POULTRY FARMING: THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF VACCINATION NARRATED BY FARMER

Last week time I got to my farm, my manager had something important to tell me. “According to the schedule, we needed to buy 500 doses of Gumboro vaccine tomorrow,” he said emphatically.
“We also need to buy skimmed milk.”
The part of the skimmed milk sounded surreal to me. I will get to that in a while, but before I do, let me explain why things are different this time round.

You see, I was a very worried poultry farmer last year because I couldn’t give the birds the life-saving shots. This year, things are looking up and the measures I put in place—combining farm hygiene (bio-security) with routine vaccination of the birds seem to be working.
Please, repeat after me: “A good vaccination programme is not a substitute for poor hygiene practices on the farm.”
From my records, apart from the 29 chicks, I lost to the cold weather last month and the other 11 with limb paralysis, I haven’t lost more.
For sure, three weeks ago, I started administering the routine vaccines and so far, the birds have received the first and second Gumboro and the first Newcastle.
The reason I withheld the shots last year was that a good number were showing signs of illness. I had been warned against this on several occasions, “Never vaccinate sick birds.”
According to experts, vaccine failure occurs during storage, transportation and administration. The vaccines must be refrigerated during storage and transportation to the farm.

FREE FROM CHEMICALS
To transport the vaccines from town to my farm in Njiru, I use insulated cool boxes containing ice packs to maintain the temperature between two and eight degrees Celsius.

One thing I don’t do is to buy the vaccines a day or two before administering and keeping in my refrigerator. The danger with this is you never know when a blackout will occur.
I also make sure the vaccine doses I buy match the number of birds. Say, if you have 100 birds buy 100 doses and if you have 300 birds buy one bottle of 100 doses and one of 200 doses depending on the packages available.
In addition, I always make sure that the water I use to administer vaccines like Gumboro and Newcastle is free of any chemicals like chlorine.
Chlorine, disinfectants, detergents and metallic ions from heavy metals inactivate the vaccine. I learnt from Cleophas that skimmed milk can act as a stabiliser and that it eliminates the negative effects of chlorine.
“Skimmed milk powder should be added at a rate of 2.5g per litre of water or one teaspoon for every litre of water,” he explained. “If you are using skimmed milk, add two litres into 100 litres of water.”
The other way to get rid of the chlorine is by boiling the water and leaving it overnight or using a stabilising tablet sold in most agro-vets at Sh50 each.
I also administer vitamins a day to vaccination and three days after to minimise stress in the birds. As a rule, I never mix vaccines and vitamins and in case the birds are on a course of antibiotics, you should withdraw the treatment three days prior to vaccination.
Another thing I do for vaccines that I administer through drinking water is to limit the drinking time to at most three hours. After three hours, I normally discard the remaining water, wash the drinkers and provide fresh water mixed with vitamins.
I have also included infectious coryza in my vaccination programme if only to keep at bay the nasty infection that the vets told me was the problem last year.
I am hopeful that with the vaccination programme I have in place and farm biosecurity measures, disease outbreaks will be a thing of the past.

 

source: Daily Nation

UNDERSTAND WEEDS AND EFFECTIVE WAYS OF WEED CONTROL.

 

Weeds are great threats to successful crop production. Weeds are deleterious and the harms they cause are enormous; starting from their unruly competition for nutrient, space, water and air with the sown crops, they also harbor pests which in turn cause devastating crop diseases, thus, reducing the quality and quantity of the sown crop. But do you know you can use insects to control weeds? Have you heard of mycoherbicides? If no, relax and get liberated as you read through this article.

For profitable crop production, weeds should be eradicated from the farm; a farmer should worry less if such farmer has effective weed control measures in place. A farm free from weeds is also free from various crop diseases because weeds are mostly the host of insect pests which rampage and infest the crops. Weeds, directly or indirectly, increase the cost of production of most farmers; such that, at the end of each production, farmers are left with little or no profit. The issue of weeds is a very important issue in crop production.

Farmers have been trying their best to ensure the eradication of weeds from their farm but most times, the hardy and aggressive nature of weeds renders their efforts futile. A good farmers needs to understand and define weeds.

So what are weeds?

Weeds are crops growing out of place; weeds are unwanted crops. After successful land preparation and planting, weeds emerge. You may wonder why weeds are so “stubborn and oppressive”; this is because weeds are persistent and difficult to eradicate. A good example is the Cyperus spp. Some weeds produce large number of seeds, like Amaranthus spinosus, their seeds are very tiny and can survive for a very long period of time under the soil. Some weeds have reproductive parts like Cynodon spp and Napier or elephant grass; the stolon is a reproductive part that enables the weed to multiply rapidly. Most times, if the weeds are slashed, it is the leaves that are ripped off; the stolon is still under the ground. This stolon produces new shoots that are more vigorous and persistent.

A farmer may plant maize and sees Talinum triangulae (water leaf) on the farm; he feels the waterleaf is an edible vegetable and decides to spare it. This practice is detrimental to the maize because the waterleaf, in this case, is a weed and should be eradicated. If any crop grows spontaneously in the midst of your sown crop, such crop is a weed and should be eradicated; even if it is edible, it should not be spared. Competition with the sown crop is still manageable but its ability to habour pest makes it unwanted and makes its eradication imperative.

Types of weeds

There are different types of weeds that can be found on the farm; they are categorized into 3 forms based on the shape of their leaves, namely:

Grasses: These types of weeds have the length of their leaf blade widely larger than the breadth. Examples are: Imperata cylindrica (spear grass), Panicum maximum (guinea grass) Andropogon gayanus (Nothern gamba), Napier grass.

Imperata cylindrica
·

Broadleaves: These types of weeds have the size of their breadth is closely the same as that of their leaf blade. Examples are: Talinum triangulare (water leaf), Sida acuta, Tridax procumbens etc.

Talinum triangulare
Sedges: In this type of weed, all the leaves of the weeds tend to arise from the same point. Examples are: Mariscus alternifolius, Cyperus rotundus, Cyperus esculentus etc.

Mariscus alternifolius

The object of classification here is their appearance; I feel this is most important to farmers. There are other forms of classification; weeds can be classified based on their lifecycle, growth habit and habitat. The most important classification is the shape of the leaves because it can be used to control weeds.

What are the effective ways of controlling weeds?

Effective weed control is fundamental and starts from the land preparation. There are several ways of controlling weeds. They are:

Cultural weed control method.

Biological weed control method.

Integrated weed control method.

Chemical weed control method.

What are the cultural weeds control methods?

Cultural method of weed control is an indigenous approach to reduce the presence of weeds in a farm. It is also an option for organic farming as it does not involve the use of chemicals. It is basically a preventive measure of weed control. It is also very effective when done as required. It involves:

Proper tillage practice: I am talking about the conventional tillage practice here; where the land is ploughed twice and harrowed before planting.

Flooding: Flooding is one of the cultural ways of controlling weeds. It is most effective in rice farm. Rice is tolerant to flood but weeds within the rice farm are not tolerant to flood or waterlogged areas. Flooding is more effective in rice cultivation.

Mulching: Mulching is another traditional way of controlling weeds; the use of dry grasses or synthetic material like polythene sheet or plastic to cover the soil helps to control weed and also conserve soil moisture. The weeds are denied access to sunlight which aids their growth.

Manual and mechanical weeding: These two are the most effective ways of weed control. They are environmental compliance but quite expensive, especially the manual weeding.
What are biological weed control methods?

Biological weed control is the use of other organisms to suppress weeds. It is another option for organic farming. Biological control of weeds involves the use of the following:

Cover crop: Cover crops are crops that are used to control weed due to the flamboyance of their leaves. Cover crops are crops that have their leaves in form of a shade; they are mostly creepy in nature. Examples of cover crops are sweet potatoes, fluted pumpkin leaves, etc.; they can be or planted as companion crops to control weeds for the main crops. They are mostly intercropped with crops like maize.

Use of invertebrate animals like insects to control weeds: In some parts of the world today, insects are being used to control weeds. In India, cactoblastis moth was used to control weeds in prickly pear farm; also, in some parts of Africa, some insects are also used to control weeds. As seen in Zambia where Paulina acuminata (grasshopper) was used to control Salvinia molesta. These are new developments.

Use of microbes to control weed: This is another new development in the agricultural sector. The use of microorganisms to control weeds is another easy way to control weeds in your farm; viruses, fungi, nematodes and bacteria can be modified to control weeds. They are collectively called mycoherbicides; that is, the use of plant pathogens to control weed. Examples of microbial weed control include: the use of soil borne fungi, Phytophthora palmivora, sold as mycoherbicides-sevine, to control strangler vine, Morrenia odorata; also fungus Collectotrichum gloeosporoides called mycoherbicides-collego to control northern joint vetch in paddy rice farm. More research works are on-going regarding this method of weed control.

Chemical or inorganic weed control

This is the widely used method of controlling weeds. It is quite controversial as its detrimental effects are becoming more pronounced. Chemical compounds used in controlling weeds are called herbicides. The use of herbicides on crops is becoming wary; there is a global campaign against its use as it is not environmental compliance. Excessive use of herbicides has caused underground water pollution and contamination. However, herbicides have been seen to be very effective in weed control.

What does integrated weed control mean?

Integrated weed control is another way of controlling weed; it is the combination of two or more weed control methods to achieve effective action. It is the combination of two or more of the above methods of weed control to achieve effective weed control.

Weeds are pests to crop production; it is imperative a profit-oriented farm proffer an effective way to manage weed control to attain optimum yield and reasonable profit. Remember to share this as wide as possible for others to benefit from it just as how you have benefitted.

Justagricultureblog.co.uk

Toxic Mastitis in Dairy Cattle

via Toxic Mastitis in Dairy Cattle ‹ allthingsfarming ‹ Reader — WordPress.com

If your here today, you are either wondering how to prevent toxic mastitis in Cows or wondering what mastitis even is. So i’m here to tell you all about it and how Tilly the cow got toxic mastitis and what we have done to make her road to recovery quick and painless.

A little information on Mastitis – Mastitis is the inflammation of the mammary gland and udder tissue, and is a major endemic disease of dairy cattle. It usually occurs as an immune response to bacterial invasion of the teat canal by variety of bacterial sources present on the farm, and can also occur as a result of chemical, mechanical, or thermal injury to the cow’s udder.

So if you still don’t get what mastitis is I’ll make it a little bit simpler for you. So when cows have nipples just like us females and through lactating periods they can get infected which makes the surrounding area go hard and very sore. Still don’t get it? Just ask your mother she probably had it.

So here’s how to spot mastitis in a cow.

1. So a dairy cow has 4 quarters sometimes 3 sometimes 6 depends. Start stripping down the quarters and the first signs you’ll notice the udder may look sore and tender and this is a pretty good sign cows udder is becoming partial to infection.

May I note I am not a cow expert, it’s how I treat the cows I work with and what I look out for, I mean I milk 220 cows a day 5 days a week, I see a lot of udders. But there are other methods online that may be more effective.

2. Start stripping the quarters and you’ll notice that one of the quarters feels different, a little bit harder than the rest and the stripping of the quarter is more difficult than the rest.

3. Once you start stripping you should notice that there should be a clumpy white residue coming from the quarter and that is a clear sign of mastitis. But noticing how many clumps there are shows how much the infection had spread. If there is a few clumps you can inject the cow with excenel which will make the cow drop all of it milk before the next milking period which then the cow should be stripped again and hopefully the infection should of cleared.

4. If you notice many clumps after stripping the quarter, you should then begin treating the quarter immediately to stop the risk of infection spreading further causing toxic mastitis or death.

We treat our cows with Multijet and Cobactan.

Some facts on both of the antibiotics from Gracens own farm-acy ( get it )

• Multiject IMM – is an antibacterial and anti inflammatory antibiotic for bovine mastitis in lactating cows. This should be used once daily for three days to ensure the product works effectively in treating fast. The milk withdrawal is 108 hours from last treatment and meat withdrawal is 7 days from the last treatment.
• Cobactan MC – is a stronger antibiotic which is used to treat more serious mastitis. This should be used once every 12 hours for 3 milking. Milk withdrawal is 120 hours and meat withdrawal is 4 days from the last day of treatment.

The antibiotics come in a small syringe which is inserted into the infected udder, this does not hurt the animal it is very painless and quickly administrated. You should always make sure the udder is clean as it can be and no muck gets on the syringe before putting it in the udder.

After treatment we normally give a routine of injections to ensure we catch it quickly before the mastitis causes any damage and by this I mean some cows can dry themselves on that one quarter which then cannot be milked at all. We normally give a 13-15ml (depending on cows weight and dietary needs) injection of meloxidyl this is for acute respiratory infections within cattle which reduces any clinical signs the cows may show. The milk withdrawal is 5 days and meat withdrawal is 15 days.

If any of you are wondering what meat and milk withdrawal is, so we put all the milk into a big tank but we can only put cows that haven’t been treated in there as the milk has to be pure, so we have to use a separate milking machine to separate the milk which can then be fed to calves which does not affect there health in any way and meat withdrawal is the amount of time they have to stay on the yard before they can be sent for slaughter, sounds horrible I know but it happens but cows who cannot walk or have been treated with antibiotics or look unfit can not go for slaughter as they have to be checked over by a vet before they enter the slaughter house otherwise they will be sent back.

Back to the subject, we next inject them with Marbox until they are showing signs of improvement. This is a therapeutic treatment for acute mastitis. Intramuscular injections meat withdrawal is 3 days and milk is 72 hours.

So hopefully on the antibiotic side of things this is useful but here’s a few tips and tricks on how to prevent it in the future

• Clean the beds down properly of any muck, if a cow goes and lies down and there is muck everywhere and milk which may have leaked from other cows it is a massive bacteria infestation spreading. It take a few minutes out of your day how would you like it if you slept in a dirty bed, you’d soon become ill.
• Make sure the beds have lots of straw or sand or whatever you use. We use rubber mats and straw and they are cleaned in the morning and at night before milking, the beds are scraped out and we they use salostan which is an antibacterial power or hydrolime and sprinkle this over the wet parts of the beds and where the cows udder lies this helps reduce bacteria and nasty infections from other cows.
• When milking make sure you have an effective cleaning method, we use a yellow foamy solution can’t remember the name sorry, and use a lot of it and then let the solution set before wiping it of with a paper towels, after milking we seal the cows teat with a iodine based teat dip to ensure the teat has closed up properly before they go into the field or back to there beds.
• Make sure the parlour floor is always clean it takes two seconds to wash down and the same amount of time for some dirt to get into the test and cause an infection which at the end of the day causes a major issue.

I really hope you liked my post on toxic mastitis I have tried to keep it short and sweet with the useful tips and tricks on prevention and treatment within dairy cattle. So here’s Tilly who has just recovered from toxic mastitis who is happily enjoying herself and resting ready to give birth in a few weeks

Much love from Gracen and Tilly xo

 

 

Between Layers and Broilers, Which is More Profitable?

Should you invest in Layers or Broilers?

In the chicken industry in Kenya, there are three main sectors: Layers, which are the chicken bred and raised to produce eggs, or broilers, chicken raised and bred to be slaughtered meat and the indigenous breeds. Whatever sector you choose, you have to make the right decisions to make your chicken business a profitable one.

I have come across the question of which is the best enterprise between broilers and layers on several different occasions.

I will not give a direct answer. However, here is a simple calculation to help you make a right decision.

NOTE:

1. The calculation below is based on feeds only since it contributes to up to 80% of cost of production and does not cover costs of drugs, or building or labor and other overheads.
2. It is based on current market price which changes from time to time and should be used as a guide.

Broiler 500 birds

• Broiler starter costs Ksh 50 per kg fed for the first 3 weeks
• Broiler finisher costs Ksh 45 per kg fed for the remaining next 4 weeks.
• Mature bird is sold at Ksh 400

Maximum amount of broiler starter given to chicks per day = 100g

Maximum amount of broiler finisher feed fed to mature birds per day = 180g.

Cost of feeding broiler starter for 3 weeks = Ksh 52500

Cost of feeding broiler finisher for 4 weeks = Ksh 113,400

Total cost of feeds = Ksh 52500 + Ksh 113400 = Ksh 165,900

Revenue from Sale of 500 birds = Ksh 200,000

Gross Margin = Ksh 34, 100.

Profit per month = Ksh 17,050.

Layers 500 birds

Costs

• Chick mash @ Ksh 45/kg fed from wk 1 to wk 8
• Growers mash @ Ksh 30/kg fed from wk 9 to wk 19
• Layers mash @ Ksh 40/kg fed from wk 20 to wk 84
• One tray of egg sold for Ksh 320.

NOTE

1. Maximum amount of feed fed to chicks per day = 60g
2. Maximum amount of feed fed to growers per day=90g
3. Maximum amount of feed fed to layers per day=120g

• Cost of feeding Chick mash = Ksh 75,600
• Cost of feeding growers mash = Ksh 103,950
• Cost of feeding layers mash = Ksh 1,092,000

Total Feed costs = Ksh 1,271,550

Revenue from sale of eggs.

Laying percentage =85%

Total eggs collected for 455 days =193,375

Total crates =6446 × Ksh 320 (cost of one crate)

Total revenue = Ksh 2,062,720

Gross margin = Ksh 970,720

Profit per Month = 51,090

Conclusion

1. Therefore rearing layers is profitable in the long run, i.e in the two years.
2. You need to plan before investing in layers as your hens will stay for up to 18 weeks before starting laying meaning no revenue.
3. Hen can lay continuously  up 2 years with average percentage of 85%
4. Broilers reach market weight after 2 months.

culled from : Biznakenya.com®

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HOW TO START YOUR OWN FARM AS A BEGINNER

How To Start Your Own Farm

If you must do anything in line with farming and Agriculture, practically dealing with plants and animal then starting a farm becomes a necessity, if you must do well in real agricultural investment in the modern day farming
then there is a cogent need to start a farm.

Most of people reading this article are already interested in starting their own farm so i won’t tarry here to wasted time. I will rather go straight into how you can actually start a farm, i understand there are so many things you would want to use the farm for, so i will just share a established farmer’s own experience and how you can start yours.

*Steps To Starting a Farm

1. Get a Land : This is not negotiable; you need to get a land, for every livestock breeding and plantation aspects of agriculture, everything requires a land, so get a land.However the kind of land you will get will be determined by you and what you want to use the farm land for.

For instance; You might want to get land to start a fish pond, if its for natural earthen pond, then you must get a land that is swampy and a little water logged, to fulfill the purpose of fish farming.

Also you might not have to check if it is a water logged land or its a fertilize land,
if the purpose was to build a poultry house building, When getting land for Farm Buildings; you don’t have to worry on criteria you would consider when getting for plantation and fishery. The major factor here is just the atmosphere; livestock don’t survive an atmosphere of noise, they need a cool calm place and also you have to secure a farm building in a place where is not residential for humans most people will complain and probably affect and alter the success of your business if you have your farm like the pig and poultry ventures where the smell of this ventures can naturally affect the the living of people there.

So try and get a land based on purpose of the farming and secure it in a peaceful, and calm place and also where predators won’t affect them.

2. Farm Business Feasibility : AFter you might have gotten the land, the next thing to do is to carry out your feasibility studies, this is very important, because finance is one of the major and most important aspect of farming business success and it also determines whether the venture will fail eventually.

So to know how you can effectively position and structure your farm land, and the other investment to be settled on the farmland, you need to carry out feasibility study for the business you are about to start on the farm.

Some part in AFRICA have proven to us; that getting land is so cheap and since they are yet to be so developed place industrial-wise and community-wise but it doesn’t matter how cheap the land is; the business investment will still cost you as a farmer, a lot, you are going to buy a lot of things and farming equipment so, carrying out feasibility studies will help you know how much you are going to spend
on your farm establishment and the entire investments.

Feasibility studies will also help you determine how many farm workers you want to employ, and how much it will take you to pay your workers.

3. Visit Bigger Farms Around You : This can also be on some kind of farm researches and farm trips, when you go around to visit bigger farms that are already running, you will learn a practical aspect of setting up a farm, and you will also be able to behold things that are necessary, i have encounter so many things as a product of visiting farms and it as helped me to grow so much in knowledge, which i might never experience if i commit only to reading books and experimenting what i have known
The more you reach out to commercial bigger farms, the more knowledge you become,

There are a lot of Institute of learning that are so committed to effective studies and training of agricultural students and advancement in agriculture inline with
technological advancement. Its one of the ways to advance your exposure, knowledge and the quality of how best to handle our agricultural and farming ventures in the world of this generation.

4. Start Small : Well, as much as i understand that not everyone will want or need to start small, i still want to agree to the fact that majority of starters need to start small.
Starting a FARM venture is no small business, its more than enough a venture on it own, making reference to Some Farm for instance will show you that farm is more than just a city or a town, it can be as a big or perhaps bigger than a country, based on the investment, but if you desire to have such a massive farm establishment, then you will need to start small and expand your business with time.Starting small, helps you gain access to experiential knowledge and mentor you through the processes of growing it bigger. There is no knowledge compare to the one you have experience as a product of starting small, i have seen a farmer, grow from a number of 2 pigs to 3005 pigs and this can only possible because he walked the process, it is even disastrous when you went and buy such a large number of animals and you don’t have the knowledge, and the needed amenities to handle them.

5. Stock Your Farm : At this stage, i want to believe you have built your farm already and feasibility studies as been carried out already so the next time is to stock your live assets, – i mean maybe you are venturing into livestock farming get your animals, – Poultry, fish, sheep and goat, or any kind of venture you are going into, get your farm ready to be stocked, before ou bring the animals, this can be in full of providing the needed light, electricity, anti-septics, disinfectants, transportation, among others, get all of those available.

Most of these things are always needed before you start, actually there are some farm equipment you can get after you might have started.

6. Sector Your Farms : This is for those who have a bigger farm establishment, what i mean by “sector your farm”; is that you have to segment your farm into categories; – FARM HOUSE, WORKERS LODGE, FEED STORES,
MARKETING DEPARTMENT, MEDICATION CENTER, ABBATOIRS, PROCESSING UNITS, FEED MILL, PLANTATION FARM, LIVESTOCK FARMS, and as many you would love to have them, 100 to 500 acre of farm land will help you achieve this,
I really want to give you a push and an encouragement to venture into big time modern farming because obviously we have too many small hold farms in town today and it is just because people are short of quality knowledge, if only you can know more than you know then you can do even more.

7. Register Your Farm : This is very important and its non-negotiable, you must register your farm, i have written here reason why you must register your farm business. It is very important, because the bigger your farm becomes, there are amenities that the government might want to give unto farmers in that country, state or local government If your farm is not registered with the minsitry of agriculture, then you might miss out from the offer and this can be a lose, ignorant is a very dangerous in any business venture, the quality of your exploit is a roduct of how much you know, and information is the greatest access to knowledge.

When your FARM is registered, you will be informed when there are offers from the government or the ministry of agriculture for farmers.

I believe with this 7 points i have mentioned, you will be able to have success in your farming endeavors.

HOW TO KEEP LIVESTOCK AND MAKE MONEY

Decide if keeping livestock for profit is right for you and your farm, and choose the right species to keep with this guide.

A farm without livestock? Unthinkable! A flock of happy chickens, pigs to take to market, a freezer steer—they’re part of most city dwellers’ escape-to-the-good-life plan. Meanwhile, established farmers dream of raising profitable, mortgage-lifting poultry or livestock. But what?
There are countless farm livestock options to choose from, but which (if any) are right for you? Here we compare some traditional barnyard favorites and a select group of alternative animals to help you choose.

�A) Are You Livestock Ready?

Before launching any animal-related enterprise, be certain you are willing to accept its demands. Not everyone is cut out to keep livestock. Before jumping into a livestock venture, ask yourself these questions:

* Are you willing to be on call for you livestock 24/7, 365 days a year?�Will you dutifully camp in the barn when horses are foaling? Will you roll out of bed at 2 a.m. to feed a bottle lamb? Are you able to retrieve escaped cattle and repair their flattened fences under a sizzling noonday sun, missing that long-anticipated televised foot ball game in the process? Animals rarely get hungry, sick, loose or injured at convenient times.

* Is a livestock sitter available when you need one?�If not, would you forego dinner invitations, overnight trips and well-deserved vacations to care for your livestock? Keeping livestock invariably ties you down.

* Can you weather the inevitable livestock keeper’s lows?�How will you react when your favorite broodmare shatters its leg or a weasel slaughters a slew of your prized chickens? Animals die and injure themselves and each other. Evaluate whether you can handle these stressors.

* If keeping livestock for profit, are you capable of selling the animals?�Could you send the steer to slaughter or could your sell the foal you love? Are you willing to pull out the stops to market your wares and continually monitor market trends to stay on the cutting edge? Do you have the means to advertise and market your business, maintain a farm website, and haul your livestock to expos, demonstrations, shows and sales? If not, think “pets,” not “produce,” and don’t become a breeder.

* Can you afford to support your animals when things go awry?�Markets falter. Disease can rip through your herd. Expect the unexpected when keeping livestock. The endeavor can be a pricey proposition. You need to ensure you have the financial resources to see yours through bumpy times.

* What is your motive for keeping livestock?�Do want means of producing offspring to raise or to sell? Are you simply wanting to raise livestock as pets? If you keep livestock to claim a lower cost agriculture land tax assessment, your venture must eventually turn a profit. How much profit is enough? And would you be content if you lost money or your animals simply paid their way?

�B) Basic Livestock Owner Requirements

1. Like the animal—and the people involved.

Whether you decide to keep one animal or 100, you should genuinely enjoy working with the livestock species you select. You must also like the people associated with it. When you are buying, selling, co-op marketing or showing, you’ll be dealing with the people involved on an ongoing basis.

2. Ensure the livestock species you choose is suited to your climate.�You could breed yak in South Texas and hair sheep in northern Minnesota—but why? Panting yak and shivering sheep are unhappy campers. Talk to area livestock keepers and choose a livestock species adapted to the weather where you live.

3. Choose a livestock species compatible to your temperament and physical capabilities.

4. Loud, abrupt or timid individuals rarely resonate with flighty, reactive poultry and livestock. “Do-it-my-way-or-else” humans and headstrong, aggressive animals are bound to clash. Assess your mindset carefully and choose a compatible species. It’ll save a heap of upset for all concerned. Interacting with many animal species requires considerable brawn. Don’t take on a bird or beast you physically can’t handle. It’ll be frustrating and dangerous if you do.

5. Prepare adequate facilities before bringing livestock home.�If you don’t already have the necessary livestock facilities available on your farm, make sure you have enough land, financial resources and know-how to make the necessary improvements. Also make sure you can obtain the necessarily building permits to make the changes. If you need chutes and squeezes, raceways or 7-foot bull-tight fences, build them or choose a different species. Factoring in injuries, losses and breakouts; it’s the safe and economical thing to do.

6. Take care of the livestock-keeping legalities before purchasing animals.�Acquire any licenses and owner/breeder permits required by federal, state and local authorities, and make certain your property is zoned for the sort of livestock you plan to keep.

7. Discuss your livestock venture with area veterinarians.�Are veterinarians in your qualified to treat the kind of animals you choose to keep, whether it be chickens, bison, alpacas, deer or something else? Are the veterinarians willing to treat your animals? If not, are you willing (and able) to transport sick or injured animals to a specialty practice and to learn to perform routine maintenance procedures yourself?

8. Decide whether you want your venture to be self-sustaining.�For this to happen, you must market the commodity you produce. Make certain you know your target species to the “Nth” degree:
* Visit successful breeders and producers, and ask a world of questions.
* Subscribe to periodicals, read books, and conduct online research.
* Meet with county cooperative extension agents, and consult with experts at your state veterinary college.

9. Educate yourself to perfection before you buy.�Don’t charge into any livestock enterprise on the basis of hearsay.
�Making Livestock Profitable

Ask a host of established hobby farmers and most will agree, there is little (if any) money to be made in commercial livestock. Feeder cattle, market hog and standard lamb-and-wool operations are faltering; however, there are ways you can turn a profit raising farmyard standbys. Many farmers find success in two ways:

* Niche Marketing: Raise a livestock species that you can market to a specific demographic. You can try raising goat kids or lambs for a specific ethnic community, or raise organic or grassfed meats.
* Value-added Marketing: Instead of raising animals for market, raise them to sell their by byproducts. You can raise sheep or goat for cheese or yogurt or free-range chickens for eggs.

Making Livestock Profitable

Ask a host of established hobby farmers and most will agree, there is little (if any) money to be made in commercial livestock. Feeder cattle, market hog and standard lamb-and-wool operations are faltering; however, there are ways you can turn a profit raising farmyard standbys. Many hobby farmers find success in two ways:
* Niche Marketing: Raise a livestock species that you can market to a specific demographic. You can try raising goat kids or lambs for a specific ethnic community, or raise organic or grassfed meats.
* Value-added Marketing: Instead of raising animals for market, raise them to sell their by byproducts. You can raise sheep or goat for cheese or yogurt or free-range chickens for eggs.
Livestock Options

Here’s a run-down on some of the most popular livestock for hobby farmers.

1. Cattle

Commercial beef prices skyrocketed in 2003; however, more sustainably profitable cattle ventures include marketing specialty beef—certified organic, natural or grassfed—and raising rare breed or miniature cattle.
Beef cattle are a fine choice for hobby farmers. They’re low maintenance and don’t require elaborate facilities. Most folks can manage cattle with a minimum of fuss and local veterinarians can generally treat their illnesses.

2. Chickens

Chickens are part and parcel of the rural experience. They demand little beyond a safe place to sleep, feed, water, and a few hours of your time each week spent egg gathering and cleaning their quarters. In trade you get eggs and table meat. It’s a good deal!
Organic, natural and free-range chicken and eggs are health-conscious buyers’ first choices. Tack a sign to your mailbox or market through your local natural-foods co-op. Larger-scale ventures can investigate commercial niche marketing. However you cut it, chickens have a place on every farm.

3.,Goats

According to Florida A&M University’s publication “Markets for Meat Goats,” 70 percent of the world’s population regularly dines on goat meat.
As ethnic communities in North America continue to expand, so does the demand for quality goat meat. To answer that demand, roughly 327,000 goat carcasses are imported to the United States each year. In 1999, 492,000 domestic goats were slaughtered at federally inspected meat plants and an additional 300,000 at state inspected or informal facilities. Meat goats are today’s most promising livestock. The demand for goats raised and slaughtered to ethnic specifications vastly exceeds the foreseeable domestic supply.
Viable goat ventures for those opposed to slaughter include dairying, marketing artisan quality goat’s milk cheese, producing high-end Angora and Cashmere fleece for hand spinners, and raising dairy-, meat- or fiber-goat breeding stock.

 

4. Pigs

It’s true: Most small- to medium-sized commercial confinement hog operations have closed shop due to high overhead costs and low pork prices. However, pastured pigs are easily cared for, and organic, humanely raised pork is in demand.
Many folks enjoy working with pigs. If that’s you, investigate those profitable specialty markets; ATTRA can help show you the way. Ask for a free, sustainable pig production report.

6. Sheep

Sheep once were considered “mortgage lifters,” now it costs more to shear commercial sheep than the wool is worth. But lamb prices remain fairly strong, especially lamb marketed to coincide with Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious feasts.
Because hair (meat) sheep shed their fleece, they don’t require shearing—and they breed out of season, producing marketable lambs at just the right times. Hair sheep are growing increasingly popular with niche-market lamb producers, making them a best bet project for sheep entrepreneurs.
In 1994, the United States imported 66 million pounds of sheep’s milk cheese. And according to the University of Wisconsin’s report, “A Snapshot of the Dairy Sheep Industry,” meat and wool producers can boost their gross incomes by about 75 percent by milking their ewes. The American dairy sheep industry is in its infancy but rapidly expanding.
Other fruitful sheep ventures include marketing specialty fleeces to hand spinners and raising hair sheep, miniature, rare or heritage sheep breeding stock.

7. Rabbits

Raising rabbits for pets, fiber (Angora) and table meat makes good sense, but don’t go big-time right away. Proceed with caution and feel out the markets in your area. If you find a meat-rabbit buyer who accepts your fryers or if you’re willing to create a local market, go for it.

Article footer – Author information
Sue Weaver lives in the Arkansas Ozarks with her husband and a fine array of animal friends including goats, sheep, chickens, a donkey and  hog.

WHO IS A FARMER?

 

Also known as: Cultivator, Agriculturalist, Agriculturist, Farm Owner, Agriculturer.

A farmer is someone who works under the umbrella of agriculture, producing a variety of food products for human and animal consumption. There are several kinds of farmers ranging from farmers who raise animals to farmers who grow crops.
There is a quote that is very accurate when describing a farmer – “Farmers farm for the love of farming. They love to watch and nurture the growth of plants. They love to live in the presence of animals. They love to work outdoors. They love the weather, maybe even when it is making them miserable.” – Wendell Berry.
A farmer’s main goal is to produce a good crop and/or healthy animals in order to make a living and to feed the population. Farmers are responsible for all crops and livestock that are needed for us to survive. Without food, the world would slowly die, and farmers work hard every day to keep plenty of crops and animal products in the market to keep that from happening.

1. What does a Farmer do?
A farmer has various responsibilities within their particular field. Whether it is the purchasing and planting of seeds on a cash crop farm, the purchasing of quality breeding stock on an animal husbandry farm, or the diet and care of a specific type of livestock on an animal production farm, a farmer needs to have a wide knowledge base of the agricultural industry as a whole.
Besides the general knowledge of planting dates, breeding cycles and harvesting periods, a farmer often needs a good working knowledge of mechanics in order to keep their equipment running and in optimal order.
A strong working knowledge of the limitations and regulations of the Food and Drug Administration, state agencies, and local government is a must for a farmer, as there are many regulations placed on the agricultural industry.

The following are various types of farmers.

1. Organic Farmer – produces fruits, vegetables, grains, or livestock without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers
2. Grain and Forage Crop Farmer – grows grains such as wheat, barley, canola, oats, rye, flax, peas and speciality crops or forage crops
3. Dairy Farmer – owns or manages a farm where cows are raised for the production of milk and other dairy products
4. Poultry Farmer – raises domesticated birds such as geese, ducks, turkeys or chickens
5. Rancher – raises livestock such as cattle or sheep, or less common livestock such as elk, bison, ostrich, emu or alpacas
6. Beekeeper – keeps honey bees, and produces honey, pollen, royal jelly and beeswax
7. Vermiculturist – breeds worms and uses the worms to convert waste products such as uneaten food, feces, grass clippings, and spoiled fruit and vegetables into healthy, nutrient-rich soil and organic fertilizer
8. Alligator Farmer – breeds and raises alligators or crocodiles in order to produce leather, meat and other goods
9. Fish farmer

B. What is the workplace of a Farmer like?
Where a farmer works is based on which area of the agricultural industry they choose to work. Here we will outline just a few of the many options available, to include fish farming, cash crop farming, animal husbandry, and livestock production.

In the area of fish farming -farmers will manage a large fishery, often specializing in one variety of fish, such as tilapia. These farmers specialize in the raising of fish to be processed for consumption or to be released into lakes, rivers, and streams in the attempt to repopulate a dying waterway. Fish farmers need to know the specifics of the species they are raising as well as the environmental requirements placed upon them by federal, state, and local governments.

In the area of cash crop farming -a farmer will raise crops to market for consumption, medical use, animal food production, and the growing herbal industry. A farmer in this field will be responsible for the planting, fertilization, and harvesting of the crops, as well as transport to the proper production elevators for sale at harvest. Cash crop farmers will need a strong working knowledge of planting times, harvesting times, and weather patterns in order to gain a good footing in their field.
Some of these crops may be processed to be sold back to farmers for future use. These crops are purchased by seed companies who treat the crops and process them, then sell them to farmers to use the next season as seeds to plant their fields. Other examples of such a circular sale include crops that are purchased to produce animal feed, which is then later sold to farmers in the animal husbandry and livestock production fields.

In animal husbandry -farmers concentrate on providing healthy, hearty livestock for later processing for consumption. Farmers often specialize in one type of animal in this field, carefully breeding the livestock to produce the best quality offspring each season. Offspring are then raised to take the place of the current breeding stock over time, with the current breeding stock sold after a period of time. Animal husbandry requires a strong knowledge of blood lines and species types, as well as the best possible out-crossings of those types to provide the best results in breeding.

Also, some offspring may be sold to other farms who specialize in livestock production to be raised for a specific production purpose. A veal farm is one example of a farm involved in specialized livestock production that may purchase offspring from an animal husbandry farm for a specific production purpose. As the calves must be placed on a special diet, these farms are responsible for holding the livestock to that diet, monitoring their health, and selling them to production facilities at the proper age, weight, and size to produce the necessary product requirements for their field. Animal production farmers will need to know the diets, illnesses, treatments, and growth rates necessary for their specialized areas.

Culled from https://www.sokanu.com/

MEET 30-YEAR-OLD ANNIE NYAGA-WATERMELON MILLIONAIRE WHO TURNED DOWN A MASTERS DEGREE SCHOLARSHIP

GET INSPIRED:

Farming has always been associated with illiteracy and the older generation. But one young lady has debunked all this myths. Annie Nyaga, who boasts of a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science and Technology, is a thriving horticulture farmer in Embu. Despite getting a scholarship to do a Master’s degree in Biomedical Science and Technology in USA after graduating from Egerton University, Annie Nyaga, turned down the scholarship to pursue her heart’s desire – farming.

Farming has always taken a special portion of my heart. I don’t feel like I wasted my four years in university since I can apply what I learned in my farm,” says Annie Nyaga adding “Farming is a profession like any other and young people should not view it as a side hussle. They should be ready to soil their hands if they want to prosper in farming.”
The 30-year-old is a successful farmer in Mbeere, Embu County, where she plants watermelons and tomatoes among others.
Her journey to farming began in 2009, two years after graduating from university with a capital of Sh. 20,000. She began with French beans and baby corns for the export market, then she got demoralised due to poor market.

“I had a passion for farming. My parents practiced it and I noticed they got good returns,” she adds.
Annie says in spite of challenges, she never gave up. She decided to concentrate on watermelons, which are doing well to date, earning her a name as a successful young farmer in Embu County.
“Considering the availability of water in the region, cheap labour and adequate climate, I settled on watermelon since it requires a lot of water and sunlight,” says Annie Nyaga.
Her journey to the top has never been a walk in the park. She began by working as a purchasing assistant before she started supplying groceries in the city. This is when she noticed that farmers received good income from farming.

“I saw a potential in farming when I was supplying groceries around the city. Farmers could reap mouth wetting benefits,” she adds.
She explains that she tried various seed varieties of watermelon before she settled on the hybrid seeds, which yield a bumper harvest. She then invested in machinery like water pump for irrigation and hired permanent staff to look after the crops in the farm.
Annie points out that farming has a lot of potential, but people should do proper timing by planting a few weeks to the rainy season to save on water.
Though watermelon farming has a few challenges like price fluctuation, since middlemen dictate the prices, she believes things can only get better.

She started a company, Farm2Home, in 2009, which provides a valuable educational resource to young farmers and staff. Annie Nyagais the CEO, and it has a widely used e-business market place and an efficient local distribution system. She insists that farming is the best decision she has made so far. And calls upon young people to change their perception on farming. Today, she invests between Sh80,000 and Sh100,000 per acre. This covers cost of seeds, labour, chemicals, irrigation, salaries and fertilizer. With good management, one can harvest 30 to 40 tonnes per acre. In her harvests, Ms Nyaga takes up to 30 tonnes and at Sh. 28 per kilo, makes a net profit of Sh. 600,000 from a gross of Sh. 840,000 in three months.

WAYS YOU CAN MAKE US$25,000 PER MONTH RUNNING AN AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS

ACCORDING TO JOSEPHINE KIIZA OF UGANDA

Josephine Kiiza, director of St Jude Family Projects at Busense, Kabonera subcounty in Masaka, is of the most successful farmers in Uganda.

At St. Jude family agricultural projects, they practice and train farmers in modern Integrated Organic Farming, a technology where various items on the farm – plants, animals, water and soils, are in such a way contributes directly or indirectly to the other.

A newvision article published in october 2005, mentions that Josephine Kiiza earns Uganda shillings 50 million ($25,000) per month from her 3.7 acre farm. She farm has She probably earns more money now.

Using the St. Jude family projects, as the case study, we are going to try answering the question below.

As a young farmer, how can you earn 50 million (US$25,000) or better still earn more money from your agricultural business?

Activities at St. Jude family projects in Masaka, with which they are earning a living:

1. Rearing exotic cattle – keep just the right number of breeds for mostly producing milk. Do not keep 1000 herds of cattle when your land can only support 6, just because you have them. Chicken droppings when treated, are also used to feed cattle. Acquire breeds that produce alot of milk, disease resistant, grow fast to weigh alot.

2. Crops – “The crops depend on the animals and the animals depend on the crops” says Josephine Kiiza. Crops such as maize bran, cotton seed cake, soya are good fodder for animals after the fruit has been harvested.

3. Training – naturally, if your agricultural business is doing very well, so many people are going to be interested in learning how you are doing it, at a fee. So perfect the art of earning money from your agricultural business and training offers will flow in. As many people as you possibly can. Do not discriminate who can receive your knowledge and expertise. Share your success stories with whoever wants to know. Because you are willing to help other people succeed, more people will also want to help you succeed.

4. Solar fruit drying – you dry fruits such as jackfruit, sweet bananas, pineapples, tomatoes, mangoes, gonja and exporting them to markets such as Europe at more than $25 per kilo. Also setting up a cereal bank for surplus food crops that can be used up during seasons of scarcity is a good idea.

5. Bee keeping – St. Jude family projects has over 20 beehives from which they harvest honey for export at about shs.9,000 ($5.5) per kilo. You also get Bee propolis, bee wax, pollination of crops.

6. Fish farming – harvesting fish after 8months, with a piece of fish selling for US 2.91=. Cow dung, maize flour and rotting vegetables are good food for fish in the ponds. Fighting snakes – place boiled eggs along pond’s boundaries, which when swallowed by snake cannot be digested hence killing it. Also polythene sheets around the pond which snakes do not like. Scarecrows and placing damaged tape films across the ponds which make a whistling noise as wind blows scares birds away that want to eat the fish.

7, Bio gas generation – Most valuable are the animals and birds droppings and organic crop waste which are used to generate biogas used for cooking, reducing time required to prepare meals.

8, Chicken rearing – At St. Jude family projects, they started with 10 local cocks and layers and some exotic species for cross-breeding. Local chicken are disease-resistant, mature and grow fast when well fed. When they are between six to seven months, they weigh four to five kilogrammes. “We sell them at US$4.37 each,” she says.

9. Pig rearing – “two types of breeds, large white and land race.” They feed twice a day on concentrates of maize bran, cotton seed cake, soya, fishmeal and anthill soil, which is rich in iron. Pigs weigh over 200kg, whose droppings are used to make biogas and composite manure for crops. Pork is often more expensive than beef with asking price for kilo as US$2.62

10. Grafting – Nursery of grafted fruit tree cuttings; fast growing fruit trees such as mangoes, oranges, lemons, avocado and passion fruit creepers. So many farmers still do not know how to apply this technique on their farms, providing such seedlings can be a great income source.

11. Fuel saving stoves and fireplaces – bringing the technology of fuel saving stoves closer to your community at a time when firewood is becoming more scarce and expensive can be very a great income source. Often the stoves are easy to make out of clay using a do-it-yourself method.

12. Mushroom and Vegetables growing – Mushrooms are a delicacy but they are not easy for young farmers to grow.

13. Rainwater harvesting – collecting roof water whenever it rains and keeping it in an underground tank is an often neglected way to have access to water especially in places where water sources are very far off. Having a big water storage tank can quickly become a goldmine during the dry seasons when water becomes extremely scarce and thus more expensive.

14. Making compost manure – livestock and poultry droppings are used both as compost and renewable source of biogas. Organic waste from vegetables or from cooking at home can also be thrown onto the manure heap instead of becoming a hygiene problem as in many communities.

15. Rearing exotic goats for milk and meat – fast growing and high producing goats are now available. In their prime, milk goats can produce about 4 liters of milk every day. Check out our resources page for a goats rearing manual.

16. Methods of irrigation (drip irrigation, plant tea irrigation) – most farmers only depend on the rainy season which has become very unpredictable. More than ever, more farmers need to learn and use irrigation as a method of growing food. Africa needs to spend less money on importing food plus feeding our ever growing population.

17. Provide accommodation for visitors – if you can, set up structures for housing visitors who come to visit your agricultural projects. This is a generous way to contribute to the sustainability of your farm. When you provide accommodation, make sure the visitors eat food and products produced on the farm such as eggs, chicken, milk, vegetables, bananas…

18. Share what you are doing and your farming success with the rest of the community any way you can.

19. Network with other farmer groups or agricultural institutions – do not stay in one corner with what you are doing, and stop learning. Networking and learning how other farmers and experts are doing, is a good way to know what works and adopting new farming methods that increase production.

20. Plant trees – fruit trees, medicine trees for their shade and environmental protection. Neem trees are useful for healing many diseases and repelling mosquitoes. Mangoes and Mutuba tree leaves are good fodder for goats and shade. Trees planted along trenches control soil erosion. They also are used to provide wood for fuel.

21.Take it a step further, use information communication technologies (ICTs) to improve your agricultural business. Also having the 5 important skill sets for running a successful agricultural business that most farmers are not aware of, would be very good.

As a young farmer, you can do this and earn this much or even more sums of money from practicing agriculture. Do not let anything frustrate your efforts from becoming a successful young farmer.

TIPS FOR STARTING PEPPERS OFF RIGHT

 

Hot or sweet, bell or chili—it’s time to get your peppers into the garden or farm. Sweet pepper is a widely grown. It comes in red, yellow or green varieties.

The pepper has a mild flavour and is used in stews, salads, or stuffings 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 metres 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 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 phosphate 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 fertiliser 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 maximise 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 shrivelling. Export produce should conform to the required standards with respect to quality, packaging and labelling.

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 US 0.06 to 0.20 US per fruit, the gross turnover of US 9869.49 per ha is not an over-estimation as long as there is good market.

Production cost per hectare is about US 1480.42 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.

TIPS

1. Select Healthy Plants
The seedlings you choose to plant in the garden need to be their best because they’ll go through a period of stress as they adjust to garden life. Choose plants that aren’t overly spindly, and those that have no fruit or flowers. (You can also just remove fruit or flowers if the plant looks generally healthy.) Allow the seedlings to harden off outdoors before planting so the can acclimate to the outdoor climate.

2. Get Rid Of The Weeds
Give all new plants—peppers included—the advantage of starting off in a weed-free bed, so they don’t have to compete with surrounding plants for water and nutrients.

3. Perform A Soil Test
A soil test will reveal the quality of soil in your garden bed, so you can add the appropriate fertilizers accordingly. There shouldn’t be too much nitrogen in the soil because that will give you a bushy plant rather than one that produces plentiful peppers.

4. Carefully Transplant
If you’re planting at the right time, your seedlings won’t have become root bound in their containers. Carefully remove the plants without disturbing their root systems. If by chance they have become root bound, you can disturb the roots a bit so they’re free to reach into the soil. If needed, add some fertilizer followed by compost into the whole to add a nutritional boost.

5. Mulch Around Plants
Add a mulch, such as leaf shavings, around the pepper plants to protect the soil and prevent water evaporation.

Source: Hobby farms