Simple way to control mastitis and apply fertiliser on melons

APPLYING FERTILISER ON WATER MELONS
Please advise me on top-dressing and applying foliar fertiliser on watermelons.
Charles Kiguta

You have to wait for the watermelon vines to spread out before applying a balanced fertiliser such as 17.17.17. The rate of application is 0.7kg of fertiliser per 100 square feet. The main thing to note is that you do not apply the fertiliser on the crop since it will scorch the leaves.

The second application can be done after the flowers appear and when the fruits begin to set. This will ensure that the plants are getting the energy they need to produce high quality fruits. The granular fertiliser can be substituted by foliar ones.

Muriuki Ruth Wangari

Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

ISSA BROWN LAYERS

I would like to keep Issa Brown layers as advised in a recent answer. Kindly tell me where I can buy day-old chicks.
Claire Njoki

Issa Brown can be purchased from Kenchic Ltd. You have to book two weeks in advance for the day-old chicks. Contact them on the following numbers 020 2301518/ 0703056000.
Sophie Miyumo,
Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton University.

LEARNING TO KEEP POULTRY
I want to learn online how to start poultry farming in Ruai, mostly concerning their routine medication, how to build a good chicken house, and type of feeds to offer chicks from day one to six months.
Mike George

Currently, there is no e-learning online training on poultry. However, Egerton University’s Smallholder Indigenous Chicken Improvement Programme (InCIP) allows you to access the above information either via their SMS platform registered as M-FUGO or their website: www.incip.org. For the SMS, send the above queries starting with the word SOG to 20846 to get detailed information.
Sophie Miyumo,
Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton University.

INCUBATOR MESSING UP MY BUSINESS

I started a small-scale poultry incubation business in January after acquiring a 96-capacity Ecochick incubator. However, the machine is difficult to control, a situation that has affected its efficiency. First, the humidity cannot be regulated, thus, the temperature keeps escalating to over 80 per cent (relative humidity).

Remember it should be around 64 per cent during the first two weeks. Efforts to talk to the company have been futile as the number provided on their website is not answered. Second, most of the chicks die after full development and some die during hatching.

I fumigate the machine before every cycle and the eggs are sourced from a trusted Kenbro dealer. Please advise on how to improve the yield and make meaningful gains from the investment.

Owuor GPO, Kisumu

The lack of proper regulation of the temperature and humidity in the incubator is what is affecting your productivity since from your description, other management factors are okay. Given that Kisumu has high temperature and humidity, your incubator should be set at 37.50c and humidity at 55 to 60 per cent during the first 18 days, thereafter, this should be adjusted to 37.00c and 65 to 70 per cent for the last three days. In that case you need to find a technician who deals with incubators to have him check the thermostat and humidity control unit of your incubator.
Sophie Miyumo,
Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton University.

MY FREE-RANGE HENS DON’T HATCH EGGS
I need your assistance on my hens. They lay a lot of eggs but fail to complete the cycle of laying and leave their nest after a few days.
This results in a lot of wasted eggs, therefore, the number of my chickens do not increase.

The other issue is I have three big Kuchis, which are so ferocious that they feast on the eggs and even the small chicks if I happen to be away.
Aisha

The hens are poor brooders which may be due to hormonal imbalances or their breed type. If you rely on natural incubation of eggs to multiply your flock consider finding a broody hen to be used as a foster brooder or induce broodiness in your hens by having a nest box in a quiet and dim area.

For the Kuchi, the aggressive behaviour is mostly considered genetic and as such you should  simply separate them from chicks and as a caution do not put the males together instead use them for mating by giving each male its own females to avoid unnecessary fighting (one cock to five hens).

Sophie Miyumo,

Department of Animal Sciences,

Egerton University.

FARMING TISSUE CULTURE BANANAS
I would like to know the ecological requirements of growing tissue culture bananas, the period they take to mature and so on.
Michael Odina
Due to widespread problem of viral diseases, in-vitro or tissue culture banana propagation has been used by researchers to produce disease-free growing materials. These plants are genetically uniform, superior, disease-free and high-yielding. This leads to increased economic benefits per unit area of land. Bananas grow well in a wide range of climate from sea level up to 1,800m in humid conditions. Minimum rainfall of 1,000mm per year is required especially at the flowering time. Irrigation is, therefore, essential in low rainfall growing areas. Bananas should be grown on well-drained fertile soils, as they cannot withstand water logging. Thorough land preparation should be done during the dry season. Sowing should be carried out at the beginning of the long rains for rain fed crop. The first harvest of tissue culture bananas is 15 to 18 months after planting.
Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

PINEAPPLE SEEDLINGS
I have a farm in Kakamega on which I would like to plant pineapples, kindly advice where I can get the seedlings.
Carol

Commercially, pineapples are vegetatively propagated using crowns, slips, hapas, shoots and suckers. It is important that each of these materials be used separately since their growth rates, harvest time and other management aspects differ.

The time from planting to harvesting also depends on the mass of the propagule; the heavier they are, the faster they mature. Crowns produce fruit in 18 to 24 months, slips, shoots and hapas in 15 to 20 months and suckers in 14 to 17 months.

1. Crown: Arises at the apex of the fruit.

2. Slips: Leafy branches appearing just below the fruit. They arise from axillary buds on the peduncle. They range from 1 to 10 per plant.
3. Hapas: These are also leafy branches that arise from axillary bud at the junction between the peduncle and the stem.

4. Shoots: These can be referred to as ‘above ground’ suckers. They are leafy branches produced from axillary buds in the leaf axils just above the ground. They are about three per plant.

5. Suckers: These are shoots that arise from axillary buds on the underground portion of the stem. They are usually one to five.

You can get the vegetative materials from farmers in Thika, Malindi and Kisii which are the major pineapple producing regions in Kenya.
Carol Mutua

Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

Control of mastitis

How best should I control and treat mastitis?
Joseph Njoroge

Mastitis has been a menace to dairy farmers for decades, affecting negatively milk production, cows’ health and longevity. The impact is more severe in high-producing exotic cattle and their crosses.

Mastitis refers to inflammation of the mammary glands particularly milk producing cells. Three classes of mastitis have been described which are; acute mastitis, characterised with observable changes in milk and udder, affecting one quarter, several or all; sub-acute mastitis, characterised with less severe signs and chronic mastitis characterised with recurrent episodes.

Mastitis is caused by myriad of micro-organisms (germs) originating from the animals circulatory system and from the environment. Of importance are micro-organisms originating from the animals’ environment.

These can be controlled by observing proper milking order, hygiene and providing good bedding. An option of vaccination exists but it is recommended you consult registered animal health personnel for treatment and further guidance on control and vaccination.

Wangui, J Chege,
Department of Animal Sciences,
Egerton University and
RPL-Resilience,
Wajir County.