Your Animal Doctor

A guinea fowl with her chicks. Compared to chickens, guinea fowl are low-cost and low-maintenance, and are rarely attacked by pests. FILE PHOTO | NMG

What you need to know:

  • You should feed an in-calf cow with minerals licks meant for lactating cow.
  • You should always avail Intromin mineral blocks free choice to all your animals.
  • You could use the 10 bulls as a pilot but please work on a business plan first.
  • You can contact Fleckvieh Genetic (EA) Ltd.

Incubating guinea fowl eggs

I am looking for fresh laid guinea fowl eggs to incubate and please educate me on how I go about incubating the eggs?
Ian

For guinea fowls, and indeed eggs for any other ornamental birds, or even chicks, you may contact Rina Farm of Ukunda on 0721280813. She will advice you on how to incubate the eggs as well.

If you are in Nairobi, you could contact Thomas Mugera on 0722773368. Remember you require licensing from Kenya Wildlife Service to keep these birds.

***

Feeding cows mineral salts

Is there any problem when I feed an in-calf cow with mineral salts intended for a lactating cow?
Benard Kipngeno

You should feed an in-calf cow with minerals licks meant for lactating cow. You only switch to dry cow minerals two months to calving during which time the cow will have been dried.

If you continue feeding mineral licks meant for a lactating cow after drying off, you may increase the risk of the cow coming down with milk fever, which is a metabolic disease caused by low calcium levels in the blood.

You should always avail Intromin mineral blocks free choice to all your animals.

***

I want to buy, fatten and sell animals

I am interested in beef farming. My plan is to buy bulls from the market and then put them through a heavy feeding programming before selling them.

Currently, I have a total of 10 bulls, which I acquired at an average Sh15,000 each. I intend to fatten and sell them. My long-term goal is to have at least 300 bulls on my farm ready for slaughter.

After achieving this, I intend to construct a slaughterhouse from where I will be slaughtering the bulls.

I will put up butcheries in at least every estate and source for market from institutions such as schools and hotels. What do you think of my idea? Is it achievable? What can you advise me?
Asoka, Busia County

It sounds like a great idea given that we are a meat deficit country. To answer you sufficiently, one would need to see your business plan, and if you do not have one, find someone to draw one for you.

The financial plan therein would be of great interest especially as pertains to feeding, which will comprise of at least 70 per cent of your costs.

You could use the 10 bulls as a pilot but please work on a business plan first.

***

Rearing Kienyeji chicken

I have begun to rear Kienyeji improved chicken which are now one-week-old. However, the challenge I am having is the frequency of feeding them, such that by the end of the day they have consumed the required amount.
John

Feed them with chick mash adlibitum (all the time). This is particularly important during the initial two months’ as their ultimate performance will depend on their initial nutritional management.

Given the relatively high costs of feeds, many farmers are tempted to ration feeds forgetting that the birds ‘will remember’ and will deny the farmer the weight gains/eggs expected.

***

Boma Rhodes grass seeds

Where can I get Boma Rhodes grass seeds and how much do I require for four acres?
Wanjiru Macharia

Simlaw Seeds would be best placed to assist you on this. Contact them on 0722200545/0734811861 or [email protected]

***

Fleckvieh sexed-semen
Where can I get certified Fleckvieh sexed-semen for breeding? Are the cattle adaptable to climatic conditions around Kericho?
Patrick Ruto, Kipkelion

You can contact Fleckvieh Genetic (EA) Ltd on 0712095555 or 0727665885 for information about their semen distributors around Kericho.

Fleckvieh cattle survive extreme climates due to their high vitality and virility.