Ahead of the Christmas celebration and in spite of the economic hardship in the country, one business venture that still attracts both attention and patronage is the poultry farming. But there are certain criteria needed for one to succeed at the business.
Incidentally, one has been in contact for years with the resourceful and ardent Chairman and CEO of the popular Courage Farms located at Number 5, Kayode Oladimeji Street, near Agbado Crossing, Abule-Egba, Lagos state. He has been in the business environment, operating at the top level for 22 years and certainly knows his onions. Giving a breakdown of the nitty-gritty of poultry farming it has become crystal clear for anyone wanting to venture into the business to understand what it all takes and strictly follow the rules.
On a general note, a poultry farmer needs to choose the right birds, as broilers for meat production and layers for egg production. A commercial producer needs to understand and apply the key factors of feed and nutrition, water quality and availability, environmental protection to prevent diseases. Others include litter management, stocking density, the genetics and the human element of commitment to taking good care of both the broilers and the layers to maximally benefit from them.
Worthy of note is that all the fowls need to be fed properly with balanced and unadulterated feeds, to boost production. From the day-old chicks until they reach their target weight, it is mandatory to maintain hygienic conditions in poultry feeds and housing them. Proper temperatures should be maintained to prevent the outbreak of diseases. In fact, taking control of these critical factors are pivotal to ensuring that the fowls attain their full growth potential.
With regards to feed and nutrition there should be the right mix of protein, energy, vitamins and minerals. Both the feed quality and availability should not be compromised because of their influence on the feed conversion ratio.
When it comes to the factors of water quality and availability it should be noted that water aids digestion, promotes nutrient absorption to promote proper hydration. These will keep the fowls healthy and active to improve on the broiler’s health and performance. But there are other non-dietary issues to consider in raising the poultry.
Environmental conditions do affect the feed conversion capacity. The microclimate within the broiler house should be noted because broilers are sensitive to temperature. The correct ventilation, heating and cooling are needed to prevent the building up of stress that could lead to poor growth and mortality. Environmental factors such as humidity, lighting and air quality are critical to convert the nutrients to the growth of fowls. And to ensure disease prevention feeding, watering and housing conditions must be kept free of pathogens and pests, to promote their wellbeing.
It is therefore, important to check their health status regularly and provide vaccination where and when necessary.
Given all these tasks in running poultry farming there are some questions still needing some credible answers. For instance, how much does it take to kick start the business? What are the challenges and how do you overcome them? What training programs and marketing strategies should one apply? Will the new Ministry of Livestock Development make the difference?
What exactly should the government do to assist the poultry farmers? What piece of candid advice would be given to the younger generation of Nigerians interested in the business? And above all, is it a lucrative farming to venture into?
According to Ganny Taiwo, the Chairman and CEO of Course Farms, he started the business with about N2 million back in 2001 but one would require up to N15 million to do so this time around. One of the challenges being faced with the provision of the feeds is inadequate maize. While a kilogram of maize sold for N20 some 22 years ago, it currently goes for between N800 to N1,000. Yet, support from the government has been few and far between over these years. So, though the idea of the Ministry of Livestock Development is a good one those at the helm of affairs should liaise and partner with long term practitioners who understand the ups and downs of the business. The government should do all it can to bridge the gap with regards to reducing the costs of inputs and assisting to boost both productivity and availability. In fact, such is the challenge of the shortage of maize supply that he is considering acquiring large hectres of land back in his village for self-cultivation. But there should be guarantee of security for all the farmers across the country.
And when the issues of marketing strategies and trainings crop up he has been consistent in the attendance of different types of training in the value chain of poultry farming. He does not joke with the issue of frequent waste disposal. He has also been in touch with customers through direct marketing and deployment of social media.
All said, if the right things are done as at when due, with adequate feeding using quality feeds, supply of water, housing, control of temperature as well as aeration to prevent pathogens and pests, it is a lucrative business.
If the day -old chicks enjoy all these requirements one can start selling them on maturity after three months. That is according to Farmer Taiwo.
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