Feedback: Before you farm, think of market

GROWING ONIONS

I am planning to plant red onions in Laikipia County. Which is the best variety to grow?
Polycarp

Red passion F1, Texas Grano, Red Pinnoy F1 and Red Comet F1 can do well in Laikipia.

Carol Mutua,

Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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I WANT TO KEEP CHICKEN

I have been reading Seeds of Gold for some time and I have been challenged by successful farmers. I once started and managed a poultry project for six months before it became impossible to continue due to lack of expertise.

What should I do before I start since I want to go back to the venture?

Harmatone Kalume, Kitengela

Before you start the venture, first identify the type of market you intend to tap into. This could either be egg production, meat production or both.

This should then help you determine the type/breed of chicken you should keep, consider exotic hybrids bred distinctly for eggs and meat or improved indigenous chicken and indigenous chicken, which serve as dual-purpose birds.

Some markets prefer indigenous chicken products given their taste attributes while others such as fast foods and bakery prefer the products from the exotic hybrids.

The amount of resources you intend to put into the business will determine your scale of production and the type of management system you can practice.

Consider the design and construction of necessary housing structures and facilities depending on the production system you will carry out (intensive system, semi-intensive system or free-range system).

Determine the labour requirements for your flock and the options available (hired or family labour).

You need to do a partial budget analysis to make sound financial decisions that will help you determine the amount of resources you need to avail for the business and profitability expected from the venture you intend to do.

Draw up a work plan to determine the point at which products should be available to the market and how many production cycles you can carry out annually.

Consider keeping records on flock, mortality, feed consumption, health and product output to gauge the performance of the enterprise and provide information for your financial analysis.

Sophie Miyumo,
Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton University.

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I graduated from college but getting a job has become difficult. I, therefore, want to farm to make some money since I can access some parcel of land in Kitengela.

The question is, how does one start? Kindly note I have a farm in Kitui and I am interested in poultry farming where I wish to keep improved Kienyeji and Kuroiler breeds. Now, which is better?

Dennis

Choosing a breed to rear ultimately depends on your production needs, management (free-range or intensive), resources and target market.

Kuroiler and indigenous chicken both serve as dual-purpose birds, however, Kuroiler are hybrids with the ability to respond well to intensive or semi-intensive system by attaining market weights of about 2 to 4kg in four months and reach maturity at five months with egg production levels of 180–200 eggs per year.

Indigenous chicken, on the other hand, respond well to free-range system given their high tolerance level to such conditions.

However, the disadvantage with Kuroiler is that they rarely go broody and hence do not sit on eggs. The type of market you intend to target will influence your choice of breed as certain markets prefer products on the basis of taste attributes.

Indigenous chicken is preferred due to lean meat and taste attributes of the products while the Kuroiler tend on deposit a lot of fat on their carcass especially under intensive feeding.

As for the manual kindly send a request to [email protected]. Note that the manual is availed at a fee.

Sophie Miyumo,

Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton University.

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LUCERNE HERBICIDE
I liked the article on lucerne fodder which ran on June 25. My question is, is there a herbicide for weeding the fodder?
Mburu Kamere, Kinangop

Unfortunately there are no selective herbicides for lucerne. This means that the only ones that you can apply are those that kill grasses within the farm hosting lucerne but you cannot control broad leaved weeds.

Muriuki Ruth Wangari,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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I WANT TO GROW CASTOR BEANS
How viable is castor bean farming in Eastern Kenya? I come from Mwingi, Kitui County and I would like to grow the crop. Will it do well here and where do I get market for my produce?

Farmer

Castor production is a very viable venture in Kenya where we enjoy tropical climate.

It is one of the crops that is targeted for bio-diesel production. It can be grown in Mwingi in well-drained soils.

However, you would need to fertilise the crops to support its vigorous growth.

Muriuki Ruth Wangari,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.