Smart farms

: 05 October 2022; Hits: 2389

Kisumu’s Sh 30B investment seeks to turn county into agriculture hub

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By George Munene

Kisumu County has signed a Sh30 billion deal with UK investment firm United Green to revitalise agriculture in the lake region.

The project will focus on growing high-value crops for the export market to generate foreign exchange as well as servicing local consumers.

It will also add value to locally grown crops such 100,000 tons of locally produced rice; 100,000 bales of cotton to supply Kenya’s textile industry; edible oils such as sunflower, soybean, and cottonseed, and soybean by-products to support the livestock sector.

According to Kisumu governor Anyang Nyongo, the project will reduce Kenya’s dependence on agriculture imports by approximately Sh24 billion annually, reducing the country’s trade deficit.

This will be achieved by delivery of agrifintech services to rural communities, employing high productivity climate-smart farming and state-of-the-art agroindustry facilities, and opening up new offshore markets for farmers in the Lake Victoria basin region over the next five years.

This investment will accelerate agriculture growth in the county and revive its waning cotton, fish, and dairy sub-sectors.

“Our farmers may be poor in assets but are not poor in intention and capability. What farmers really want is good farmgate prices for their produce,” the governor noted.

The project he added comes at an opportune time as he seeks to revitalise the lake region’s agriculture sector over the next five years.

“My manifesto commits to putting more land under agriculture production in Nyando, Nyakach, Muhoroni, Kisumu East, Seme, and Kisumu East sub-counties,”

The county boss assured farmers that plans are underway to revamp rice production as well as invest in horticulture and floriculture in Nyamthoe, Mbohavale, and Kano plains.

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: 04 October 2022; Hits: 3599

Poultry shampooing: final resort for severe parasite infestation

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By George Munene

For poultry farmers suffering from severe parasite infestation, shampooing is an effective method to rid yourself of the menace that causes disease, drop in production, and death.

According to Okuta Ngura, a poultry veterinarian and specialist for over 10 years the method is safe and effective for farmers given they adhere to a set of instructions.

“I have used bird shampooing with success to get rid of external parasites such as poultry ticks, lice, mites, and fleas in several farms where there is a high infestation and spraying and dusting powders cannot get the job done,” explained Okuta.

Though there are many pesticides on the market for this, he's found Ectomin, an ectoparasiticide (a drug used to kill parasites that live on the body's surface) manufactured by Chinese agrochemical manufacturer King Quenson to have the best results.

Given the correct dosage is given as outlined by the manufacturer and protective gear is worn when applying it, the drug is non-poisonous for both birds and humans.

20 milliliters of the drug is diluted into 20 liters and this can be used to serve 50 birds.

The bird is submerged neck dip for five to 10 seconds.

Shampooing should be done on a sunny day to allow birds to dry off.

The poultry coop should also be emptied and sprayed to avoid reoccurrence once the birds are housed.

The drug's applicant should wear protective gear, i.e gloves, face masks, overalls, and gumboots.

Ectomin is sold for quantities of between 20 milliliters to 100 milliliters costing Sh200-Sh700.

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: 29 September 2022; Hits: 1952

Planned vaccination averts chicken death

CHICKS Mary Poultry farm nakuru by Laban Robert

With the growing population and consumption of chickens globally, these birds have become a major agribusiness venture with investments ranging from a few shillings into trillions of US dollars.

Besides free range, where farmers only cater for the night security, successful formal rearing of chickens starts from the first day after a chick has been hatched by the hen or the incubator. Vaccination is an accompaniment that ensures more than 90 per cent survival of the chicks and later hens.
On the first day a chick must be vaccinated against mareks disease. This is a highly contagious viral disease that can kill 100 per cent chickens.
The virus causes inflation of the brain and backbone cells leading to paralysis of the legs, wings and the neck. The eye iris turns grey, therefore, impairing sight. The feathers become rough and emaciation sets in before death.
On the sixth day, farmers must vaccinate the chicks against new castle disease. The vaccine is applied as an eye drop.
It is also another viral disease that had varied mortality rate that can hit 100 per cent. It attacks chickens and most poultry of all ages.
It impairs the nervous, the reproductive and the respiratory systems. Major signs include coughing, diarrhoea, depression twisted neck, paralysis and sudden death.
On the 14th day, the chicks have to be vaccinated against gumboro. This is another viral disease that suppresses the immunity system of chickens older than three weeks. The feathers around the neck are stained with faeces.
Diarrhoea, anorexia, depression, rough feathers are other signs.
The first vaccination is administered by eye drops while the second one, which is done after 21 days is through drinking water.
Another new castle vaccine is administered after 28 days in drinking water. The vaccine is repeated after every two months.
Fowl typhoid vaccine is administered after six weeks. Birds suffering from this disease look pale diarrhea more frequently and as a result, they are dehydrated. Other signs include bile-stained liver and enlarged spleen.
On the same sixth week, thigh muscle fowl typhoid is administered.
The chickens are left to grow until deworming is done on the 18th week.

READ ALSO: Newcastle resistant chicken breed, which also produces more eggs now in the market
The chicks are fed on starter diet, which is rich in proteins for the first eight weeks. Growers mash for body building is offered from the ninth to the 19th week. Layers diet is introduces after the 19th week.
The feeds are introduced gradually to by mixing the old to the new feed for a few days to avoid stressing the chickens.
This is the timetable of Mary Njeri, the co-owner of Mary Poultry Farm, in Nakuru. She runs the agribusiness with her husband, Dennis Chege.

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