Smart farms

: 16 February 2022; Hits: 10815

Sex Trap helps reduce damage of deadly Tuta Absoluta

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Tomato farmers in the country should now worry less about Tuta Absoluta, a devastating pest that has the potential to destroy nearly 100 per cent of the crop on the farm, thanks to Tutrack, a Kenya Biologics kit which monitors and biologically controls the spread of the pest in the farm.

The kit comprises a lure with pheromones-substance produced by female insects to attract male Tuta Absolutas to the trap. This ultimately blocks the reproduction cycle of the pest. Although companies have launched Tuta Absoluta lures in the market since 2014 when the pest was first noticed in the country, most of them contain 0.5 milligrams of pheromone compared to the Kenya Biologic’s Tutrack lure which has 0.8miligrames of pheromones hence 60 per cent more catches

Place two delta-traps with TUTRACK lures field to monitor the number of Tuta absoluta moths. Count number of moths per trap on a daily basis. Remove or mark moths that you have counted and make clear records of the amount of catches per trap. Those traps should be placed not more than 40 cm above ground level because Tuta absoluta moth flies low. If the numbers of moths captured per week exceed three per week, more traps must be employed in the farm. According to Kenya Biologics, if 3-30 moths are captured per week, at least 10 traps are needed per acre and if the number increases to more than 30, at least 20 traps should be placed in an acre farm.

This biological way of controlling pests is more effective than chemicals since it zeros the reproduction cycle of the pest. Tomatoes grown under this method of pest control have a market advantage over chemical method even as consumers become more health conscious. It also insulates farmers from high cost of chemicals hence cost effective and environmental friendly.

Kisii farmer uses mixed poultry farming to keep off predators

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A Kisii County mixed poultry farmer has been able to keep off chicken predators for years by using guinea fowls, geese and turkeys

Chore Sunda started with two chicks that were eight weeks in 1984, but the challenge of taking care of them at enclosed areas-commercial feeds were rare in remote areas then-made him think of a way of securing the brood.

The farmer bought two guinea fowls, which he learnt were good at chasing aerial predators like hawks.

“Guinea fowls ‘laugh’ when they sense danger. Chickens take cover after receiving the ‘laughing’ signal. In case the predator attacks, the guinea fowl fights back as chicks rush to hide,” Sunda said.

Besides being soldiers for years, he realised that many people in Kisii region do not rear the rare birds, therefore, demand is all time high.

For example at four months, a guinea fowl earns him Sh2,500.

The number of chickens, guinea fowls, geese and turkeys varies up to 50 or 60. Chickens are always more.

Currently, Sunda has four guinea fowls against 12 and eight local and layers respectively.

The Keumbu farmer is also rearing pure and layers-crossbred broilers.

How farmer earned Sh100,000 from guinea fowl pets

The geese and the turkeys are his other chicken protectors that dealing with other predators like dogs, cats, squirrels, mongooses, among others.

“A goose has saw-like ‘teeth’, which it uses to attack dogs. It dares the animals to bite and as they open their mouth to attack, it holds the tongue and pulls it out hard,” he said.

He has three geese at the moment.

Sunda uses the eight local chickens, commonly called kienyeji, to hatch broilers or layers chicks.

His stock is on free-range, although the boundary of the feeding ground is secured by a wire-mesh.

Hobby turns business

Just like other foreign bird fans, he has turned the hobby into an agribusiness that is taking care of his family needs.

“From the birds, I have seen three children through secondary schools. In fact, two of them have cleared college courtesy of the poultry,” he said.

For any inquiries on the above poultry, Sunda can be reached on +254729217058.

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: 15 February 2022; Hits: 4225

Adding yeast to livestock feed ups milk output

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Adding yeast to cattle feed has been found to increase milk output due to improved feed conversion rate.

Nyeri County farmer and yeast distributor Boniface Mwangi said he has seen gradual increase of milk from one litre to two litres over time after consistently mixing yeast with commercial feeds.

“Yeast expels oxygen from the digestive system of the cattle, making anaerobic bacteria to increase in number. Bacteria that live in the digestive system without oxygen support breaking down of food, therefore, no nutrient waste,” Mwangi said.

Mwangi’s argument is supported by the UK’s online agriculture repository, Richard Webster Nutrition Limited (RWN), which says that live yeasts boot feed conversion by between 10 per cent and 15 per cent resulting to one litre to two litres milk increase.

With consistency, the milk conversion can hit three litres, the site adds. Yeast raised the stomach PH by reducing acidity, therefore, making digestion efficient.

Although he has not subjected the milk to content analysis, he said the quality has improved as he could tell from the taste.

RWN adds that the total feed dry matter intake goes up by about two kilos, translating to more milk, healthy and fertile cows.

Because of the increased intake of dry matter, cows take in more water.

Mwangi said two kilogrammes of feeds are mixed with half a litre of the yeast.

“I may not have concrete support for my claim, but I believe that, yeast being a b- product of alcohol, the liquor elements relax the cow. When a cow in relaxed, more prolactin is released to excite the mammary glands to produce more milk,” he said.

Prolactin is one of the main hormones that enhance production of milk.

Mwangi buys the yeast from authorised brewers in Nairobi before repackaging it into 20litres jerricans for sale at Sh400 each.

Mwangi can be contacted on +254704622279.

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