Straight

From the Field

Lumpy skin Disease

5 deadly livestock diseases and how to control them

It is important to recognize the dairy cattle herd in general and then the individual cows in particular for any health issues through attentive observation, touching, smelling and even by hearing sounds from cows. These are important points to identify health problems in the herd and to take appropriate action on time. This article will help you identify some of the most common yet fatal diseases and how to control and prevent them.

Dairy Goat Farm

4 Popular Goat Breeds that will make your dairy goat farm successful.

Dairy goat farming is increasingly gaining popularity particularly in the high potential areas where land for dairy cows is diminishing. The smaller land sizes cannot support dairy cattle, making the dairy goat a better option. Like the dairy cow farming, dairy goat farming requires proper and careful selection of breeds in order to yield good results.

Poultry Farm

7 things you must get right for successful poultry farming

Poultry farming can be a fulfilling and rewarding venture if done right. However, just like any other business ventures, it requires meticulous planning and research if one is to succeed. Here are some basic things that one needs to understand before venturing into poultry farming.

sow with litter

Factors you must consider to breed superior pigs

The quality of the pigs you breed determines how profitable your pig farm will be. Superior breeds furrow more piglets and pack more weight therefore fetching more cash. Selecting quality gilts and boars is make or break decision for a pig farmer that could either lead to bloom or doom of the farm. In this article, we outline factors you need to consider when selecting gilts and boars for breeding in your farm.

new born calf

Critical things you need to do in the first 24 hours after a calf is born

A calf is tomorrow’s cow. From the health point of view, the life of a bovine is divided into two parts; the first 24 hours, and the rest. The first 24 hours of life of a calf is so important that it has a strong bearing on the rest of its life. A calf not provided adequate care in the first 24 hours may succumb to diseases or will always remain weak and an under-performer, even though it has good genetic potential and is provided a good environment.

Dairy cow

General signs to observe when purchasing an animal

Farmers will find themselves looking for animals to purchase from time to time. The purchasing process is itself daunting and it helps when a farmer engages in the process from a point of information. Did you know that just by look at the physical features of animal you can tell a lot about it’s health? What signs you should look out for when choosing an animal to purchase?

Calf

How to manage calf pneumonia

Calf pneumonia is one of the most common calf problems in the farm, especially during the cold season as is currently experienced in the country. About 67% of pneumonia cases affect calves less than three months old. The early months of a calf’s growth affect its lifetime performance. If stunted during this time chances are that the calf may not reach its full performance potential later in life making the farmer to incur losses.

chicken feed

How to make your own quality chicken feed at home to cut costs

Except for a few feed manufacturers who keep to the standards in poultry feed formulations, many feed companies make very poor quality feeds, a situation which has led huge losses. Poor quality feeds lead to a slow growth in chickens, low egg production, diseases or even death. Making poultry feeds on the farm is one of the best ways to maintain quality and cut the cost of production.

Aloe vera

How to treat your livestock using aloe vera and magadi soda

Ethno-veterinary Medicine (EVM) is as old as the domestication of livestock. It comprises belief, knowledge, practices and skills relating to animal healthcare and management. India, for example, has a sophisticated medical culture with a tradition of over 5,000 years. We look at how you can use elements of EVM for the health of your livestock.

Kienyeji chicken

How to pick the best Kienyeji Chicken

Kienyeji chicken farming can be a well-paying venture if done right as almost everyone is now looking into clean eating. Majority of Kienyeji poultry farmers practice what is called free range system of poultry keeping. To commercialise this form of business, these are the five most important things to do.

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