Feedback: Making profits from an acre

ADVICE ON HOW TO MAKE AN ACRE OF LAND PROFITABLE

I have an acre of land in Nkoroi, Kajiado County. I would like advice on how to make the place profitable. For now, I only plant maize.

Munene Njagi

You can try vegetable farming. Tomatoes, onions, capsicum, carrots, cucumbers, watermelon, chillies, cabbage, kales, indigenous vegetables like amaranthus, spider plant, cowpea, black nightshade will do well in Kiserian.

You first need to select a suitable site. Careful planning of layout and production should be next. In planning a vegetable farm, the following have to be considered:

(a) Decide on what to grow. This will depend on the demand, market and climate.
(b) Decide on which system you are going to use e.g. open vs. protected.
(c) The layout of the land must be planned. Care is needed since. Bad layout can be costly. Remember roads, irrigation pipelines or buildings are involved, thus if sited wrongly, such items will be difficult and expensive to shift.
(d) Work out the rotation plan to be followed and details of the cropping plan. This should be early.
(e) The cost of clearing and preparing land must be considered.
(f) It is important to plan for labour.
(g) If fencing or windbreak is needed, decide on the type and material.
(h) Decide on the location of the compost area and whether you will need a heap or pit. It is necessary to provide a place for the disposal of organic debris and also serves as a source of organic matter. It is close to the nursery, in an area which is unsuitable for crop production.
(i) For a nursery siting/area. light shade are preferred. You may also build a lath house. Preferably, nursery area should be at most two per cent of total area. Will also need to decide on the type of nursery to use: seedbed or containerised. If seedbed, raise, flat or sunken.
(j) Irrigation and distribution method: Decide whether irrigation will be needed. If yes, decide on the
system to be used and the water source.

Carol Mutua, Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University

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HELP US FIND US MANUFACTURERS OF CALF MILK REPLACERS

We are a Kenya-based East African company called Moel Enterprises and are we are looking for respectable manufacturers of high quality calf milk replacer.

Please provide us with names and contact details of at least three manufacturers of this product who can supply us with at least one tonne a month.

We thank you in advance and eagerly look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Mohammed H Karugu, Nakuru

Colostrum feeding in the first three to five days is advised. Thereafter calf milk replacers can be introduced.

High quality milk replacer contains 20 per cent protein, yeast cell sugars and probiotics to support digestive health.

It also has 20 per cent crude fat, fortified with functional proteins, vitamins and minerals to support immune function.
Good calf milk replacer will generally mix without forming any small lumps.

The more digestible the replacer is, the more a calf will drink, as it will not feel satiated so quickly.

Focus on consistently high quality milk replacer is key for successful calf rearing.

As a general rule, calves need to drink 10 per cent of their body weight and the optimal drinking temperature of the calf milk replacer is 39 degrees Celsius.

The use of high quality ingredients, which are palatable and of suitable texture and particle size to stimulate rumen function is equally important.

Animal protein based milk replacers are better than plant based.

In Kenya, there are many companies that are selling or manufacturing calf milk replacers.

They include Unga Ltd, Osho Chemicals 0711045196, Coopers 0729449447 or Elgon Kenya 0717888877.

Dennis Kigiri, Department of Animal Science, Egerton University

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HOW CAN I MAKE MANURE FROM RABBIT URINE?

I am a rabbit farmer and I intend to process the animals’ urine into commercial liquid fertiliser that can be marketed globally.

I am therefore looking for the technological know-how. I collect around 200,000 litres of rabbit urine per annum. Could you please assist if you have the necessary information?

Kunetsa Kufakowadya, Kilgoris

I am going to share some experiences from other farmers in the country. For foliar fertiliser, mix every one litre of rabbit urine with five litres of water while.

As insecticide, a ratio of 1:2 urine to water is recommended.

The urine can also be added to a rabbit manure biogas digester to boost gas productivity.

Rabbit’s urine is put in a 25-litre container mixed with 500ml drops of sugar fluid, 240ml of EM4 (bacterial decomposition) and a litre of water of thick rice washing or 100g in one litre of water corn starch mixture to help feed the microorganisms.

Then the container is sealed, but the lid is perforated and attached with a hose.

In order for the fluid of fertiliser fermentation to remain sterile, the hose is dipped into a bottle filled with water.

After three weeks, this liquid will change its colour and smell.

The colour will change to black, and smell will be like wine, not urine smell anymore.

For fertiliser application to crops, the ratio of dilution is 1:10, that is, 1 litre of fertiliser mixed with 10 litres of water for foliar application.

There are other ways farmers are using rabbit urine as foliar fertiliser that you can look online.

Dennis Kigiri, Department of Animal Science, Egerton University

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MAKING SILAGE USING MAIZE STOVERS, MOLASSES

I would like to learn how to make soilage using maize stover, molasses and urea. Unfortunately have read and been told that urea is toxic. How do I use it?

Frank Gambi, Meru County

It seems you mean two different preservation methods; making maize soilage using molasses and treating maize stovers using urea.

It is true urea is toxic if used in excess. That makes it necessary to seek practical guidance from a livestock expert.

Soilage, on the other hand can be made from maize that is harvested at dough stage and not stovers.

Assuming you are using a pit silo, chop the harvested material to about 4cm and pour into the pit to approximately 15cm high.

Dilute molasses water to the ration of 1:3 or 1:2 depending on the thickness and sprinkle evenly over the pile of maize in the pit as you compact to expel air.

Repeat the procedure of spreading the chopped maize, sprinkling the diluted molasses and compacting until the pit is full.

Note that you can use inoculants in place of molasses.

Felix Akatch Opinya, Department of Animal Science, Egerton University

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CAN ABBATOIR WASTE BE USED TO MAKE MANURE?

Can the waste from slaughterhouses, particularly the stomach contents, be converted to quality manure by digging a hole and mixing with manure from cattle pens to decompose it fully?

M Kioko, Kitui

Slaughterhouses generate large amounts of rumen contents and residues that are potential pollutants to the environment, particularly soil and water.

The use on crops as organic fertiliser is a noble idea that presents sustainable use of the digester.

The wastes have also been used as raw materials for manufacturing organic composts that are used on crops, especially vegetables and forages.

Other solid content can always be subjected to appropriate biological treatments to accelerate decomposition before the next course of action.

Felix Akatch Opinya, Department of Animal Science, Egerton University

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I WANT TO START AN IRRIGATION PROJECT FOR PEPINO, GARLIC

I am ready to start an irrigation project for garlic and pepino. I have have already bought a water pump, dam liner and drip irrigation kits. Please advise.

Edwin Oduor, Fort Ternan

You can get training on pepino melon farming from Garlic and Pepino Farm in Nakuru. Contact the farm through 0723713642.

There is a market for pepino in groceries, open air markets and even supermarkets.

Carol Mutua, Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University