The ban on the importation of processed
chicken in Nigeria some years without adequate arrangement for alternative
source of supply help increased the price of processed chicken by over 75% and
as since been the driving force behind the successes recorded in the industry.
In spite of the achievement recorded in
this industry, the industry falls short of its aim of self-sufficiency in
animal protein consumption in the country that is put at 5gm/caput per day
which is far cry from F. A. O. recommended level of 35gm/caput per day.
The importance of poultry to the
national economy cannot be overemphasized, as it has become popular industry
for the small holders that
have great contribution to the economy of the
country. The profession has assumed greater importance in improving the
employment opportunity and animal food production in Nigeria.
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With a population of over 140 million
people and an estimated national population growth rate of 5.7% per annum, an
average economic growth rate of 3.5% per annum in the past five {5} years,
Nigeria has a large market for processed chicken and the investor can also
process and export to West African {ECOWAS} market due to trade liberalization
in the region hence making poultry farming a viable business in Nigeria.
There are two main poultry management
systems in Nigeria, extensive and intensive. The extensive, or scavenging,
system has two subsystems: the free-range system, also called the traditional
or village system, in which birds are free to roam around the homestead, and
the backyard system, also called the family or subsistence system, in which
birds are partly confined within a fenced yard.
The intensive system also includes two
subsystems: the semi-intensive system, in which a small number of birds are
produced in complete confinement, and the industrial system, which is becoming
more prominent though now only contributes a small portion of the poultry
supply, particularly to urban markets.
The intensive system can be practiced
either on deep litter system or cage system.
The short gestation period of poultry
business if proper management procedure is followed is one of the attractive
aspects of the project.
Poultry are kept mainly as a source of
meat and egg. Chicken is one of the popular meats being classified under white
meat having low cholesterol and superior to red meat health wise. Eggs have
both domestic and industrial use and are produced by layers. It is a very
profitable venture.
The rising middle class in Nigeria has
continued to ensure the market for these products.
Other products that can be derived from
poultry include feather, blood and waste matter which can be processes to yield
useful product. The processing of these bye-products in Nigeria has not been
fully harnessed.
The farmer has the choice of producing
broilers, layers or day old chicks. Broilers are usually produced for meat,
layers for egg and day old chick for restocking of the farm.
Housing of Birds:
Depending on what type of bird(s) you
are interested in purchasing, you will need to prepare a shelter. In preparing
a shelter, you should give consideration to the location on your property and
potential threat of predators, i.e. cats, and dogs. It may require, depending
on your location, that some of the fencing wire be buried below the surface to
prevent any of these aforementioned predators from getting to the birds. Along
that line, be sure the fence wire size is small enough to prevent other
critters, i.e., minks, weasels, etc., along the outside edge to access the
birds.
Lastly, you will want to give some
consideration to proximity to the house before construction begins, because you
may decide to run electricity and/or water to the facility, which will be nice
when you need light, heat, and water. You will want to choose a location, which
drains well, because birds move a lot during the day following a rain whereupon
they will make a tremendous mess.
As for bird space, home flocks are
given space at approximately 3' x 3' per bird, so if you want 20 birds, you
will need 180 square feet of floor space which is equal to a 10' x 18' pen.
As mentioned above, the location should
be well drained. Depending on how you construct the pen, a good absorbent
litter may be included. Some of the most common litter choices are pine
shavings, rice hulls, or ground corn cobs. Another good choice for bedding
materials during the wet season is sand, because it allows for excellent
drainage. You should avoid using hardwood shavings, because they potentially provide
a good environment for molds.
STOCKING:
The investor should source for
reputable suppliers of day old chicks because they would eventually affect the
success or otherwise of the business .In general, flocks experience some level
of death loss, and in the example above you might try over stocking by 10 to 15
percent, i.e., two to three more additional birds beyond the 20 because through
death loss, you will achieve the desired ratio of birds to floor space. As
mentioned, you will have death losses, so you will need to give consideration
on how you want to dispose of the bird(s).
MANAGEMENT PRACTICE:
The area assigned to these chicks
should have some flexibility such that they can move through a range of
temperatures (95 to 75 degree F). During this period, it will be important to
monitor the birds for signs of stress; for instance, if the chicks are
scattered around the area and chirping loudly, chances are they are hot;
conversely, if you notice the chicks all huddled together in one area, they are
likely cold . At the end of Week 1, begin dropping the temperature by 5 degree
F per week until you reach 70 degree F, and then try to maintain that
temperature. Monitor brooding area for signs of stress.
The most neglected and overlooked
nutrient is water. In many cases, humans walk by what appears to be a bowl of
“clean water;” but in fact, it may contain millions of bacteria. In turn, the
bacteria will stress the digestive system of the bird, such that it will not
grow at the rate believed to be their potential.
As a good practice, the water bowl or
dispenser for birds should be cleaned and monitored on a routine basis. In
addition, the actual bowl and other items should be cleaned routinely (weekly
or sooner) with a product like chlorine to reduce the incidence of microbial
formation. Fresh water needs to be supplied everyday to insure healthy birds.
As mentioned in the Placing Birds Section, there are critical times in which
the care provider must monitor water, extreme cold and extreme heat. Obviously,
during the cold periods, the biggest concern will be freezing.
There are some general factors an individual should keep in mind when selecting a feed:
There are some general factors an individual should keep in mind when selecting a feed:
A) Make sure it is the correct feed for
the application; for instance, don’t choose a meat type ration when you are
wanting layers to lay eggs.
B) Be sure to look over the
ingredients, so that it meets your requirements; that is, if you want a ration
free of meat and bone meal, then just look at the ingredient list across
brands. Perhaps the biggest challenge an individual will face is “deciding on
which brand” to purchase.
Though prices differ a lot with
location, a day old chick is not less than N100. In a period of 2 years that
the layer is expected to produce eggs, the farmer can collect an average of 730
eggs from a single layers and suppose the layer was later sold at N700 and the
eggs sold at N10 per egg, the farmer would make a total of N8000 from the
single layer.
If the farmer started with 1000 birds
and as expected about 10% was lost due to death, the farmer would realize N
7,200,000 after 2 years of operations with management procedure.
The investor can choose to add a
chicken processing plant to the business and derive more benefit by supplying
supermarket, fast foods joints etc.
The main tool is the cavity removal and
defeathering equipment which can be fabricated locally.
Tip for success in this business:
- Get a good business plan
- Get properly trained
- Secure a good location
- Start Production
- Observation good management practices
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