The simplest way to import an animal and growing groundnuts

I CANT MANAGE COST OF POULTRY FEEDS
I started keeping Kari kienyeji and kuroiler chickens in Kinoo recently. However, as you know feeds are costly. I have been using chick mash and now growers, plus a little sukuma wiki and spinach. How can I bring down my costs?

Joyce

Feeds constitute about 70 per cent of the total expenses in intensive poultry production systems and influence significantly egg-laying and size of broilers. It is also worth noting that poultry, like other non-ruminant livestock, are very sensitive to the nutrients availability in feeds and fluctuations may result to stress affecting productivity.

Commercial feeds contain, other than energy and protein sources, essential amino acids added through a premix. They provide the birds with almost all nutrients at the required amounts for the different classes and species of birds.

The best way to reduce cost is by cutting wastage. If you find left-over feeds in the feeding troughs, it may be an indicator you are supplying more than the birds require.

Another way to reduce cost of feeding is by practising free-range system of production and only supplementing the birds for what is assumed to be deficit. However, this system is only viable in areas where land size and social lifestyle are not limiting.

Another alternative is by supplementing your birds with cereals and pulses and protein sources such as fish meal and sunflower seed cakes in a standard ration depending on ingredients available. Edible kitchen waste can also be used but care should be taken on the materials being fed to the birds.

Wangui, James Chege,
Department of Animal Sciences,
Egerton University

I WANT TO START REARING RABBITS
I am interested in rearing rabbits at my parents’ farm in Ngong. However, I don’t know where to start. How much capital do I need? Where will I buy the rabbits and later sell?

Angela

To start a rabbit enterprise, you should consider the following factors; space available, production purpose, system, source of feeds and market. Unlike large animals, rabbits require a small area to keep.

Additionally, their cages can be built in tiers to maximise space. Whatever the design one opts for, comfort and security against predators should be guaranteed. It is advisable to use locally available materials to reduce the cost of construction.

Rabbits can be raised for a myriad of purposes, among the most common being meat and pelt production and breeding. Whichever the production purpose, a ready market should be guaranteed to ensure a profitable enterprise.

It is advisable to keep medium-sized rabbit breeds for meat production unlike the bigger ones. This is because medium-sized breeds mature early, have higher meat-to-bones ratio, higher prolificacy, are easier to manage and are cheaper to feed.

They include California White, New Zealand White and Chinchilla, among others. Sourcing of initial stock can be done from government livestock institutions (like Ngong Veterinary Farm) and local farmers.

Price per rabbit ranges from Sh300 to about Sh4,000 depending on the source and breed. Consider seeking contracts with hotels that serve rabbit meat and supermarkets that have butcheries especially in urban areas when looking for market. You can as well open a rabbit meat butchery in Ngong if capital allows and add value to the meat to reap more.

Wangui, James Chege, Department of Animal Sciences,
Egerton University

HOW SHOULD I GROW GROUNDNUTS?

Please educate me on growing groundnuts based on the following:  1) The best variety to plant.
2) The preferred climate for planting them. I am in Nkubu, Meru.3) The cost of planting an acre and average yields to be expected.4) The companies that can buy my produce.

Groundnuts can do well in many lower regions of Meru where the height is below 1,500 metres above sea level. The crop requires warm climate with temperatures ranging between 25 to 30 degrees Celsius.

Low temperatures, below 15 degrees Celcius and frost delay flowering and seed formation. Rainfall requirements are 500 to 600mm well distributed throughout the growing season for good growth, but the crop is drought-resistant and can survive severe water shortage.

Yields, however, would be reduced especially during pegging (the penetration of young nuts into the soil). Earthing up should be done at the time of weeding to encourage pegging.

The crop requires sandy-free draining soils, however, they can also grow well in heavier clay soils like in Nyanza, Rift Valley and western. Before you grow, plough the land and harrow to a good tilth.

Prepare ridges which are 80 to 120cm apart with flattish tops and plant in two rows on top of the ridge.

Select clean well-filled seeds for planting. Sowing seeds to a depth of 5 to 8cm at a rate of 40 to 50kg per hectare is recommended depending on the seed size. You can grow Red Valencia type maturing in 90 to 100 days or Runner type maturing in 120 to 150 days.

Stockists include Leldet Seeds, Kalro or ICRISAT, where you will get ICGV 90704, ICGV 83708, ICGV 99568, ICGV 12991 and ICGV 90704 varieties. Harvesting in wet condition should be avoided to prevent development of aflatoxin, a severe poison produced by Aspergillus spp of fungus, which releases chemicals dangerous to human health.

You can harvest up to seven to 15 90kg bags per acre depending on your management. It costs between Sh20,000 to Sh30,000 to grow the crop per acre. The market for the produce is unlimited.  

Prof Paul Kimurto, crops expert, Division of Research and Extension, Egerton University

WHAT SHOULD I FEED MY FRIESIAN COWS?

I would like to know the best farms where I can buy Friesian heifers within Central or Eastern regions. I would also like to know the most-economical feeds for Friesian cows with an option of dry fodder and silage.James Njeru and Simon Mutitika

By visiting the nearest district livestock production office, you will be able to obtain details of reputable dairy breeders within your locality. Ensure that you buy Friesian heifers from farmers who keep genuine up-to-date records (preferably those whose animals are registered with the Kenya Stud Book and who regularly submit milk records to the Dairy Recording Services of Kenya) to be sure of the pedigree and expected performance of the animals you purchase. Feed your animals on good quality roughage such as hay showing retained greenness.

The roughage should contain both energy (grasses like Rhodes) and crude protein sources (legumes like lucerne). Well-preserved maize and sorghum silage are also roughages rich in energy sources.

In addition, supplement the animals on well-formulated concentrate ration (dairy meal) with a crude protein content of at least 16 per cent and adequate minerals (especially calcium, phosphorous and sodium chloride).

Due to seasonality of supply of different feeds, the most economical rations are those constituted from feedstuff in abundant supply at any given time.
Kimitei K. Ronald, Department of Animal Sciences,
Egerton University