How to profit from poultry farming | Seeds Of Gold

[00:00:10][music] [music] >> Welcome to another edition of NTV Seeds of Gold. I am your host Sheila Nduhukire and it is always a pleasure >> [music] >> having you with us. This show is proudly brought to you by Bukoola Chemical Industries Limited and YPA for the expert opinion.

[00:00:33]Now, poultry remains one of Uganda's most accessible agribusiness ventures.

[00:00:38]Whether it's eggs, broilers, or indigenous birds, thousands of farmers continue to invest in poultry because of its potential to generate income throughout the year.

[00:00:49]>> Uh feed alone takes the biggest percentage of the farm expenses.

[00:00:56]So, if it takes the biggest percentage of the farm expense, a farmer is charged with sourcing the right raw [music] material.

[00:01:06]>> Yep.

[00:01:07]>> Find means of where you can source the right [music] raw material to use.

[00:01:12]>> Mhm. Yet, despite the growing demand of poultry products, [music] many farmers still struggle to achieve consistent profit.

[00:01:21]So, where is the money really made or lost?

[00:01:25]Well, today that's why we're here. We get to explore how nutrition, feed quality, and everyday management decisions can influence the profitability of a [music] poultry enterprise. And helping us unpack this important conversation is veterinary expert Dr. Muchwezi John Michael from Bukoola Chemical Industries Limited.

[00:01:46][music] >> Commercial poultry farming, it's an enterprise as old as the country itself.

[00:01:59]But can we leverage profitability via nutrition and farm management? Well, that's what this episode is about. It's a brand new episode of NTV Seeds of Gold. I am your host Sheila Nvanungi and as always, it's a pleasure to be here.

[00:02:12]Now, you say Bukoola Chemical Industries Limited Africa [music] hears you because hey, how about working with the best of the best? With me is Dr. Mukiibi. You've seen him before and when you see this board, you'll know it's about to go down. It is nice to have you again on the show.

[00:02:30]>> It is my pleasure to have you, Sheila.

[00:02:32]>> So, today you are giving us the nitty-gritties on nutrition and farm management. People always complain um poultry is hard, poultry is tough. We don't want to do poultry or kokokufa, you know? They worry about it. But from an economic perspective, [music] what would you say is the biggest driver of such fears?

[00:02:53]>> Uh thank you, Sheila. Um by the name Mukiibi John Michael, I work with Bukoola under the section of animal health, particularly under welfare animal feed concentrates.

[00:03:06]Uh like you've stated it, Sheila, what would be the major driver of profitability on a poultry farm?

[00:03:15]This would ideally mean I would have first of all define what profitability is cuz a farmer will might not know what pro- pro- profits mean.

[00:03:25]>> [music] >> Uh profitability actually refers to the output, what you get.

[00:03:31]What you get minus what you have spent plus the losses you incurred on the farm.

[00:03:37]>> Yeah. Every poultry farmer wants productive birds and healthy [music] returns. Yet profitability is often discussed only at the point of sale, when eggs are collected or birds are taken [music] to the market. The reality, however, is that profitability begins much, much earlier.

[00:03:54]>> [music] >> And Dr. Mutuvi helps us understand some of the biggest factors that determine whether a poultry enterprise succeeds financially or struggles to stay afloat.

[00:04:05]>> Proper record keeping will be a major driver of you to have a proper measure of whether you're making profits or not.

[00:04:14]Or not.

[00:04:15]So, I'll urge to farmers to adopt proper record keeping measures so that they can have a track of what [snorts] they put in, what they incur as losses, and what they actually get out >> as profit.

[00:04:33]>> as profit. What entails in record keeping?

[00:04:37]Feeds.

[00:04:39]Feeds as a major a major component that takes up the biggest percentage of the farm expense. This entirely takes over 70% of the farm >> [music] >> expenses. And you know, if you really don't take critical analysis on feeds, then you are about to go wrong.

[00:05:05]And feed as an input is very key.

[00:05:11]An input is something that you spend on so that you get the results that you want to get from what you're spending on.

[00:05:20]Feeds.

[00:05:21]Uh in feeds, we shall talk about feed efficiency.

[00:05:25]Feed efficiency will refer to the ability of birds.

[00:05:30]Now, like [music] so when you give these birds feed, how are they able to convert that feed into usable products like meat, >> eggs, >> eggs, and weights, the weight gain.

[00:05:44]So, that [music] entirely covers feed efficiency. Feed the feed your feed has to be of good enough to get what you expect from it.

[00:05:55]>> And you can see your money's worth.

[00:05:57]>> Your money's worth. So, we shall now discuss feed efficiency. Like I've told you that the ability of your birds to convert this feed into an egg >> Mhm.

[00:06:09]>> or a kilo of [music] meat or generally the weight of the birds for the case of broilers.

[00:06:14]>> Yeah.

[00:06:14]>> Then the water. Water is also an input.

[00:06:17]For you to have such birds, they will need water.

[00:06:22]Uh talk about other supplements like vitamins. Uh talk about the toxin binders. Other supplements. These are all you are spending on.

[00:06:31]Talk about like charcoal for people who are going because for you to raise such birds, you start them from zero.

[00:06:38]>> Yeah.

[00:06:39]>> You need to brood them, giving them warmth and everything. So, you're spending on.

[00:06:44]So, those expenses that you incur >> You must keep track.

[00:06:48]>> the the inputs. Then, talk about the losses on the other hand.

[00:06:52]Birds can die when they're day old day old or within their lifespan [music] which they have on the farm.

[00:06:59]>> Yeah.

[00:07:00]>> So, whenever you have a bird dead, that is a loss.

[00:07:04]Remember, you have spent on this bird >> [music] >> to feed it up to the stage where it has died.

[00:07:11]Just know that whatever you is lost there, you it is not recoverable.

[00:07:16]Uh talk about feed spillage, speed feed wastage.

[00:07:20]>> Yeah.

[00:07:21]>> Farmers not minding about how they give these these feeds to the birds. Talk about treatment. When we are planning this these poultry businesses, we don't plan for treatment and a big percentage of money goes on treatment.

[00:07:38]>> Mhm.

[00:07:39]>> [music] >> Now, what a farmer has to do to avoid all these is to first of all make a proper record keeping. You keep track.

[00:07:48]Then at the end of the day, that is when you will gauge that your farm is making a profit or a loss. At the end of the day, if you get a tray of egg Now you go into details of what you spent for you to be able to get that one tray of egg.

[00:08:05]>> Yeah.

[00:08:05]>> Then if you calculate and see that there is something that remains untouched [music] >> Mhm.

[00:08:12]>> then that becomes your profit. But if you have the expense and the losses overwhelm what you have got, then you will just know that you are in a total loss and that poultry business is not profitable enough.

[00:08:28]>> With feed prices continuing to fluctuate, many farmers are constantly looking for ways to, you know, reduce costs while maintaining performance.

[00:08:36][music] Dr. Mushebe does share with us practical insights on achieving that [music] balance.

[00:08:43]It's possible, turns out.

[00:08:45]>> First of all, a farmer should know what each bird needs to [music] feed.

[00:08:52]Knowing what the bird takes, the daily consumption of a bird >> helps.

[00:08:57]>> is very important.

[00:08:58]>> [music] >> You know, farmers are very funny.

[00:09:00]When they see the feeders are empty, they will make an alarm. You see, my birds are not having what to eat. Give them, serve them. Not knowing that they're giving them extra feed, which [music] the birds get and and spoil it in the husk. So, having or knowing what each bird takes in a day is very important. Like I I will give you an example. A mature layer takes between 115 g [music] to 125 g. So, on average, depending on what they are giving you.

[00:09:34]>> Mhm.

[00:09:35]>> If you're seeing that the the birds are giving you the best, you will can also add them and give them the maximum feed that they are supposed to take and that is 125. So, knowing what they are supposed to take is [music] very important so that you don't give them extra feed for spoiling.

[00:09:54]>> Yeah.

[00:09:55]>> Is that okay? So, knowing what to give them is very important. Then the other thing is that giving them right feeders.

[00:10:07]Poultry feeders can be a source of spillage of feed.

[00:10:12]>> Yeah.

[00:10:14]>> And once feed is is is spilled down in the litter, that one is not recoverable.

[00:10:19]So, avoid putting very funny feeders which are not going to contain the feed for some time for the birds to access it. Also, placing the feeder placing the feeders at the right level.

[00:10:32]>> Mhm.

[00:10:33]>> Farmers don't know that there is a right level >> for the feeders.

[00:10:37]>> for the feeders. Where you you need you need to place the feeders. So, feeders should be placed at the right level. The The right level of of the feeder is the crop level. The crop of the the the bird.

[00:10:49]>> is where your feeder should be. So, whereby the bird just access using the neck.

[00:10:55]When you put it down, the bird will be forced to scratch the feed and it will spill [music] over in the in the in the what? Uh proper >> Sorry, but is is the level uh placement of the feeder, is it also determined by the age of the birds?

[00:11:12]>> Yes. You cannot put the feeder at a height where the bird cannot access the feed. So, it is adjustable. Make sure that your feeders are adjustable enough.

[00:11:22]>> Exactly.

[00:11:22]>> So, like I've told you, feeders will should always at any stage of the bird, the feeder should be at the level of the crop. Whereby the the bird just accesses the feed by the neck. Then the another point will be a proper mixing.

[00:11:40]At Ukwala, when we are mixing, we are giving guidelines of mixing the feed. We urge to farmers to follow our mixing [music] guidelines.

[00:11:51]Don't go and fake your own feeding procedures. We give you proper guidance on how we should mix this feed.

[00:12:02]Failure to adhere to that mixing procedure, [music] then you may go wrong, and you are expected not to get the best result out of our concentrate. So, for you to be able to get the best out of your feed, make sure that you give the right feeders.

[00:12:20]Follow the mixing formulas that we give you, then you'll get the best out of your feed.

[00:12:27]>> Still on feed. Now, not every farmer has access to the likes of well-fed or know about it. That's why we're telling them about it.

[00:12:35]But they have access to say not well nutritious packed feed.

[00:12:45]How would that affect a farmer's >> [music] >> uh wallet or economic standing?

[00:12:51]>> Of course, you like like we we had started, we said that feed alone takes the biggest percentage of the farm expenses.

[00:13:02]So, if it takes the biggest percentage of the farm expense, >> [music] >> a farmer is charged with sourcing the right raw material.

[00:13:12]>> Yeah.

[00:13:13]>> Find means of where you can source the right raw material to use.

[00:13:18]>> Mhm. What may seem like a saving in the short term can sometimes result in slower growth, slower productivity, and reduced profitability, or even none at all. So, Dr. Muchibi takes time to explain the hidden costs associated with [music] poor quality feed and improperly balanced nutrition or rations.

[00:13:39]>> What may [music] make this raw material go wrong?

[00:13:42]Improper storage.

[00:13:43]>> Yeah.

[00:13:44]>> If you store these feeds poorly, like now, for example, the raw materials that we use in in in in mixing our [music] concentrates, like the broken maize, maize bran, the lime. When you store them badly, they may go wrong.

[00:14:02]There is a time we call they may acquire what we call aflatoxins.

[00:14:06]Aflatoxins they are the molding act that they these carbohydrates grains acquire when you store them badly.

[00:14:20]Uh first of all, there is storing badly, but again, there is also storing undried raw material. I'll urge to farmers to always store properly dried raw material.

[00:14:38]There is another mistake that farmers do is putting maize bran under the sun.

[00:14:45]That is totally [music] not correct and a farmer is not supposed to do that. Maize bran, if you want to dry maize bran, you should put it under the shed.

[00:14:55]So that it can have that gradual drying.

[00:14:59]>> Now, speaking of of good quality feeds, um how does Well Fed, [music] yeah, that we categorize under great quality, how does Well Fed uh tackle all the challenges that come with the poor um quality that whatever trials and tribulations have come along due to the poor quality, how does Wellfeed uh address these challenges?

[00:15:24]And also, does Wellfeed help reverse some of these problems, assuming a farmer has given his hen >> [music] >> chicks this terrible quality? Does Wellfeed in a way reverse it at all?

[00:15:38]>> Yeah, Wellfeed has scientifically been analyzed and studied to counteract some of the challenges that farmer face.

[00:15:47]Uh Wellfeed as a concentrate >> [music] >> has been made because this being a concentrate, >> [music] >> it has all these other food nutrients.

[00:15:58]And what the farmer is to is supposed to to to to get is [music] the best source of energy. And that is the broken maize, maize bran.

[00:16:07]So, Wellfeed as a concentrate [music] has proteins in it.

[00:16:12]It has crude fibers in it. It has fats in it.

[00:16:17]It has [music] amino acids. It has vitamins in it. It has probiotics.

[00:16:22][music] It has enzymes. You know, all these have been added in this concentrate to make sure that when a farmer goes goes wrong in sourcing the right raw material, at [music] least there is something that can counteract the bad condition of Like now for example, the probiotics. These are important for gut health.

[00:16:44]These are will continuously provide a normal normal [music] gut health so that the bird can utilize the nutrients that have been provided in in the feed. Like the enzymes. The enzymes will entirely help in the breakdown of the various food nutrients like the carbohydrates, the proteins which are in it, and what have you. There are also toxins. They are toxin binders. Our concentrate has toxin binders. Like I've told you, these are aflatoxins which are in in in rotting, let me call it rotting broken maize, rotting [music] maize bran, those aflatoxins will all will be binded together so that they don't become harmful to the birds because our concentrate has toxin binders in it. It also has >> [music] >> antioxidants.

[00:17:37]>> Mhm.

[00:17:38]>> Antioxidants that can help uh >> [music] >> in uh making the feed fit for for for the birds to take for the birds to [music] take.

[00:17:47]>> Well, if you have been messing around and now learning what you need to do and what feed you need to get, well, here is good news for you. Kola Chemical Industries brings you Well Fed [music] that could counteract any mistakes that you've made. We're going to take a very short commercial [music] break. Now, we spoke nutrients, when we return, we speak farm management.

[00:18:13]>> [music] [music] >> Welcome back. I am glad that you're still with us. We are still with Dr. Muchivi who has been kind enough to take us through, you know, the nutritious prospects that we need for our poultry business to thrive as a commercial business, you know. The real deal. But now we go into farm management it's one thing to have the right nutrients in store, but are you managing the farm just right? Because now that might just impact your business as well. Welcome back.

[00:18:58]>> It is my pleasure. [music] >> So, now let's talk farm management. We have the right feed and all that stuff, but are we taking care of our farm just right? What are some of these things that we must do >> [music] >> to make sure that our business thrives. It doesn't fail, it thrives [music] upon thriving.

[00:19:19]>> Uh what you must do right for the farm to thrive is entirely will encompass on biosecurity. [music] >> Yeah.

[00:19:30]>> Biosecurity, I may define it as the measures that you put in place to prevent disease from coming >> Yeah.

[00:19:40]>> onto your farm.

[00:19:42]Like you were coming into this farm, you found that on the gate there was a car tire deep.

[00:19:49]>> Yeah.

[00:19:49]>> Whereby the car got through a deep which has water and that is not only water but it is water with a disinfectant.

[00:19:58]>> Yes. [music] >> And that disinfectant that aims at killing all the bacteria that you might have picked on the way as you were coming.

[00:20:07]>> Yeah.

[00:20:08]>> Uh the other biosecurity measures are many. Many steps that you >> [music] >> having an overall >> Mhm.

[00:20:16]>> on a farm, proper uniform for the farm >> Mhm.

[00:20:19]>> is also I mean >> [music] >> putting your clothes that you have used outside the farm and putting them in a particular place and putting [music] on putting on a farm uniform. In this case, I'm talking about an overall.

[00:20:34]>> And that stays on the farm, it doesn't go out.

[00:20:36]>> And doesn't go out.

[00:20:39]Farm gumboots.

[00:20:40]>> Mhm.

[00:20:40]>> There should be those attire that are for the farm.

[00:20:43]>> Strictly.

[00:20:44]>> Strictly for the farm.

[00:20:45]>> Mhm.

[00:20:46]>> Uh vaccination, following proper vaccination programs is very important.

[00:20:52]>> [music] >> Farmers don't know when birds are supposed to be vaccinated and for what reason are they vaccinating these these birds. [music] So, following a particular uh vaccination program is very key at uh maintaining a proper farm with a disease-free birds that are on the farm.

[00:21:14]>> Yeah.

[00:21:14]>> Then the other thing is that like I've told you if you want to have excessive successful farm is proper feeding.

[00:21:23]Proper feeding like I've told you, feeding will always come in.

[00:21:26]>> As in >> Come in. Feeding I told you it covers like 70% [music] of the farm expenses.

[00:21:32]>> And one must follow a particular schedule. You know how much a bird should >> It should eat.

[00:21:37]>> At what time?

[00:21:37]>> At what time and at what age.

[00:21:40]>> Too.

[00:21:41]>> You may not give a bird 120 g 120 g when it is 10 weeks old.

[00:21:47]>> Yeah.

[00:21:47]>> It will not consume it because that is not its desire. It cannot consume all that.

[00:21:51]>> Yeah. [music] >> You see a baby in human beings just suckles milk and it feels satisfied and the baby is sweating. But for a man like me, if before you serve me posho, before you serve me beans and meat and everything, I will not [music] be satisfied. If you give me just a cup of milk, then so that's why Bukoola came in to emphasize on feeding and [music] we came in with a product called Well Fed. And in Well Fed has uh many brands. [music] >> Mhm.

[00:22:23]>> We have the Well Fed Pre-Starter which was entirely designed for chicks.

[00:22:29]>> Yeah.

[00:22:30]>> It comes in pelleted form and it is called a complete feed.

[00:22:35]Complete in the sense that whatever pellet the bird picks it is has all the nutrients in it for the for that what the bird requires.

[00:22:44]>> Mhm.

[00:22:45]>> This uh Pre-Starter uh help the bird to grow uniformly [music] and with faster growth.

[00:22:52]>> Yeah.

[00:22:52]>> They control mortality.

[00:22:56]>> [music] >> When you give our birds our Pre-Starter don't expect to have mortalities in the broader stage.

[00:23:04]>> Mhm.

[00:23:05]>> And this pre-starter is supposed to be given for 7 days.

[00:23:08]>> Yeah.

[00:23:09]>> We hope that you have given a good foundation, a good start for these birds >> [music] >> to have a good journey for their for their life. And after that, we go to the broiler concentrate. The broiler concentrate, which also very nutritious, has a lot of proteins in it [music] for faster growth growth and for the birds to acquire the right the right weights to to reach the market the [music] market. Like for example, for us we always urge to farmers that at 5 weeks, you are expected to be with a 2.5 [music] kg a bird of 2.5 kg at 5 weeks. Farmers have found out that at two at four at four weeks, the bird is already 2 kg. Why not sell away that bird?

[00:23:57]You know, by selling the bird early, you also cut off your expenses.

[00:24:02]>> Expenses, yeah.

[00:24:03]>> So, a farmer finds himself getting his business more profitable by using well-fed concentrate at large.

[00:24:12]Now, like for the layers, the layer concentrate is also [music] aimed at giving the proper growth to the birds. The birds achieve the right weights. You know, [music] these layers, like you see, there are those particular weights that the bird has to achieve [music] or to attain >> Yeah.

[00:24:30]>> at that particular stage. Every Every week, the bird there is a certain >> [music] >> weight that the bird has to achieve. So, that when it reaches the laying stage, which is around 1.8 1.8 kg to 2 kg, that is the right weight that bird has to to attain for it to be fit to reach [music] that laying stage when it is really ready to start laying.

[00:24:54]>> Yeah.

[00:24:55]>> A bird failed to to reach the accepted [music] or the required weight, you will find them reaching peak production very late.

[00:25:06]>> Mhm.

[00:25:07]>> Peak production is supposed to be attained at around 30 weeks, [music] 28 to 30 weeks. But you may find that at 40 weeks a farmer has not attained peak production of 95%.

[00:25:19]Very many farmers have not seen a 95 production in their birds, but for us at Welfare >> Mhm.

[00:25:25]>> These are things that we have solved and our farmers are happily in their business of poultry keeping.

[00:25:31]>> Oh.

[00:25:31]>> Uh first uh they are the in the layers, the size of [music] the egg. You're expected to get the good size of the egg.

[00:25:39]>> And how hard the shell >> And the shell is because this concentrate come with that required calcium plus the supplement the supplementary calcium that we put in, the bird is able to attain that egg good size of the egg and of good quality.

[00:25:56]>> Mhm.

[00:25:57]>> Then the other point may be that reaching uh like I told you, reaching uh peak production.

[00:26:06]And birds growing uniformly. First of all, the onset of lay will be achieved [music] at the right time.

[00:26:14]>> Mhm.

[00:26:14]>> Onset of lay is expected around between 16 to 18 weeks.

[00:26:19]If your birds don't reach laying stage between 16 to 18 weeks, >> [music] >> then I don't know what business you're doing. You better come to Bukoola and we advise you on how to go about with the keeping of the birds so that you really attain the right steps as the age of the birds [music] are going on.

[00:26:42]>> As production costs continue to rise and competition increases, profitability is becoming less about the number of birds a farmer keeps and more about efficiently those birds are managed.

[00:26:55]Now, before we conclude, Dr. Muchivi leaves us with some final [music] thoughts for poultry farmers looking to improve productivity, reduce losses, and [music] build sustainable businesses.

[00:27:08]>> Remember, a small-scale farmer is someone who has been handling a small number of [music] birds.

[00:27:15]Uh in this case, maybe I may refer to maybe 100, 200, 500.

[00:27:22]But, a farmer who would want to attain like 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 50, 50,000, will really need a lot of knowledge.

[00:27:31]First of all, a farmer has to acquire Maybe uh firstly, the farmer has to >> [music] >> attain this gradual change. It should be gradual, not an abrupt change. You come from 500 birds, you go to 50,000 birds.

[00:27:49]That is That is a big skip. So, that the farmer is not really supposed to do that. It should be a gradual process. A gradual change. From 500, go to 1,000.

[00:28:03]From 1,000, go to 1,500 or 2,000 2,000, like that. But, not from 500 to 50,000.

[00:28:10]Then, capital itself.

[00:28:11]>> Yeah.

[00:28:12]>> Capital itself will be a good driver.

[00:28:15]You cannot think of driving a Benz when your account has never attained 100 million and above.

[00:28:25]Of course, when you want to do a bigger project [music] with bigger numbers, you first of all look into your pocket and see what [music] is in your pocket. So, capital is very important.

[00:28:36]Then, enough knowledge. Knowledge is knowing what to do.

[00:28:42]And the experience itself >> comes with the knowledge.

[00:28:44]>> And the knowledge. [music] So, you need you need to do So, have having an [music] expert farmers, this is I think the biggest challenge that farmers are facing.

[00:28:57]They go to Sheila's farm.

[00:29:00]Sheila is having 2,000 birds. Because I have a bit of my money in the my pocket, I'll go [music] and put up a structure, go to 10,000 birds without knowing what problems is Sheila facing on our farm.

[00:29:14]What is she doing right that [music] is making her business to be like that? So, having an expert, and this is what we call our we do best.

[00:29:24]Farmers should come and seek for expertise.

[00:29:28]That knowledge Moving with us, we do farm visits. We visit [music] farm. We enlighten them on how you can put up a right structure.

[00:29:40]Where to book the right the right chicks. And all that knowledge of feeding and treatment [music] is always given by the Bukoola team. And one of I'm one of the spearheads of giving that knowledge and to the farmers. So, for a farmer to skip from a small-scale business to a bigger should be >> Get the right experts.

[00:30:02]>> Get the right experts to give you guidelines. The guidance on what to do.

[00:30:07]On a step-by-step guidance on what to do. Then you'll achieve big. You'll reach where you want to go.

[00:30:12]>> want to go. Of course.

[00:30:15]>> [music] >> Um and and just as substantiate, market is very important.

[00:30:20]So, it is very imperative that one goes ahead and does carries out a bit of research on the market. [music] So, you know exactly what you're getting yourself into. Is the market crowded? Is the market acceptable? Is it manageable?

[00:30:32]Hey, it's Uganda. Our markets are open.

[00:30:35]So, you got to do your research so that your business can thrive. We are going to take a very short commercial break, and when we return, we've got so much more from Bukoola Chemical Industries Limited. We get to see the farm that we visited for you to have a clear idea of what it means to follow them step by [music] step. To move with Bukoola's vet team, they visit your farms, they train you and they take their time. You know, and call them anytime. They take their time to break it down for you on how you should get it done [music] and then you will do it right and get that gold in the seat. We'll be right back with YP as well.

[00:31:16]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Welcome back from the break. Thank you so much for staying with us. Now, this program is proudly brought to you by Bukoola Chemical Industries Limited and YPA with the expert opinion. Now, before the break, we looked at how feed quality >> [music] >> can influence productivity and profitability. But, nutrition does much more than support growth, you know. It [music] also plays a critical role in flock health and resilience. Now, Dr. Mutyaba takes time to explain the relationship between good nutrition, disease resistance and overall flock feed performance.

[00:32:13]>> [music] [music] [music] >> We have been talking about cutting down costs of the feed without compromising the quality and the performance of this feed. We've mentioned about having the right feeders.

[00:32:54]I told you having the right feeders accounting for the number of birds which are in the house.

[00:33:00]>> [music] >> Now, for example, in our case study here, each feeder here is expected to hold 25 to 30 birds.

[00:33:09]And you can see from our example there.

[00:33:12]Then the other thing is the feeder should be put at the right height so that the bird only accesses the feed by the neck.

[00:33:22]When you put the feeder a bit lower than that, you may find that there is a lot of spillage, wastage of the feed that will go on ground on the litter. And that feed will go unaccounted for. But here we are looking at how we can maximize profit from feeding this.

[00:33:39]Remember that feed efficiency is how are these birds able to convert the feed you have given them into meat or an egg. Now, we are in a layer layer house for layer chicken. What we expect from these birds is eggs. Once you feed them and they don't give them, just know that some of the feed went unutilized. [music] So, we must make maximize what the feed is supposed to give us. So, proper feeders is one and putting them at the right height is another.

[00:34:15]Then the number of feeding spaces, you should provide as much as feeding space for these birds so that each and every bird accesses feed.

[00:34:26]We can also talk about water.

[00:34:28]Birds should at any point access water so that every after they have eaten feed, they can be able to access water. You can see we are running a nipple channel of water so that the birds just tap on the nipple, then the water comes.

[00:34:47]Okay.

[00:34:49]A question may be a may may be raised that how do chicken learn that this is the source of where where they are supposed to take water.

[00:34:58]Uh I don't know how I can explain it very well, but just know it is in behavior that whatever you put in here, the birds will come and and and try to find out what is on this particular item that they have put in what in. So one of them came and knocked on the nipple and saw that water was coming.

[00:35:24]Then they really got to realize that this is the what the source of water.

[00:35:27]These are the ones called perches.

[00:35:30]To perch is to stand. [music] So these perches not only perform a function of holding the water line, but also act as a so a a place where birds perch and do exercise from. These perches help the birds to exercise so that they don't develop bad bad acts like cannibalism, those bad behaviors that birds be get like cannibalism, egg eating. So whenever you see them, they are perching all over. So they are exercising. They jump and fall down. They jump and fall. So that is exercising. And remember exercising also makes their body fit and maybe cutting down their body fat so that these birds we don't need to fatten them. So they act as exercise ground for these birds. Uh laying boxes should be put in in a in in a position that none of them see each other when it is laying.

[00:36:31]You're seeing those flaps flaps which we have put on the laying the laying box were entirely made to make a hiding for these birds whenever they are laying. Birds always don't want to see themselves when they are laying. It is It is like [music] It is a private act that they are doing.

[00:36:50]So, and to prevent them from developing cannibalism. The reproductive system when it is pushing out the egg, whenever the bird sees that, the bird may be tempted to to to tap on that money may cause injury on that reproductive system. This being a deep litter house in the in the in the sense that we put litter as as as as a cushioning ground on the floor.

[00:37:21]This litter is aimed at sucking the moisture from the chicken droppings so that this sucking like removing moisture from the chicken droppings so that [music] this moisture doesn't wet the ground.

[00:37:39]It depends how fast this litter [music] gets spoiled, but the required time is between 3 months to 6 months 6 6 months.

[00:37:48]A good poultry house should be open on both ends.

[00:37:54]It should be open in both both sides in the sense that the other side of the length is open like you see.

[00:38:02]The highest the the the the wall can be is 3 ft like you can see. It is 3 ft, but minimum rate can even go down to 1 and 1/2 or 2 ft, but at least 3 ft is ideal, but both ends should be open like you're seeing, so that whenever wind or air is blowing from the other side, it goes through the other side. And that air does not only bring in fresh air for breathing for the bird, but also it goes away with the bad smell that comes from the ammonia that comes [music] from the rotting or the fermentation of the the chicken dropping plus the litter which is on the on ground. So, this open-sided house [music] is ideal for the house to have birds having enough breathing air. That is one. Then that air is also important for carrying away the bad smell, the ammonia gas that develops from the poultry house because of the mixing of the poultry the birds' droppings plus the litter.

[00:39:13]When it You know, the fermentation between the chicken dropping and the litter, they form that gas called ammonia gas. And it really affects the birds' respiratory tracts. And that's [music] why you may find that a poorly aerated house will always cause disease and discomfort to the to the to the to the to the bird. That's why you'll find that a a farmer who is always faced with flu and cough, you may when you go to his farm, you may find that all this aeration is not on his poultry house. Then you can also talk about the nets, the guards which are on These are intended at preventing wild birds.

[00:39:53]Wild birds, the nets you're seeing, no wild bird can enter into this house.

[00:39:59]No, it Those wild birds have no access to this poultry house. [music] Those poultry Those wild birds, they come along with a lot of disease.

[00:40:09]And you may They are carriers in this case.

[00:40:12]They are carriers of disease. And you may find that for them, these diseases may not affect them. They are not harmful to them, but once they fall into such birds, they may have a lot of challenge because of those diseases that [music] come from the wild birds. Lighting, of course, light is very important. Light is important for the birds to be able to see where to feed from, where to get access water from. But again, too much light is not good. That's why you I told you on on the laying nest, those those guards, those flaps that you're seeing on the laying boxes, they are aimed at cutting down the light that enters into the laying boxes so that no bird can see each other when it is laying. Uh here we have 2,500 and up there are 2,500, so a total of 5,000.

[00:41:08]>> Every successful agribusiness begins with understanding the enterprise and managing it well. And speaking of building successful [music] agricultural businesses, it is now time for our YPA expert opinion segment. Stick around.

[00:41:25]>> [music] >> My friends, [music] your farm managers, make sure they know how to manage.

[00:41:34]It cost me a lot.

[00:41:36]Someone had to keep my male goats away from the female goats for 6 months.

[00:41:47]Because he's doing planned desynchronization.

[00:41:51]My goats were actually giving birth to one once a year.

[00:41:56]That after birth, they have time to breastfeed, then they have time to regain. Aha, that is the word he used, to regain. Because I was a blind person, I did not know what I needed.

[00:42:09]I also said, yes, I am doing the best practice.

[00:42:14]Bro, I lost over 10,000 goats in 3 years. Because if I had [music] to produce twice, I would have get gotten even more than 10.

[00:42:28]Do not call experts to help you if you're not the vision bearer. Everything everything that this expert is doing must shoot at your vision. You expert person, do your expert, but tell me it is possible.

[00:42:46]That's the only word I want.

[00:42:47]>> [music] >> At my terms. Don't tell me, uh-uh, we need 24 years. No, I need it in 1 year.

[00:42:54]Are you able to do it? That is a mistake that cost me a lot of money, but I learned and today [music] I am confident that what I desire and believe I can achieve, I will achieve without fail.

[00:43:07]>> [music] >> It is also very important for farmers to mix small small quantities of feeds other than putting here 2 tons of feeds, whereby you will not have a uniform mixture at the end of the day. So, this is just a quarter ton, 250 kg. And it is you see that the boys can manage mixing this. Maximum that can be stored for 7 days. Remember that this concentrate >> [snorts] >> has ingredients which depreciate with time.

[00:43:41]>> Well, you know what they say, [music] all good things come to an end. And that's all we had for you today. But hey, don't worry, we'll see you again next week. Keep those comments coming in. #ntv >> [music] >> seeds of gold.