TIPS ON HOW TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY ON YOUR LIVESTOCK FARM

As a livestock farmer, there are many things you need to put in place in order to achieve the highest productivity you desire for your agricbusiness. If you can implement these following tips, your livestock farm productivity would improve.and you will make more profit.

a, Makesure you employ the right and diligent farm workers, and always be concerned about their welfare.

b, Cull or remove any non-performing or under-performing animals from your flock and draw out an effective and workable plan to replace them with performing ones.

c, Observe all the biosecurity measures so as to prevent disease outbreaks which results in economic losses.

d, Make sure you curb any form of pilfering on your farm.

e,Take nutrition very seriously and make sure you give your animals adequate feeds for best production.
Don’t forget that water is essential to animals, so your animals should not be deprived of water.

f, Replace any damaged or expired production material with good ones.
Take up-to-date records of every activity and inventory on your farm. This is important and essential in asset evaluation and worth.

g, If you’re financially capable, upgrade your farm technology to the latest one such as introducing automatic drinking system, feeding system and make sure you have read and digested enough information about them.

h, Give appropriate vaccines and medicines to your animals and you must carry this out in the right way.
Seek for professional assistance in a situation that you believe you’re incapable of handling.

I, Avoid wastage on your farm and be resourceful to convert any animal waste into money. Such as selling poultry manure to food crop farmers, processing dead birds to feed fishes and/or use animal dungs to breed maggots and earthworms.

You will see the good result when you do all the above. However, you must also consider God as an important partner for a successful business. Start with Him and He will surely guide and manage the business with you. Your farm is your property and investment. Therefore, you should put efficient and effective measures in order to make more profit on your farm.

Have a good and profitable business year.

FEEDS FORMULA FOR TURKEY

As a poultry farmer, good feeds is the most important thing in raising poultry birds, If you want to formulate a good concentrate feed for your adult turkeys and turkey poults, u can use the following formulae:

Feed Formula for Turkey Poult ( Young turkey)

IngredientQuantity (kg)

Total1000

Maize570
Wheat Offal120 kg
Soya Bean Meal153 kg
Groundnut Cake120 kg
Bone Meal20 kg
Limestone10 kg
Chick Premix2.5 kg
Salt2.5 kg
Methionine1 kg
Lysine1 kg
Total 1000

Feed Formula for Growing and Adult Turkey

IngredientQuantity (kg)

Total100 kg

Maize45
Soya Meal7.5
Wheat Offal12
Limestone5
Bone Meal2.5
Palm Kernel Cake12
Groundnut Cake15
Premix0.25
Toxin Binder0.15
Salt0.3
Super Liv0.05
Methionine0.15
Lysine 0.1
Total 100

How to Formulate feeds for all your poultry Birds

When you have many birds, you spent alot on buying feeds and this reduce the amount of profit you made on your farm. You are are also lost profit just because of quality of feed you buy. In this article we will discussed and teaches you how you can made your own feeds for better production and profits.
  Except for a few feed manufacturers who keep to the standards in poultry feed formulations, many feed companies make very poor quality feeds, a situation which has resulted in huge losses. Poor quality feeds lead to slow growth in chickens, low egg production, diseases, and death. Formulating your poultry feeds on the farm is one of the best ways to maintain quality and cut the cost of production.

The common feed ingredients are whole maize, cotton seed cake, soya beans, sunflower or fish meal. In addition, farmers need to add several other feed additives (micronutrients, minerals and vitamins) to ensure that their chickens have a balanced feed that meets their daily nutrient requirements.

Livestock feed materials are available cheaply, especially after the harvesting season. Depending on the costs of the raw materials, farmers who make their feeds at home save between 30% to 50% for every 70kg bag of chicken feed, depending on the source of their raw materials.

Due to government regulation, major feed companies have reduced the standard quantity of feed 25kg per bag, but the price of feed still remains almost the same. This means that farmers who can make their own feed make great savings on feeds which take up to 80 percent of the production costs.

To formulate livestock feeds, farmers have to use the Pearson Square method. In this method, the digestible crude protein (DCP) is the basic nutritional requirement for any feed preparation for all animals and birds.

Assuming that a farmer wants to make feed for his/her chicken using this method, he/she has to know the crude protein content of each of the ingredients to be used for making the feed.

The following are the DCP values for each of the common ingredients used in feed making:

Whole maize—8.23%

Soya—45%

Fishmeal—55%

Maize bran—7%

Sunflower—35%

Each class of chicken has its nutritional requirement. For example, if we want to make feed for layers, the feed should have at least 18% crude protein.

To formulate feed for layers, then you would have to calculate the percentage of DCP in each of the ingredients you want to use to ensure that the total crude protein content is at least 18%.

Therefore, to make a 50kg bag of feed for layers, a livestock farmer would require the following quantity of ingredients:

24.3kg of whole maize = 24.3kg

8.6kg of soya = 8.6kg

5.7kg of fishmeal= 5.7kg

7.1kg of maize bran= 7.1kg

4.3kg of limestone (as a calcium source) = 4.3kg

To find out if all the above ingredients meet this standard of 18% crude protein, a farmer can do a simple calculation as follows:

Whole maize — 24.3kg x 8.23 ÷100 = 2.0%

Soya — 8.6kg x 45kg ÷ 100 = 3.87%

Fishmeal — 5.7kg x 55kg ÷ 100 = 3.14%

Maize Bran— 7.1kg x 7kg ÷ 100 = 0.5%

Lime — 4.3kg x 0 kg ÷ 100 = 0.00%

Total % of crude protein = 2.00 + 3.87 + 3.14 + 0.5 + 0 = 9.51%

To get the total crude protein percentage of all these ingredients in a 50kg bag of feed, the farmer should take this crude protein content of the combined ingredients, divide by 50kg and multiply by 100,
Thus; 9.51 ÷ 50 × 100 = 18%.

This shows that the crude protein content of the above feed formulation is 19%, which is quite adequate for layers.

To ensure the chicken to get all they need in terms of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids, you need these additives in their standard quantities.

Digestible Crude Protein requirement for:

Layers chick—18-20% CP

Growers—16% CP

Layers—18% CP

Broilers—22-24% CP

The feed should contain calcium for the formation of eggshells. Laying hens that do not get enough calcium will use the calcium stored in their own bone tissue to produce eggshells.
Layer feed should be introduced at 18 weeks.
Farmers who have more than 500 chickens, it is advisable to make 1 tonne of feed at once
Ensure that all the feed you make will last for one month and not longer. This ensures that the feed remains fresh and safe for chickens. Any feed that lasts more than one month may deteriorate in quality and can affect your chickens.
Daily feed requirements for each growth stage

Farmers should maintain the right feed quantities for chicken at each stage of growth as shown below:

An egg-laying chicken requires 130-140g of feed per day.
A chick requires a minimum 60g per day. If they finish their daily rations, give them fruit and vegetable cuttings to ensure they feed continuously.
Young chickens (or pullets) which are about to start laying eggs should be fed 60g for 2 and ½ months and then put on layer diet (140g per day). Supplement the feed with vegetables, edible plant leaves and fruit peelings in addition to their feed rations.
Broiler chicks require 67g per day. Broiler finishers require 67g of feed per day to the day of slaughter.
Chickens are very sensitive to aflatoxins- never use rotten ingredients while making feeds.
ALSO READ:  Water Consumption Rates/Levels for Layers & Broilers
Where to buy ingredients

Farmers who need raw materials for feed making including feed additives (pre-mixes and amino acids) can order them from a reputable feedmill nearest to them.

Important tips on feed preparation

When making feed rations yourself, it is important to do experimental trials, by isolating a number of chickens, feeding them and observing their performance. If the feed rations are right, the broilers will grow fast and layers will increase egg production (at least 1 egg after every 27 hours).
Buy quality fishmeal from reputable companies. If fishmeal is used, the farmers must be sure of its quality; most of the fishmeal in the markets is contaminated. Farmers are advised to go for soya meal if they cannot get good quality fishmeal.
Always mix the micronutrients first before mixing them with the rest of the feed.
For mixing, farmers are advised to use a drum mixer. Using a shovel to mix feed is not recommended because the ingredients will be unevenly distributed.
Formulating your own feeds is very important as a poultry farmer.

THESE ARE DISEASES THAT RAMPANT IN COLD OR WET SEASON IN POULTRY BIRD

Some diseases in poultry has their season, I mean those diseases do rampant in a certain season.
Poultry birds and poultry production are generally affected by seasonal climatic or weather changes. For instance, in the wet or cold season, chickens eat more feed, drink less water and huddle together to generate heat and keep themselves warm. On the other hand, chickens and other livestock birds consume less feed and drink more water in the hot season or weather in order to cool their body. Don’t be surprised that these changes affect the production of birds, most especially laying birds, as the egg production is reduced in extremely cold or hot weather.
This reduction in egg production occurs because when there are extreme cold or hot conditions, these birds are stressed, and their ability to withstand diseases or immune system is seriously affected. Some certain poultry diseases are rampant in the wet, rainy or cold seasons. That is, the onset of rain favors the propagation and spread of the causative organisms of these diseases and parasites. Hence, most poultry farmers experience high morbidity and mortality rate during this period. We’re going to discuss some of the poultry diseases that are highly prevalent or rampant in the wet, cold or rainy season.

1. Gumboro Disease or Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD)
Gumboro disease is a virulent disease that affects chicks and young birds of between 3-18 weeks of age. The causative virus attacks the bursal of a bird thereby suppressing or weakening the immune system and predisposing the birds to secondary infections. Signs of Gumboro diseases or IBD
1. Severe prostration
2. Watery diarrhoea
3. Incoordination
4. Inflammation of the cloaca
5. Soiled vent feathers
6. Vent picking

Treatment, Prevention and Control for Gumboro
Gumboro disease is highly contagious and a flock owner should expect as high as 100% morbidity rate and 20% mortality rate. This disease has no cure or treatment but it can be prevented through vaccination of birds before an outbreak occur. In a situation where the disease has already occurred within a flock, the flock should be culled and the pens should be disinfected. Gumboro Infectious bursal disease vaccine (IBDV) should be administered to chickens at their 2nd week and 4th week of age

. 2. Fowl Pox

Fowl pox is a highly contagious disease that affects poultry birds at any age. It is caused by pox virus transmitted by mostly mosquitoes and other blood sucking insects. The reason why fowl pox is prevalent during the wet season is that mosquitoes, being the vector, breed well in this season due to the abundance of stagnant water. Signs of Fowl pox The disease affects the skin, respiratory tract and upper alimentary tract, leading to the formation of wounds which later develop to thick scabs. Loss of appetite Weakness and emaciation of the body Difficulty in breathing and swallowing Stringy discharge from the nostrils Pox lesions on comb, wattles and legs Swollen eyelids Soiled feathers Treatment, Prevention and Control Fowl pox cannot be treated but the infected birds can be given antibiotics and water. The mash or feed can be mixed with water to make swallowing quite comfortable. Healthy birds must be vaccinated around their 9th week of age to provide them lifetime immunity. Isolate or cull infected birds from the flock. Also, Get rid of stagnant water or bush around the farm to control the vectors like mosquitoes. Read more information about fowl pox

3. Fowl Cholera

Fowl Cholera is a bacterial disease that affects birds of age 6 week old and above. The bacterium responsible for this is Pasteurella multocida. It is highly contagious and mortality in acute cases is high. Signs of Fowl Cholera In acute cases, birds that appear healthy die suddenly while in chronic cases the affected birds show the following: Yellow, green or grey diarrhoea Loss of appetite Laboured breathing Drooped wings and tail feathers Ruffled feathers Swelling of the leg joints, sinuses, wattle and foot pad Twisting of the neck (torticolis) Discharge from the nostril or beak Note: The above signs are also similar to those of fowl typhoid. Treatment, Prevention and Control Fowl cholera can be treated using sulfa drugs, tetracycline and erythromycin. Poultry birds can vaccinated against Fowl cholera by administering a fowl cholera vaccine. Maintain proper hygiene and sanitation. Practice a high level of biosecurity and prevent rodents, wild birds and other animals.

4. Salmonellosis, Escherichia coli, Pullorum Disease (Bacillary White Diarrhoea) These bacterial diseases affect birds of all ages. They are endemic in farms or pens with poor sanitation. They affect the digestive system of the infected birds. Signs of Salmonellosis, Escherichia coli, Pullorum Severe diarrhoea Loss of appetite Depression and emaciation Chicks suffer omphalitis White pasty diarrhoea in pullorum disease Huddle together and laboured breathing Treatment, Prevention and Control Salmonellosis, E. coli and Pullorum diseases can be treated by administering a broad-spectrum antibiotic to the infected bed and all the flock. High-level farm/pen hygiene and sanitation must be maintained. Biosecurity measures should be in place. Avoid feeding birds with contaminated feeds.

5. Aspergillosis

Aspergillosis is the general name given to diseases caused by Aspergillus. Due to the high humidity during the cold season, feeds or litter dampens, thus creating a favourable environment for fungus to grow and thrive. The birds also inhale aspergillus spores and these spores develop into lesions filling the lungs causing respiratory problems or discomforts. Birds under intensive management systems would experience high disease spread if the stocking density is high and ventilation is inadequate or poor. How to Manage Poultry Birds Optimally in the Cold or Rainy Season To manage poultry such as chickens, turkeys, quails, duck and pheasants during cold or rainy periods, poultry farmers have to do the following: Add oil or fat to the diet of the birds or reduce the level of nutrients that are not required by the birds to generate heat. This is necessary to avoid wastage and reduce feed production costs, since birds consume more feed to generate heat. Install electric bulbs or heater in the pen to serve as a secondary source of heat for the birds. This would help the birds drink enough water and stay warm without getting the reserved energy used up in the process. Though very rare in an intensive system but rampant in a free-range system, birds drink from the stagnant water around, thus pick up eggs of parasitic organisms such as intestinal worms. That is why it is important to deworm poultry birdseye bi-monthly with effective dewormers such as piperazine. A broad-spectrum antibiotic like oxytetracycline should be administered to the birds every month. Construct a generous roof overhang over the entrance and sides of pens to prevent rainwater from getting into the pen whenever it rains. Construct a foot dip at the entrances of the pens and a strong disinfectant solution should be in the foot dip always. If you followed all the above explanation , you can tackle and takecare of your birds during wet season. Thanks

WAYS AND HOW TO VACCINATE POULTRY BIRDS

In getting your birds strong and healthy, vaccination is one of the best way to be a good poultry farmer.
Vaccines have contributed immensely to the prevention and control of major diseases of poultry, which were previously incurable or difficult to cure. Most commercial poultry farmers, therefore, follow a vaccination program aimed at controlling these diseases. However, inexperienced poultry farmers do not know how to vaccinate their birds. Vaccines can be administered through various routes such as through:

1. Eye
2. Nostril
3. Oral route
4. Wing web
5. Vent
6. Subcutaneous
7. Intramuscular
Methods of Administering Vaccines
As the flock strength increased and commercialization of poultry keeping became the order of the day, vaccination by these conventional methods became tedious, time-consuming, labour intensive and a source of undesirable stress on the birds of the flock. Alternative routes of mass administration of vaccines were therefore explored. Some of the important points in this regard are:

Generally, mass vaccination methods result in reduced labour costs, time and stress.
A spray vaccination is more invasive and may give better results than an oral vaccination.
A fine spray is more immunogenic than a coarse spray, as it allows the vaccine to penetrate more deeply into the respiratory tract. However, a strong vaccination may be observed.

1. Drinking Water Method
It is becoming more popular these days. Vaccination against Newcastle disease, Infectious bronchitis, Avian encephalomyelitis etc. is carried out by this method. The vaccine to be used by this method is first reconstituted in distilled water in a small volume. It is then added to the water troughs or drinkers kept in the pen. The birds consume the vaccine mixed water and gain immunity. The birds have to be deprived of normal water supply for 1-2 hours, so that they are eager and quick to consume the water fortified with the vaccine.
When using this method, it must be ensured that the water consumption of the birds is adequate. It also can be ensured that only such quantity of water should be in the drinker, which would be fully consumed by the birds within 30-60 minutes.

The water meant to be used should be cool and not warm because warm water inactivates the vaccine. The water must not contain any amount of chlorine or other chemicals. The addition of skim milk to water at the rate of 500 ml of skim milk to 10 litres of water is recommended. The addition of skim milk to vaccine water is purposely for improving the viability of the vaccine by neutralizing the chlorine or any other chemical present in the water.

2. Subcutaneous and/or intramuscular route
In these methods, the vaccine is pushed into the body tissues either under the skin or into the muscle with the help of needle and syringe. These methods are still used till today. When a vaccine is used subcutaneously or intramuscularly, care has to be taken to make sure that the quantity of vaccine is kept as small as may be feasible. The ideal quantity is 0.1 ml to 0.2 ml. The maximum permissible amount is 0.5 ml. If it exceeds 0.5 ml, it will results in tissue damage at the site of vaccination and also causes unnecessary stress.

3. Scarification method
This is also an old method of vaccination into the tissues of the skin by causing superficial scarification of the epidermis. This method was originally used for carrying out vaccination against fowl pox, but this route has also been used now for protecting birds against infectious laryngotracheitis.

4. Intraocular method
In this method, the vaccine is reconstituted in a small amount and used for dropping in the eyes of birds. An ink dropper is used to apply this in drops. Once the vaccine drops into the eyes, it is absorbed and starts the immune response protecting them against the particular disease.

5. Intranasal method
In this method, the reconstituted vaccine is deposited at the two nasal openings of the birds while the birds inhale the vaccine. It is absorbed through the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and immunizes the birds.
These are all vaccination system you can use as a poultry birds keeper.

SEVEN CAUSES WHY YOU HAVE DECLINE IN EGG PRODUCTION

It can get frustrated when you are not getting the amount of eggs you expected from your hen, when you are expecting 60/eggs but you only got 20.
It is obvious that poultry farming has become so popular in different parts of the world. It is a promising agricbusiness enterprise, but poultry farmers must equip themselves with the right poultry farming information to optimize their yields. I want you to know that poultry farming is a bit tricky. Poultry farmers are faced with many challenges, but disease outbreaks are the most dreaded problem.

There are times when everything is going right but you may observe that your birds’ daily egg production is declining. This is a very serious issue that shouldn’t be taken with levity because it affects profits.

Normally, a healthy hen starts laying eggs at 18-22 weeks of age and such hen should peak her egg production at about 6-8 weeks later. If there is a drastic change in this expected egg production peak, then something is responsible. The various factors that cause a decline or reduction in egg production and the possible fixes or solutions will be discussed in this article.

What are the Causes decline of Egg Production in Poultry Production

1. Stress and Change

These two are one of the primary reasons for a drop in egg production. Most laying chickens are usually affected by sudden changes in their usual pattern such as a change of pen or nesting box’s position usually throws layers off-balance, hence reducing their egg production. Therefore, poultry farmers should avoid handling or move their birds as soon as they start laying eggs.

2. Removal of Roosters or Introduction of New Birds into the Flock

If you introduce a totally new chicken into your flock or remove the roosters from a particular flock, you’re actually giving the layers an impression that their keeper is up to something (a sort of coup d’é·tat). So you should avoid this wherever possible.

3. Overcrowding, Change in Weather, Feed composition and Time of Feeding

When you overstock, when the weather changes or when there is a change in feed composition or the time you normally feed laying chickens, then expect a reduction in egg production. Poultry farmers should look out for drastic changes in temperature like too hot or cold condition in pens or nesting boxes. In this case, the litter lining of the litter should be changed every day. Likewise, avoid any sudden change in the time you feed your laying birds and avoid changing their feed composition unnecessarily.

4. Noise and Decreased Lighting

Birds are always frightened by noises or a sight of predators. It is obvious that hens don’t want any other form of noise except the loud characteristic cooing noise made when they are about to lay. Additionally, decreased time of lighting adversely affect the perceived day length by hens. Scientifically, egg production is affected by the length of exposure to daylight. This means that increased lighting stimulates egg production. Laying hens should enjoy adequate lighting for at least 14-16 hours.

5. Poor or Unbalanced Diet

Improper diet detrimentally affects egg production. Hens need energy-, protein- and calcium-rich diets. Don’t allow these three nutrients to be lacking in the feed of your laying birds. Also, they should be provided with a nutritionally balanced feed. You may also add egg-production boosters to the drinking water. These boosters contain necessary minerals and amino-acids required during the laying period.

6. Broodiness

Broodiness often triggers a decrease in egg production. Exhibiting broodiness is normal in laying hens and it is an innate condition. However, this behavior can be discouraged by increasing artificial lighting in the laying pen.

7. Parasitism and Disease

When laying hens are disturbed by parasites such as worms or diseases such as Newcastle Diseases, their egg production is often affected. If you noticed a drop in egg production, try to see if the birds are healthy or have been infected with diseases, and take the necessary step after. Deworm your birds regularly and dust them to get rid of ectoparasites such as lice and fleas.

As the egg production performance of your flock improves, your profits will also improve. This is the reason why you must take action whenever you notice a decline in your flock’s egg production and make sure you take prompt actions.

EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF POULTRY BIRDS , DO YOU KNOW THAT NOISE AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR BIRDS ?

There are many things many farmer or poultry keepers don't take note or observed. Have you ever tried to find out if the performance of poultry birds like broilers, layers, turkeys, quails, geese etc is affected by environmental noise ? Well, the truth is that the noise produced within or outside your poultry farm has an impact on the performances of your birds. These effects include:

1. Reduction in feed intake or consumption
Reduction in feed conversion efficiency
2. Reduction in adrenal activities
3. Reduction in intestinal relaxation
4. Internal injuries sustained when frightened by sudden noise.

All the effects mentioned above are all directly or indirectly affect the birds’ performances in terms of growth performance, egg-laying performance and livability. So, to avoid all these from happening to your birds, avoid building your poultry pens near a feed mill house, generator plant, busy road, and other sources or situations that produce heavy  noise. Ensure that your poultry is in a quiet place where there is silent every time in order for your birds to perform well and brings out best and profitable performance.
All poultry farmer should take note of this simple thing which can affects the performance of your birds.