Chicken Farming

Chicken Farming Assistance.

POULTRY – FREE RANGE EGG FARMING

                                                           

Many South African consumers are beginning to factor in the welfare of animals as well as the conditions in which they were raised, when making purchasing decisions on what animal products to purchase.

On the surface, egg production from caged layers seems like a profitable and highly efficient poultry production system and it is. Farmers using this mode of production still produce most of the eggs locally at a fairly low cost of production. While the drought and feed shortages have put some pressure on the industry, it is still a highly efficient production system.

However, the conditions in which these birds produce eggs is not always humane. They are raised in an environmentally controlled environment where their only purpose is to eat and lay eggs. They are like egg laying machines. This is generally done in a very tiny space that is barely the size of an A4 paper. Some farmers use antibiotics indiscriminately in order to improve the productivity of the chickens in the cage environment.

Chickens raised in a barn environment fare slightly better depending on the farmer’s stocking density. If the conditions are good, they will have the room to move around and express a bit of their natural behavior. While most farmers consider the barn- based environment as “free range” it is not sufficiently so and with proper legislation and standards.These chickens may not be considered free range unless the farmer provides reasonable access to the outdoors for a designated number of hours per day via peepholes. Still, in some countries such as Australia, barn-raised chickens are often considered as free-range. Many SA farmers who use the barn system also label their chickens as free-range products.

However, true free-range poultry production is when the chickens are allowed access to the outdoors and given a well managed outdoor range in which the chickens can forage and feed on the grass, legumes, worms, and grubs to supplement their formulated poultry diet. 

RULES & REGULATIONS

When starting a free -range chicken egg farming operation in South Africa, it is important to familiarize yourself with the various rules and regulations governing the industry. Talk to the local authorities and determine if you will need any permissions. A static housing may require certain permissions which might not be the case with mobile chicken houses for your free-range chickens.

SET-UP COSTS

There are various initial costs that you will grapple with when launching your free-range egg farming business in South Africa. However, what you eventually get to foot will depend on the scale of your ambition as a farmer. There are the costs associated with the setting up the static building and buying various poultry equipment such as the poultry feeders, drinkers and nest boxes. Some SA poultry farmers prefer to mechanize a bit. They do that by introducing mobile sheds or “egg mobiles” which allow the free-range hens to graze over a vast piece of land and glean all the nutrients found therein.

WORKING CAPITAL

If you are rearing the commercial egg-laying varieties such as the Hayline Brown and the Hyline Silver Brown layers in SA, then it is advisable to purchase those that are ready to start laying and which are generally aged at about 16 weeks. This will help you cut down on the high cost and high-risk process of rearing your layers from about day old to 16 weeks of age. By the time you begin seeing a positive cash flow, the hens should be aged anywhere from 35 to 40 weeks. When buying your hens, you can start by placing a provisional order earlier on before the start date. Many breeders will require that you book your hens weeks in advance.

                                                                               

DO YOU NEED CAPITAL OR ADVICE IN STARTING YOUR EGG FARMING OR ANY OTHER FARMING OPERATION? YOU WILL NEED A PROFESSIONAL FARMING BUSINESS PLAN.

CONTACT US NOW FOR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL HELP AT –

084 593 4143 OR money@global.co.za

POULTRY – FREE RANGE EGG FARMING Read More »

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY START A POULTRY FARMING BUSINESS

                    

Many opportunities to start a successful and profitable poultry business exist as long as you start in the right way. How do you start? It is very important to decide upfront which sector of the industry you want to serve. 

The following options are available to suitable farmers:-

Option 1: You can hatch and sell day-old chicks to big producers. You will then only be involved at the first stage of the process and not concerned with the growing of the chicks at all.

Option 2: You can buy day-old chicks and grow them, and then selling them as fully grown chickens.

Option 3: You can become involved in the entire process, including slaughtering.

Option 4: You can build, manage and maintain your own affordable household egg production unit on a small scale. Later on you can increase the size of your unit in order to sell eggs in the community, if the demand for eggs is big enough. Eggs provide a valuable yet affordable source of high quality protein and vitamins required for normal growth, especially for children, when meat is too expensive or unavailable. If you want to start a successful poultry business (small or big) and even if you need money for funding your project or not, the best way is to put all your ideas/plans in a well-structured and bankable farming business plan that any investor can look at. We can help you with this.

Over the next decade the growth in the consumption of chicken meat is projected to outpace the growth for all other types of meat, mainly due to its competitive price related to other proteins. With an increase of 47% (compared to 84% over the period 2002 – 2012) over the next decade the total consumption of chicken meat is projected to reach almost 2.56 million tons by 2022. This implies that the per capita consumption of chicken meat will exceed 48kg by 2022.

WHAT REGULATIONS TO COMPLY WITH

A start-up poultry business must comply with health regulations but does not require a permit or license to start a poultry production business. These differ from area to area, and you should check regulations with the local authority or associations in your area.

OTHER REGULATIONS:-

Abattoirs for broilers.  As the establishment of an abattoir is expensive and complicated to install, it is best for new members to market and sell their broiler chickens live.

Transport Regulations. If you wish to transport slaughtered poultry, you should obtain and study the “Meat Safety Act” No. 40 of 2000 for all the rules. All other regulations including these will be found under the General Regulation of the Public Health Act, 1919.

Animal Welfare. It is essential to ensure that birds are well tended to, that cages are not overloaded and high health standards are maintained. A shower and a disinfectant foot bath is a must before anyone is allowed to enter a broiler house.

Halaal and Kosher Certification. To obtain certification to sell Halaal and Kosher poultry products, your business has to have official certification from the Beth Din (Kosher) and the South African National Halaal Association to produce and sell products for Kosher and Halaal use. Businesses that produce for these religious entities are evaluated and inspected and audits take place regularly.

THE EGG INDUSTRY

The Egg Industry comprises of 3 distinct sectors:-

  1. Day old chick production;
  2. Layer replacement hen production;
  3. Egg production.

Some large companies are integrated and involved in all 3 sectors.

Egg Production Process

Production begins with the breeder stock, at the “fertile egg production facilities” . Good quality eggs are sent to the hatchery for incubation. Those eggs that are not good are sold as by-product to consumers or entrepreneurs. The fertile eggs will produce day-old pullets that will be reared at the rearing facilities until they are ready for laying. At the egg laying facility, the pullets will produce eggs that will be packaged and sold to consumers or be sent for processing.

The Marketing Process

The following tasks are involved in the marketing of eggs:-

  • Collection of shell eggs from farms;
  • Transportation to a grading or packing plant;
  • Grading and standardizing of eggs;
  • Processing and packaging into useful forms that are stable and convenient;
  • Provision of storage facilities;
  • Movement of eggs through wholesale and retail channels;
  • Final delivery of products to consumers at a convenient place and time.

Get funding for your poultry farm

Setting up a poultry farm requires a lot of money, as poultry farming requires an expanse of land a hectare or more wide. You would also have to procure a large herd of chickens that are more than hundreds in number in order to generate the proper returns in income. Fortunately, you can avail yourself of loans that are offered to those that are starting or even those that are already in business. The loans can be used to cover aspects of the business like:-

  • Buying the land to farm on;
  • Start-up costs for the farm;
  • Construction expenses;
  • Animal feeds;
  • Vehicles or Trucks;
  • Operational expenses that need to be paid urgently;

It is also easy to apply for these loans, as long as you can provide the investors  with a well-structured and professional farming business plan. Some investors will also offer you advice from experts in the poultry business, aside from the monetary aid that you will be getting.

Getting your Poultry Farm Compliant

Another important preparation is to comply with regulations. If you plan on engaging in free range farming, then you have to make sure that the operations of your farm and the treatment of your chickens comply with regulations that are formulated for businesses like yours. Check with your local government agencies regulating laws and regulations promulgated for poultry farms.

Adequate Medical coverage for your chickens

Chickens are just like your children and other animals. To ensure continuous production of chicken and eggs, your chickens should be regularly checked by veterinarians to ensure their health. Sick chickens will negatively affect your production, so it is important to have adequate medical coverage for your poultry animals.

SOME QUESTIONS:-

  1. How much floor space will be required per chicken? – It depends on the chicken type. 3 sq feet needed for light chicken and 4 sq feet required for general purpose chicken.
  2. How many types of chicken sheds are used these days? – Most popular ones are the cage sheds and floor sheds.
  3. What is the shed area required for 10 000 birds? – A 30 000 sq feet house is needed for 10 000 chickens. If you prefer a cage type shed then the built up area should be 4000 sq feet depending on the type of cage you use in your poultry farm.

HELP WITH A FARMING PLAN IS JUST A CALL AWAY – 084 583 3143 or email: money@global.co.za

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY START A POULTRY FARMING BUSINESS Read More »

HYDROPONIC CROP PRODUCTION – Tomatoes, Capsicums, Cucumbers, Lettuce.

                                                    

TOMATOES

Tomatoes are one of the major food crops of the Western world, yet breeders are still trying to improve the fruit’s disease resistance, shape flavor and color. The tomato is a member of the Solanaceae family which also includes peppers, capsicums, eggplants, potatoes and tobacco. While many consider the tomato to be a vegetable, it is in fact a berry fruit. There are many varieties and they are used in many different ways. Some are eaten fresh in salads, others used in cooking. Some varieties are firm and have a large amount of fiber (i.e. they have a low solids content). Firm varieties are preferred for salads and sandwiches. Hence selection of the correct variety is important.

When deciding to start growing tomatoes commercially it is very important to find out what your market wants. If you are seeking to establish a new market then you should do some research into the market size. It is also important to produce quality fruit. The tomatoes should have a uniform color, and fruit showing uneven or blotchy areas should be discarded, as well as bruised, split or misshapen fruit.

Varieties

It is very important to establish the market you are intending to sell to and then produce for that market. While the grower may be proud to produce large prize-winning tomatoes, the normal consumer buys tomatoes that are 65 to 75 mm diameter and weigh 120 to 150 grams. Tomato varieties can be placed in four main categories according to their method of production and market use:

  1. Canning tomatoes.                                                

  2. Greenhouse tomatoes.

  3. Outdoor tomatoes.

  4. Specialty tomatoes. 

Spacing

Plants should not be crowded. Close planting tends to favor leaf diseases and development of smaller fruit. At the same time there must be room to work along the rows and the plants open enough to allow light to penetrate and air to move through the plants. The optimum space per plant is between three and four plants per sq. metre of growing area, and if rows are 30cm wide then the spacing per plant is 45cm or 23,000 plants per hectare with aisle widths of 900 mm in the greenhouse. The density of planting may be increased in spring to give 30,000 plants per hectare of shed.

Fruit Development

Fruit color development is also temperature sensitive, the best red color forms when the average daily temperatures are 18degrees C to 24degrees C. Yellowness increases as temperatures rises above 26 – 29 degrees C. If the temperature rises above 40degrees C, the mechanism for producing the red pigment is destroyed. The affected areas on these fruit are yellow or sun burnt. When the fruit is maturing it is best to reduce the amount of watering to minimize leaf spot damage, as well as fruit damage such as star cracks. Restricting watering also helps to improve the fruits’ keeping qualities.

Harvesting

All produce should be suitably mature when harvested. Maturity must not be confused with ripeness. Maturation can only take place on the vine, whereas ripening (fruit softening and color development) can continue on or off the vine.During vine ripening, sugars, acids and other flavors move into the fruit and the texture is improved. Tomatoes are ready for harvesting about three months after they are transplanted. Optimal color development for tomatoes occurs between 15 – 21 degrees C.

Tomatoes are harvested for the local market at the “breaker” stage which is when the blossom end shows a pink coloring. If you are supplying distant markets the fruit should be green but mature, i.e. the seeds will be fully developed and surrounded by jelly-like flesh that has just started to color, and the fruit surface is a light green color. In warmer weather fruit will need to be picked about two to three times per week; under cooler conditions fruit my be picked less frequently. The stems should be trimmed flush with the top of the fruit to prevent bruising during storage and transit.

CAPSICUMS

Capsicums also called “peppers and chilies” are a rich source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A. Green capsicums and red chilies have very high levels of Vitamin A; red capsicums are very high in ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). They are a warm season vegetable, requiring a relatively long frost-free growing period for maximum production and perfect for growing in a “tunnel farming” type of operation.

CUCUMBERS

During the last ten years continental cucumbers have grown in acceptance from being a novelty vegetable to a major vegetable crop in a number of areas. They are ideal for tunnel farming type of operations. The techniques used for hydroponic cucumber production often involve a poly-house – tunnel. This will protects the plants from rain, wind, hail, extreme temperatures etc.

LETTUCE

Lettuce is an indispensable part of most salads. It is a summer flowering plant which produces vegetative growth in the cooler months and flowers under conditions of long, warm days. In hot dry weather or when the plant is under stress the plant is inclined to run to seed. The gap between peak maturity and starting to run to seed may be as soon as one week. It is therefore very important to know exactly when to harvest to achieve high quality, well-developed lettuce. We can help in various aspects of setting up a profitable farming operation including farming plans, farming marketing plans etc.

CONTROLLING THE ENVIRONMENT

The major factors that influence plant growth are the interaction of the plants genetic makeup and the environment. The grower has very little control over the genetics of the plant but he can exercise some control over the environment. Most growers show no originality when looking to provide protection to their crops. They tend to move from growing outdoors without any protection to poly-houses which fully enclose their crop.

Windbreaks

The first stage in protecting crops is the use of a windbreak. The material used should allow air to pass through it and simply reduce the velocity of the wind. The barrier must be high enough and strong enough to do its job effectively. Many lettuce growers build windbreaks 7m or more in height, using commercial wind break fabric meshing. Other growers plant trees and bushes to reduce the effects of the prevailing winds.

Rain and Hail

Thew next stage is providing protection from rain and hail. This allows the grower to work with a degree of comfort and at the same time prevents the nutrient solution from being diluted or changed, resulting in crop damage. Many lettuce growers have installed clear plastic covers 5-6 metres above the crops, in the form of a pitched roof.

Temperature Control

In areas where frosts or low temperatures occur, full enclosures such as poly-houses (tunnels)  can be used to help maintain better growing temperatures. However, a problem with poly – houses is that humidity tends to increase and fungal diseases may be encouraged. Moisture condensation inside the poly-house can also lead to water droplets falling on the plants, particularly flowers, as soon as the shed starts to warm up in the morning.

NEED FUNDING? YOU NEED A FARMING BUSINESS PLAN – 084 583 3143 OR EMAIL: money@global.co.za

HYDROPONIC CROP PRODUCTION – Tomatoes, Capsicums, Cucumbers, Lettuce. Read More »