The Tanzanian poultry industry is gearing up for the introduction of Cobb 500 broiler chickens by a new breeding partnership between Irvines Tanzania Limited and Tyson Foods of the United States of America. Irvines Tanzania Managing Director Pietro Stella said the Sh32 billion poultry farm in the Kilimanjaro region will…
Question: My chicks don’t have any feathers on their chests or backs. They are 42 days old today and have to be slaughtered. Can you tell me why this has happened? Could you please give a table that indicates what their weight gain should be today? Poor feathering could have…
An expert gives some suggestions to improve feed conversion ratios (FCR) in broilers. The secret of successful broiler nutrition is to adopt the correct feeding strategy to ensure the best possible feed conversion ratios (FCR). Rick Kleyn from Spesfeed, an animal nutrition company, has some suggestions on how farmers can…
Question: Is it possible to produce broiler chickens throughout the year without electricity? Many poultry farmers started off brooding with charcoal or gas. There is no reason why corrugated iron houses cannot be heated successfully all year round. What is important is for farmers to use their initiative and look…
Question: What causes low body weight in broiler chickens and what can I do about it? ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Temperature extremes: When there are temperature variances during the brooding period, the growth of the chicks will be negatively affected resulting in poor growth and poor flock uniformity. In very hot weather,…
Farmers, it is always good to learn from how other farmers are doing it, like this farmer who farms meat chickens. Other farmers are not necessarily right in the way they are doing their business, but they are doing it the way that work best for them, and that is…
Zambia will allow the import of broiler parent stock, but under very strict conditions. However, Livestock and Fisheries Minister Michael Katambo reiterated that the ban on importing live birds and poultry products is still in place. The minister said the decision to allow the import of broiler parent stock will…
Producers often ask why some flocks perform exceptionally well, while others do not, under the same conditions. A well-known quotation goes: “You are the master of your own destiny”. If applied to broiler farmers, this implies that, with correct management and a suitable vaccination programme, broiler performance will be as…
Ugandan farmer Erias Kasumba knows his way around chickens since he's breeding for many years. Unlike some other farmers, he believes in local breeds since they are less susceptible to disease and easier to manage. Check out this video. * We are sharing the video made for the On the Farm-programme…
Using artificial insemination in a poultry operation can improve productivity tremendously. Samson Cherutich from Kukuchic poultry farm started four years ago and haven't looked back since. This video was produced for Kenya Citizen TV by Smart Farm. Africanfarming.com is only sharing it - we don't hold the copyright. Enjoy! Please…
Farmers, the easiest way to learn to run a broiler farm is to "borrow" with your eyes. Find out how to do things by looking at how other farmers are doing it. Here we have an 11 minute long video that shows you how a proper broiler operations works in…
Small- to medium-sized poultry producers should keep a close eye on production costs - particularly on how much feed, and what type, they’re using – without compromising optimal nutrition. Feed is one of a poultry producer’s biggest expenses, contributing 60% to 70% of total broiler production costs. Although feed prices…
Dear farmers - Caleb Karuga used to be quite a famous television journalist in Kenya, but he decided to give that up to become a chicken farmer and made a success out of it. He decided to start with Old KARI Kienyeji chicken and it worked. The video is a few…
In our first article we discussed some production parameters for chicken farmers. Here we conclude basic production requirements for profitable chicken operations. AIR Chickens need fresh air at the right temperature. Never be tempted to compromise on the supply of fresh air when, for example, you may need to increase the temperature…
Invented in the Netherlands, the Feed Calculator is a new piece of technology available for Zambian farmers who want to mitigate high input costs. This smart phone application enables farmers to produce chicken feed which meets industry standards, using local ingredients. “Feed Calculator was designed to offer guidelines to poultry…
 Dr. Mick Versfeld drills down into the issues that should be looked at if your chickens aren’t performing as well as they should be. FEED At least 60% of the cost of farming poultry is feed, so efficient management of feed is vital for optimal production. Fresh feed should always…
It’s that time of the year when temperatures are still high. If you’re running broiler chickens think about their water needs. Water is a hugely important part of broiler production since broiler chickens need to drink twice as much water as the quantity of feed they eat. Chickens should always…
Poultry farmers in parts of Zambia are reeling from colossal losses following a power outage in at least five provinces that lasted more than 48-hours. "I lost more than 800 eggs for guinea fowls. It is 48 hours already and there is still no sign of power,” lamented Humphrey Milanzi,…
