Farmer devastated to discover lightning strike killed 32 of his dairy cows.

Farmer devastated to discover lightning strike killed 32 of his dairy cows.In Missouri,Springfield farmer Jared Blackwelder Springfield farmer and his wife, Misty, heard some crashes Saturday morning after feeding the dairy cows, they didn't think anything of it. Blackwelder headed back to the pasture to fetch the cows for their evening milking, he walked upon a devastating sight: his 32 dairy cows piled on top of each other, lifeless on the mulch. They had been struck by lightning. A local veterinarian who performed the inspection, confirming lightning killed the cows, told Coday that until now, six was the most he'd ever seen. The cows were most likely grouping up under the trees to protect themselves from the storm. continue

Hello Tractors promoting mechanization.

Mechanization is an essential tool for success in agribusiness as it improves productivity and profits farmers. Farmers need to embrace the role of farm machinery if they are to be successful,but many small scale farmers are yet to imbibe the emerging farming technologies and machinery. Factors, such as the high cost of machines and farmers’ lack of access to finance, make the machinery unaffordable for resource-poor farmers,but hello tractors is promoting mechanization by assisting farmers with needed tractors. Nigeria has one of the largest expanse of uncultivated farmland and with more than half of the population linked to farmers, many of which lack the technology to turn their land into a highly productive asset. 4% of the country’s demand for tractors is being met, leading farmers to under cultivate, plant late and lose profit. Hello tractors created a model of operation which is efficient and cost effect for the farmers. Hello tractors model is instead of giving a farmer a grant to buy one tractor, you make a smart investment into their platform that can deliver a sizable amount of impact for a fairly small amount of money. They also engage local banks and further leveraging the investment to amplify impact. Hello Tractor created a Smart Tractor that is low-cost, versatile and designed specifically for small plots of land. Retrofitted with telematix and GPS, the tractors are also trackable so operators can know their exact location. The company sells the Smart Tractor to individuals who can deliver the tractors when farmers text into Hello Tractor’s virtual cloud. Hello Tractor then pings the service provider and the machine is delivered in less than two weeks. With this highly efficient scheme, Hello Tractor provides a service that is 40 times faster than manual labour and 1/3 the cost. To make sure the To make sure the tractors are community-led and community-owned, the company pairs this innovative technology with innovative financing, working with banks and investors to support farmers becoming tractor owners themselves. As such, the Smart Tractors become a means of improving livelihoods for everyone involved — the farmers and the tractor owners.

Turning Food Wastes to Cheaper Alternatives For Animal Feed.

Food losses and waste converted to animal feed to ensure food security and reduce cost of production. Food waste that are longer suitable for human consumption,off the shelf food can be converted to animal feed however, feed safety should be maintained at all costs. 

 Globally, food waste is rising to 50 percent as developing nations struggle with spoilage while developed nations simply toss edible food away. The crux of the matter actually is that by 2050 there will be about 9 billion people to feed,thus pushing for more food production. 

These waste can be converted to animal feed with the aim to reduce cost of production and boost food security. Foodstuffs become unsuitable for human consumption for different reasons such as production errors leading to broken or intermediate foodstuffs or surpluses caused by logistical challenges of daily delivery, surpluses caused by discontinuation of a food product line, expired products or damaged products in transit.

 Foodstuffs like biscuits, chocolates, pastry, cakes and bread are valuable ingredients for animal diets ,these are sourced from manufacturers and processed as animal feed. The important point to note is that waste from animal products and catering centers are not included in this type of production to ensure food safety. The main ingredients are carbohydrates,sugars with certain vitamins,thus forming a major portion of the feed which translates to low cost of production. 

 The processed feed are easily digestible, making the needed nutrients available easily to the animals which results in weight gain. There is efficient feed conversion ratio making animals reach market size fast. The type of waste will depend on the animal you intend to feed ,but basically pigs,cattle,goats benefit. 

The high cost of feed has also pushed farmers to the extreme,thus implementing new feeding methods. A farmer recently shifted to candy,chocolate and cookies for his dairy cattle and has recorded increase in weight, milk production and healthy animals. read

How to set up a broiler farm.

Broilers are birds raised for meat and have a short production span of 42 days. The uniqueness of the broiler breed in its ability to turn feed to meat at a short time makes it a viable investment opportunity for short term investors. The production must be started with active,alert and normal chicks without any deformity,the quality of the day old chicks will determine outcome of project. Healthy birds must be selected to prevent losses as consumers are interested in well muscled and good quality birds. #poultry The factors to consider when you want to set up a broiler farm are as follows : 1) Land 2) water 3)quality of chicks 4) feed 5) equipment 6) management. Land: the poultry site should be a well drained site,without swamps or waterlogged areas. The land must not be bushy,or surrounded by bushes to limit the risk of rodents,reptiles and other predators. The land should be accessed,topography noted and the environmental impact assessment of project should be documented. Water:there must be on site a functioning source of clean water. The source of water must be readily accessible and it must be treated to ensure safety. Quality of chicks, are very important as the quality will determine outcome. Quality day old chicks must be sourced from reputable hatchery,and chicks must be alert and active. #poultry Feed is important when you are thinking of production,as the quality of feed will determine rate of growth and profit potential. Feed could be sourced locally,purchased from miller or setting up a feed mill to cater for your birds. read #poultry Equipment: the brooder,feeder,drinkers and farm tools are also important in production. The size,spacing and location of feeder and drinkers is vital to success of the production. Management: its important to practice an all in all out system,do not mix different ages and batches of birds. Biosecurity measures must be in place to ensure safety of birds and farm lands. Labor is vital to the success of the farm, skilled and unskilled hands are necessary for overseeing different aspects of operation.Waste management is an environmental issue and as such proper waste disposal techniques should be put in place. Litter type and management is another factor as the success of the project depends on how you use,handle and dispose it. #poultry Vaccinations should be carried out as at when due. read There is a need to engage the services of a veterinarian to assist with animal health and welfare issues. #poultry

Kenya farmers cash in on donkey business.

Kenya farmers cash in on donkey business.The price of donkeys in Kenya has doubled following the legalization of trade in and consumption of donkey meat. Before donkey meat consumption was legalised in 2012, the prices for the draught animals has risen steadily, driven by market outlets like abattoirs that are licensed to slaughter and export donkey meat. There is increased demand for donkey meat in China, and two specialized abattoirs one each in Baringo and Nakuru Counties, have been built. continue

Karamoja Traders Abandon Cattle for Donkey Business.

Karamoja Traders Abandon Cattle for Donkey Business.Cattle traders in Karamoja have turned to dealing in donkeys because of the proceeds in the new trade. Currently, trade in donkeys is booming in the pastoralist communities of Karamoja of Uganda and Turkana of neighbouring Kenya. High demand for donkeys comes from Chinese traders who deal in donkey products in Lodwa Town in Turkana County in Kenya, about 140 kilometres from Moroto Town in Uganda. The Chinese buy donkey hides which they boil to produce gelatine, one of the key ingredients in a medicine called ejiao. Ejiao is used to treat conditions such as anemia, heavy menstruation periods, as well as dry coughs. continue

African Youth Take Technology to Agriculture.

African Youth Take Technology to Agriculture.Africa's youth are turning to technology for new and smart agricultural practices,according to Rita Kimani, the co-founder and chief executive of FarmDrive, youth-led innovations in agriculture. This could help the continent move towards a productive, sustainable agriculture system. FarmDrive aims at using data analytics and mobile phone technology to connect smallholder farmers in rural Kenya with financial institutions.more