REARING SMALL RUMINANTS FOR FOOD SECURITY.

Small ruminants  are a viable source of protein,hence are important in the food chain.The rearing process is throughout the year because the period of gestation is 5 months.

The animals are in high demand during festive periods,although they could be found all year round in various food joints because of a sector of the populace that favors these breeds.

 The sheep and goat section is a prominent part of the abattoir operations,and are readily available in meat shops.The raising of the ruminants could be large scale or small scale depending on the financial capacity of the individual.

The breeds of the ruminant selected for the venture are those that can tolerate weather conditions and resistant to diseases.The common breeds include,west African dwarf, Yankasa,Balami,Sokoto red and Maradi.

                  BENEFITS OF RAISING SMALL RUMINANT

. 1) economic value; the animals can be raised,fattened and sold for profit.The kids and lambs can be sorted and reserved to increase herd size .

 2) Provision of much needed protein to promote growth and development of the populace. 

 3)employment opportunity; people who raise these animals actively engage services of herds men,laborers and other assistant to manage the venture.

 4) Its a way to ensure food security.

                  SELECTION OF ANIMALS FOR REARING

. 1) Animals must be sourced from reliable stock,with proven health status.

2 )The animals must be physically fit, and must conform to breed characteristics.

 3)There must be no sign of ill health such as skin diseases,cough,watery/red eyes and diarrhea.

 4)The animals must be weighty, not obese and young animals are to sourced.

 5)Dont buy during festive peaks as the prices will be astronomical thus increasing cost of production.
The animals are raised in clean,dry and ventilated housing.The housing preference depends on the keeper. The animals might be housed in groups in various housing,or they are left to graze round the compound and are provided with shelter on a side in the farm.

The advantage of housing in groups and feeding far out ways other methods.The house should be on well drained land to prevent flooding /wetness which will make the animals prone to foot rot.

The house is usually made of wood and covered with sheets,,the floor is made of roughened concrete with slants so that the animal wont slip and washing of pen is easy

. The feeding accounts for 65-70% of production,and the main source is grass of various types that are chopped and provided.

The animals to be fattened need to be provided with other feed sources so that they mature fast.These feed sources are commercial feed formulated for growth and maintenance. Water is essential for the ruminants,thus cool,clean water should be provided everyday. Mineral supplements are provided in form of salt licks.

                    HEALTH MANAGEMENT.

 1)Quarantine new stock,before release to the farm.

 2)stabilize new stock, by deworing and placing on vitamins

 3)Eradicate ectoparasites,by using appropriate chemicals for tick bath.

ANIMAL RESORT CENTER.

ZOO VET; ENSURING ANIMAL HEALTH.

10 COMMANDMENTS FOR POULTRY HEALTH.

1) Procure healthy birds from reputable hatcheries.


2)Enforce and ensure strict bio security protocol.


3)Attach your farm to  a veterinarian and adhere to professional advice


. 4)Be alert for signs of diseases and notify vet immediately.


 5)Restrict movement of animals,people and farm tools to farm premises.


 6)House birds in clean,properly ventilated and disinfected quarters.


 7)Follow a proper vaccination and medication programme.


 8) Give well balanced ration and water to birds.


 9) Dispose waste and dead birds properly.


10) Avoid indiscriminate use of antibiotics.

DOG FOOD.

Feeding dogs can be conventional,local or home cooking,however the route you choose food safety is very important.The dog food industry has suffered quite a blow of late with several disease outbreak linked to contamination of food from the point of production,this has led to several recall episode in which several dogs and dog owners were major actors. The cases of rise in E.coli infection in several countries leading to death in several dogs,has led to so many questions on food safety in dog food industry,for starters the nutritional facts were found to be inaccurate, some contain harmful preservatives that were masked and contamination during preparation and packaging. Many of the companies have traced the contamination to source of the raw material such as chicken and beef used, thus beaming the light on the producers of these animals. These recalls have shifted the paradigm of dog food from conventional to home cooking, where we are sure of what the dogs are eating, the source,nutritional fact,and the most important fact that the food are chemical- free. Nutritious food for your dogs will include carbohydrate,protein,fat/oil,vitamins/minerals and lots of fresh water.The sources of carbohydrate are rice,pasta, bread,plantain e.t.c,these can be cooked with meat,fish,chicken,turkey,gizzard,liver and heart as protein sources.These food can be prepared with olive oil,coconut oil or fish oil as fat sources. Vitamins /minerals can be in forms of fruits and vegetables such as carrots,apples,watermelon,banana,spinach or you can supplement the feed by giving the dogs as additives. The variety and safety home cooking provides has made it very acceptable and a better alternative to ensure health of the dogs.Home cooking also has the advantage that it can be a source of therapy to manage dogs with certain conditions such as obesity,anemia,liver,kidney disease,allergy and diabetes.The best way to go about home cooking is to determine the food stuff you need to use, determine the combination, consider the number of your dogs and the time interval of the meal.It is usual practice to make in large quantities and keep in freezer,to serve warm and fresh when required. A simple home cooked meal is pasta,with cubed liver,garnished with spinach, a drop of coconut oil is added to mixture with atovi ,this will not only supply the needed nutrients but its also filling and palatable to the dogs.

FEED MILLING IN POULTRY VALUE CHAIN..

Feeding accounts for the majority of the cost of running a poultry venture.The feed quality and quantity is paramount to achieving desired outcome of large eggs,market weight and proper growth and development. The feed milling aspect can be done in 2 ways;1) concentrates can be procured from established feed millers and maize/wheat offal can be mixed at specified proportions. 2) The procurement of all ingredients and making your feed based on a proven formula that will stimulate growth and development. The basic feed requirement are a) carbohydrate b)protein c) mineral sources and d) roughages The common carbohydrate sources are 1)sorghum,millet,cassava chips and maize. The protein sources are fish meal, blood meal,soya beans,groundnut cake meal and cotton seeds. Roughages are in form of brewers spent grain,rice bran and wheat offals,these are supplemented with minerals such as oyster shell,bone meal and dicalcium phosphate. The other inputs are salt,vitamin and minerals All ingredients must be properly crushed and thoroughly mixed to produce a feed of high quality.This is achieved in the milling section by using a crusher and mixer.

FARMERS USING PHONES TO ENSURE FOOD SECURITY.

Information is vital to growth of any economy.The rate at which information is generated,disseminated and utilized is rapidly changing how businesses are run thus imparting the economy.

Information communication technology has changed the playing field in various strata of the economy,with the advent of mobile phones,internet ,apps, and cloud services.

 Telecommunication has been utilized to collect data,analyze data,process the data and disseminate this as information to individuals and corporations thus ensuring perfect operations in these fields resulting in economic development. The possibilities of telecommunication as a growth driver of the economy is endless.