calculated using the square.

For example to formulate a pig diet for finisher pigs which has Crude Protein (CP) of 13 – 14% with calcium requirements of 0.5% and phosphorous 0.4%:

Step 1: Fix the important feeds.

Trial and error method is used to fix the important feedstuff. An important guide is to know the maximum inclusion rates of particular feedstuffs because if they exceed a certain level they may become toxic to the animal or interfere with the digestive process. In this example we fix the following feedstuffs at the percentages given on the table; limestone, dicalcium phosphate, trace elements and barley.

 

Feedstuff	%
Barley	10
Limestone	0.5
Dicalcium phosphate	2
Trace minerals	1
Total	13.5
Balance	86.5

Step 2: Calculate the composition of the remaining feedstuff using CP levels

The balance should form the bulk of the feedstuff; in this case it is 86.5%. Normally two feed sources are considered at this level, one with high energy content and another with high protein content. In this example reject wheat has high energy content and soya bean has high protein content.

The overall feed composition should have a minimum 13% CP. This percentage is needed in the remaining portion of the ration. This translates to 13 / 0.865 = 15% CP. Put this figure in the middle of the square then the respective CP% of the remaining two feedstuffs at the corners on the left of the square.

Then subtract the figures diagonally across the square only indicating the positive sum on the right. Get the sum of the figures on the right of the square and use it to calculate the percentages of the respective feedstuff. In this case the percentage of reject beans in the balance is (29/32) 100 = 90.6% and soya beans (3/32) 100 = 9.4%

Finally convert these percentages to total ration.

E.g. reject wheat forms 90.6% of 86.5% of ration = 78.4% of total ration.

Soya beans forms 9.4% of 86.5% of ration = 8.1% of total ration.

When you bring all the percentages together you get the following feed composition:

 

Ingredient	%
Reject wheat	78.4
Soya bean	8.1
Barley	10
Limestone	0.5
Dicalcium phosphate	2
Trace minerals	1
Total	100

So the final composition of this diet is as follows:

 

Ingredient	% in diet	DE	CP	Ca	P
Reject wheat	78.4	2665.60	9.408	0.313	0.16
Soya bean	8.1	260.82	3.564	0.024	0.05
Barley	10	310.00	1.000	0.005	0
Limestone	0.5	0.00	0.000	0.190	0
Dicalcium phosphate	2			0.460	0.36
Trace minerals	1
	100	3236.42	13.972	0.992	0.57

As I said before, a number of commercial feed manufacturers have well balanced diets and it may not be necessary to undergo this complex procedure to make your own diet. There are always chances of getting it wrong. In Kenya there are three types of pig feeds in the market; creep feed, sow and weaner and finisher ration. These feeds have been formulated to meet the nutritional demands of the various categories of pigs.

How to stop laying hens from going broody

Written by ruanwen

Poultry keepers with commercial layers will be concerned if a sizeable number of hens in the flock go broody. It means a drop in egg collection therefore a reduction in the paycheck. Stopping or breaking broodiness of the affected hens will therefore become a priority. It is sensible to try and discourage hens from broodiness because it halts egg laying.

Broodiness is a hen’s instinct to set on a nest and hatch eggs. If you are breeding chickens, this may be a favorable quality. However, if you are raising chickens for eggs, a broody hen can be problematic. She can make collecting eggs near impossible, can starve to death sitting on a nest of unfertilized eggs waiting for them to hatch or may take over the nesting area, preventing other hens from laying. Breaking up a broody hen quickly is essential. The longer she is left to brood the longer it will take to break her.

The first step in stopping laying hens from going broody is to identify the broody hens. This is easy if you only have a few hens but when the flock is large the exercise can be daunting. Generally broody hens want to sit on the eggs almost continually breaking briefly for food and toilet. Hens stay on the nest longer and longer each day and never seems to leave the nestbox. Hens pull out feathers under the belly and get aggressive, screeching to be left alone. They growl or peck at you if you reach for the eggs under her. The body temperature rises and hens want to be comfortable. This state can last about one to one and a half months then get back to normal.  Thereafter they take a few weeks to start laying again. Any time longer than that may mean some other reason for not laying.

The basic principle for breaking broodiness revolves around stopping the hens from getting too comfortable. Poultry keepers have devised techniques of achieving this but some are not good for the hens’ health, others even weird and are not recommended.  One example I came across is putting the broody hen inside a big gunny bag, folding the top and hanging it up overnight.

The water bath

This is not very effective. A hen broods in order to keep the incubating eggs warm. Her body temperature rises, telling her it’s time to set a nest. A cool, not cold, water bath will cool her body temperature, breaking her broodiness.

Isolation

Removing the broody hens away from other laying hens and putting them in temporary housing for a week where they cannot settle into a nest. Feed and water is provided. This method is fairly effective and the hen should stop her broodiness within a week.

Wire cage

Putting the hen inside a propped up wire cage for one to two days. Food and water is provided in the cage. This method is very successful. The airflow keeps the hens cool and after a few days they stop being broody.

Light

Nesting boxes are usually dark, secluded and comfortable places. These conditions trigger the instinct to brood. Make it uncomfortable for hens to stay in the nests by increasing the amount of light up to 14 hours a day.

Rooster

Isolating a broody hen with a rooster to keep the her busy and forget about brooding. That is if you don’t mind the hens laying fertilized eggs later.

Starvation

Depriving hens of feed and water to break the broodiness. But this is not good for the bird. Lack of feed weakens an already weak bird and lack of water for several days can damage the liver.

Ice cubes

Holding a hen’s stomach in a container full of ice water until it shivers. This is a cruel technique that can kill the hen and it is not recommended. A hen’s body temperature is above average while broody and the cold water can shock her into a heart attack or cause other health problems.

Fake eggs

Giving fake eggs to a hen to sit on and waiting for it to become bored and leave. This one cannot work. Hens that are broody will not leave until the eggs are hatched. She will literally sit on the nest until she dies of starvation.

Remove Eggs

Regularly remove eggs from the nests. Generally, a hen won’t incubate a single egg. She’ll accumulate several eggs, called a clutch, and stop laying. By regularly removing eggs from the nest, the hen will have nothing to incubate and will keep laying.

Greenhouse Tomato Farming in Kenya

Kenya has started greenhouse production of tomatoes, raising hopes that the popular vegetable will become available throughout the year at affordable prices.

In the new system developed by the Kenya Horticulture Development Programme (KHDP) and agricultural inputs suppliers Seminis Seeds and Osho Chemical Industries, a grower requires about 240 square metres of land and a greenhouse kit to get started.

The cheapest kit, comprising a 500 litre water tank, irrigation drip lines, plastic sheet, seeds and chemicals has been put at Ksh150,000 ($2,239) for those participating in the project. The plot of land can grow 1,000 plants.

The fourth demonstration site, for the Coast province, was launched last week at the Agricultural Training Centre in Mtwapa, Mombasa. Others are in Nairobi at the Horticultural Crops Development Authority compound near the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, at the Agricultural Training Centre, Kabiangi in Kericho, and at the Lake Basin Development Authority compound in Kisumu.

According to the KHDP, the greenhouse tomato project, one of the activities the programme is supporting to help increase the incomes of rural households, is borrowed from Israel, where the country has most of its agriculture under greenhouses due to scarcity of water and land. It is also widely practised in the United States.

If the concept is widely embraced, Kenya could start enjoying year-round supply of tomatoes, which currently get damaged during the wet seasons, pushing prices through the roof. According to Peter Randa, the marketing manager and project technical advisor, growing crops under greenhouses has many advantages, among them the ability to produce huge quantities on a small piece of land and continuous harvesting. The tomatoes have a shelf-life of 21 days compared with 14 for those grown in the open.

It takes a shorter period — two months — for greenhouse-produced tomatoes to mature, while it takes a minimum of three months with outdoor farming.

Due to controlled irrigation and temperatures, the crop sports a continuous output of flowers and fruits, all at different stages.

One plant has a potential of up to 15 kg at first harvest, going up to 60 kg by the time it has completed its full cycle — recommended at one year.

The plant vines are supported inside the greenhouse with sticks and strings, growing up to 50 metres in height. If well looked after, the minimum plot of land under greenhouse production can yield up to 25,000 tonnes of tomatoes.

Tomatoes are generally highly susceptible to diseases requiring heavy application of pesticides but under the greenhouse growing techniques, which come with basic training on hygiene, most of common infections are easily kept at bay. Also kept at bay are insects and other pests known to invade plants as well as weeds.

Apart from huge savings on crop protection chemicals, which constitute a huge part of production costs, less labour is employed in a greenhouse, while exposure to chemical toxins associated with application is minimised or eliminated altogether. It is also good for the environment.

Planting materials for the greenhouse tomato production have been specially developed as high yielding, although they can grow outdoors as well. For this programme, the partners are recommending the Annaf1 hybrid tomato seed developed by Seminis East Africa.

On its part, Osho Chemicals is providing free chemicals to farmers in the initial stages of planting as well as technical advice on application, said marketing manager James Ndabi.

The introduction of greenhouse tomatoes in Kenya heralds what could be a major shift from open pollinated farming to hybrid high yielding methods, which if adopted in other sectors could lead to massive improvements in crop production, output, incomes and ultimately self-sufficiency in food production.

According to Mr Randa, there has been a marked uptake of improved planting materials in the country, a sign that farmers are keen to adopt new products and technology.

In Eldoret, KHDP reports, greenhouse production of tomatoes is coming along fast since this is where the technology was first introduced. The horticulture programme, funded by the United States Agency for International Development, estimates that in the next five years, most tomatoes grown in Kenya will be under greenhouses.

Mombasa is seen as having a huge potential for the technique since the Coast province imports more than 75 per cent of its food from upcountry and Tanzania.

http://www.ukulimasmart.co.ke

Poultry housing

A good poultry house should be spacious, comfortable and protect the birds from severe weather conditions. As such, the floor should be cemented for easy cleaning, the wall should be solid (stone, timber, iron sheet, bricks etc) for the first one metre and the rest wire mesh. In total a wall height should be about 3 metres high. The roof should be leak proof. Preferably the house should assume east-west orientation to reduce the amount of direct sunlight entering the house. A rectangular shape is most preferred.

Stocking density

The model stocking density for layers is 3 bird per square metre, and 3 birds per square metre for broilers. Depending on the number of birds to be kept, an appropriate size house should be constructed.

Management practice

The house should be constructed in an isolated place and fenced off with a small wire gauge to keep out wild birds and animals. This will also keep off unauthorized people and predators hence lessen contamination. A foot-bath should be placed at the entrance of the house to disinfect feet or wears for those entering. The entrance should be fitted with a door which should be locked when not in use.

Farmers should avoid keeping birds of different ages together.

Regulating conditions in poultry house

In the tropics where the average day temperatures tend to be high, the wire mesh used to construct the upper part of the wall will help to remove excess heat and moisture. Curtains (made from sacks) need to be fitted. At night when the temperatures fall the curtains should be closed.  Under normal circumstances, curtains should be opened uniformly from all sides unless wind is blowing from one side.

The curtains will regulate ventilation of the house by opening and closing.

WOODEN GREENHOUSE

When most of the new agricultural entrepreneurs want to enter into greenhouse farming, most think of metallic greenhouses. Metallic greenhouses are know to be quite expensive, doubling or even tripling the cost of a wooden greenhouse.

When the startup capital is limited, the way to go is wooden greenhouse. This reduces the cost of putting up a greenhouse quite considerably. The size of the wooden greenhouse will depend on; your construction budget, and the space you have at your disposal. Unlike the metallic which is mostly predefined unless you request for special fabrication.

Farmers have been trying to reduce the cost of doing Agribusiness to sustain considerable profits and avoid transferring extra costs to the buyer.

Let us discuss on the pros and cons of your wooden greenhouse as you have experiences and support fellow farmers in promoting modern agribusiness…

The A-Z of growing capsicum profitably

Sweet pepper is a widely grown. It comes in red, yellow or green varieties.

The pepper has a mild flavor  and is used in stews, salads, or stuffing with meats and pickles.

The plant can tolerate many climatic conditions from warm temperate to tropical, including irrigated dry hot areas.

Capsicums are sensitive to frost and the optimum temperatures for proper growth is 15 to 25ºC. The vegetables grow well in altitudes of up to 2,000 meters above sea level.

Soil requirements for capsicums are not strict as they can grow on most well-drained loamy or heavy cracking clay soils with an optimum pH range of 6.0 to 6.5. The low night temperatures in July and August in Kenya are good for this crop.

Seeds take 12 to 21 days to germinate with optimum soil temperatures of between 13 to 21 degrees centigrade. The seedlings will last 45 days in the nursery bed before transplanting. The crop is ready for harvesting after 90 days.

To make a seedling nursery, prepare a raised bed — a meter wide or any convenient length. Manure (20kg/m2) and phosphatic fertiliser should be used.

Seeds should be sown in drilled rows spaced 15cm and thinly covered with soil. Thinning or pricking out should be done to a final seedling spacing of 5cm to allow growth of healthy seedlings.

Seedling beds can be lightly shaded in the first two weeks of germination and seedling development and watering done twice a day if in a hot environment.

Capsicum seed rate is 0.5kg/ha in the nursery and 1kg/ha for direct sowing. The field site for establishing capsicums should be well-prepared and manure applied judiciously (10 tons/ha).

Transplanting is done when seedlings are four to six weeks old (at a height of 10 to 15cm). At a spacing of 75cm by 45cm, one acre can easily accommodate 10,000 plants. At planting, 250kg/ha of double super phosphate fertilizer should be applied.

IRRIGATION

When they reach 15cm, top-dress with 100kg/ha of nitrogen (from CAN or equivalent source) and four weeks later another 200kg/ha should be applied.
As part of horticultural management to maximize production, the growing tips can be pinched out when the plants are 3cm high to encourage branching. Capsicum will perform well under irrigation.

Harvesting starts 2.5 to three months after planting and can continue for four to six months with good management. Only mature fruits should be picked and packaged for market. Sweet peppers should be harvested when filled out and still green.

Harvested fruits should be placed under shade for grading, sorting, and packaging to avoid shriveling. Export produce should conform to the required standards with respect to quality, packaging and labeling.

With 10,000 plants per ha, each yielding about 15 to 25 good sized marketable fruits, a total harvest of 150,000 to 250,000 fruits depending on management is possible. At a market price of Sh5 to Sh10 per fruit, the gross turnover of Sh1 million per ha is not an over-estimation as long as there is good market.

Production cost per hectare is about Sh150,000. Marketing opportunities are excellent in the local and export realms. There are several pests and diseases you must be aware of as far as capsicum growing is concerned.

 

Blossom-end rot: The disorder is caused by lack of calcium. It creates dark brown or black spots on immature fruits. To overcome it, plants should be evenly watered to ensure a steady flow of calcium to the fruits, especially at the forming stage.

Damping-off: Here, seedlings suddenly fall over and rot. This is caused by fungus and can be prevented by keeping the soil in which seedlings grow slightly dry to avoid excessive watering.

Cutworms: This nocturnal caterpillar curls around seedling stems and eats through them. They are controlled by using cutworm collars and applying beneficial nematodes to the soil.

Root-knot nematodes: These are microscopic soil-dwelling worms that can invade roots and make them wilt. They can be eradicated by growing a cover crop of marigolds or rye in infested fields for rotation.

Prof Mulwa is a crops expert at Egerton University.

seeds of gold NATION

Gross margin for 500 commercial layers

Written by Maurice Rangoma

Some people have requested for gross margin of raising 500 commercial layers. Here is a breakdown of the expenses and returns that are expected. The prices are not uniform throughout the country therefore you are advised to adjust the prices according to your locality.

Important assumptions

• 500 birds flock
• 12 months production period

  Eggs

• Production of eggs start when birds are 6 months old
• 10% mortality (50 birds)
• 90% laying percentage
• 10% egg losses
• Cost of 1 DOC at Kshs 95 each
• Building already exist

Day old chicks

500 chicks @ 95 each =  Kshs 47,500.00

Brooding costs

Item	Unit	Quantity	Unit price	Total Amount (Kshs)
Cardboards	Pieces	15	450	6,750.00
Paraffin	Litres	60	110	6,600.00
Kerosene lamps	No	10	900	9,000.00
Total				9000

 

Feeds

Age (weeks)	Feed type	Amount (70kg bags)	Cost (Kshs)	Total (Kshs)
0 – 8	Chick and duck mash	10	3300	33,000.00
8 – 20	Growers mash	50	2400	120,000.00
20 – 75	Layers mash	255	2550	650,000.00
Total				803,250.00

 

Equipment

Equipment	Quantity (No)	Unit price	Total Amount (Kshs)
Round feeders	15	500	7500.00
Round drinkers	20	250	5000.00
Egg trays	20	40	800.00
Total			13,300.00

 

Veterinary charges

Treatment	Frequency	Unit price (Kshs)	Total Amount (Kshs)
Gumboro vaccination	2	500	1000.00
NCD vaccination	3	500	1500.00
Fowl pox	1	500	500.00
Assorted antibiotics			2000.00
Dewormers			1000.00
Total			6000.00

 

Labour

1 attendant for 18 months @ 4000 each = 72,000.00

Summary of cost

Item	Total
Brooding	9,000.00
Day old chicks	47,500.00
Feeds	803,250.00
Equipment	13,300.00
Veterinary	6000.00
Labour	72,000.00
Total	951,050.00

 

Returns

Item	Unit	Quantity	Unit price	Total
Eggs	Trays	4300	300	1,290,000.00
Culls	No	400	300	120,000.00
Gunny bags	No	315	30	9,450.00
Total				1,419,450

 

Gross margin

Kshs (1,419,450 – 951,050) =  Kshs 468,400.00

You can increase the profit margin by cutiing costs and increasing the laying percentag