FARMING AS A SOURCE OF WEALTH

                                   WHAT IS FARMING
The activity or business of growing crops and raising livestock.
TYPE OF FARM
DAIRY FARMING
POULTRY FARMING
AGRICULTURAL FARMING
     Let start from Dairy Farming:
                                 WHAT IS DAIRY FARMING
 A farm where dairy products are produced.Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats, sheep ...
how to start

Dairy farms take a lot of money, and capital to start up, way more than a beef cow-calf operation does. Know what you're getting into and how you want to get into it before you decide to start a dairy farm.

If you are not starting for the first time and instead are taking over a farm from your parents or grand parents, this article may be only a review for you.       a. Create a business plan. This is especially important for those who are going at it the first time. See more details about this on . When you do start a dairy farm for the first time, make sure you plan out things like manure management, herd health practices, feed rations,  schedules for each cow, , human resources (as you may need to hire some people to help you),, calf care, , harvesting crops, etc. All of these should be completed before you start on the next steps.     b.Capital. If you are looking to buy a dairy farm that already has the capital (buildings, equipment, machinery) needed, then you only have to check to make sure it has adequate sterile facilities for storing and pasteurizing milk, barns for holding cows, corrals, areas of feed and manure storage, a milking parlor, and enough land to grow feed for your cows. If you are buying a piece of land that you need to build buildings on, then make sure you build silos, barns, manure holding lagoons or sloughs, corrals, stanchions for cows for milking (typically in the milk parlor) and area where it is easy to AI cows. You will also need a calving facility, and a facility where you can keep the calves you have to pull off the cows so they can be bottle fed and the cows go into milk production. Make sure the size of the buildings match the size of herd you are wishing to not start with, but have when you have reached your maximum dairy herd size. c.Capital. If you are looking to buy a dairy farm that already has the capital (buildings, equipment, machinery) needed, then you only have to check to make sure it has adequate sterile facilities for storing and pasteurizing milk, barns for holding cows, corrals, areas of feed and manure storage, a milking parlor, and enough land to grow feed for your cows. If you are buying a piece of land that you need to build buildings on, then make sure you build silos, barns, manure holding lagoons or sloughs, corrals, stanchions for cows for milking (typically in the milk parlor) and area where it is easy to AI cows. You will also need a calving facility, and a facility where you can keep the calves you have to pull off the cows so they can be bottle fed and the cows go into milk production. Make sure the size of the buildings match the size of herd you are wishing to not start with, but have when you have reached your maximum dairy herd size. d.Get your cows. may be your best breed to get as far as more milk production per day is concerned. Make sure they are healthy, good producers with good udders, free of disease, and docile. to add to the quality of the milk in addition to the quantity you have to make on a daily basis.

POULTRY FARMING

 Poultry farming is the practice of raising poultry, such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese, as a subcategory of animal husbandry,...

   Starting a farm for breeding chickens for meat or eggs, or both, takes considerable planning and financial outlay. You should also give very careful consideration to consumer preference for free-range, organic products as a way to put yourself ahead in the market. a.Buy an existing farm if you want to start with the equipment in place. Make sure the climate is suitable for animals, you don't want to go to Alaska for chickens. Alternately, buy a place where you can put chickens but where you will need to build the sheds etc. from scratch.b.Buy an existing farm if you want to start with the equipment in place. Make sure the climate is suitable for animals, you don't want to go to Alaska for chickens. Alternately, buy a place where you can put chickens but where you will need to build the sheds etc. from scratch.c.In the chicken house, where they lay eggs, make sure the nests are clean (no pesticides). Every week you have to clean it out, or else it may spread disease.d.Buy chickens and chicks. Make sure you only get ONE rooster! If you get two, they will fight for the girls. You can find many stores and farms that sell them, and if you can't, search online for shops.e.Let them roam free in their big fence. Don't cage them because they can get sick. They will be happier and healthier outside and will produce nice big eggs!Let them roam free in their big fence. Don't cage them because they can get sick. They will be happier and healthier outside and will produce nice big eggs!

 Select your Poultry

The poultry industry is a broad niche. There are many sub-sectors in the poultry industry which you can tap into. Below are niches in the poultry business:

1. Egg production (Layers breeding)
2. Meat production (Broilers breeding)
3. Chicken breeding (Hatchery)
4. Poultry feed production
5. Poultry equipment manufacturing
6. Egg and meat processing, packaging and marketing

 What type of bird will you be focusing on?

Poultry farming can further be classified into the types of birds:

1. Domestic fowl or Chicken (Broilers and layers)
2. Turkey
3. Guinea fowl
4. Pigeon
5. Duck
6. Goose

But for this article, I will be focusing on poultry breeding for egg and meat purposes with respect to the domestic fowl.

 Start-up Capital Investment

The poultry farming business is capital intensive; depending on the scale, location of your farm and the type of management technology used. A small scale poultry farm being run behind your house may require a capital of between $500 – $1,500. A medium scale poultry farm may require $2,000 – $5,000 and a large scale poultry farm may require a start-up capital of $10,000 and above. Like I stated earlier, scale is directly proportional to capital.
 Poultry Location
A good location is vital to the success and profitability of your poultry farm. An ideal poultry farm should be sited where there’s a large availability of cheap land and at the same time; should be close to areas with high population density. It’s not advisable to site your poultry farm within a residential area because of the offensive odor it produces.

Housing your birds

There are three methods you can employ with respect to housing your birds. They are:

1. Extensive system:    Range and fold unit
2. Semi Intensive system:  Standard semi intensive unit and straw yard
3. Intensive system:    i.    Deep litter,     ii.    Wire and slated floor,     iii.   Straw yard,      iv.   Battery cage.

If you are running a poultry farm for commercial purposes and you intend getting the best out of the business; with respect to high birds’ productivity and efficiency. Then you should consider housing your birds using the intensive system. Note that each of the three housing system has its own advantages and disadvantages. Lastly, your poultry housing structure should be built at a particular angle; taking sunlight and wind into consideration.
 Poultry equipment and appliances
The following equipment may be needed for your poultry farm:

1. Feeders
2. Drinkers
3. Perches
4. Nests
5. Crates
6. Lighting system
7. Waste disposal system
8. Incubator

Projected return on investment

The incubation period of the domestic fowl is 21 days. You can start selling off your birds as early as 8 – 12 weeks but full maturity is reached between 20 – 24 weeks. The payback period of a poultry farming business is between 3 – 5 years.

 Poultry Farm staffing and manpower

Operating a poultry farm is not labor intensive if the use of technology is employed. With respect to staffing, the number of manpower needed is also dependent on the size of your farm. But some must haves should be admin officer or manager; who will oversee the day to day running of your business. Your manager can also double as your accountant to cut down cost. It is advisable you have personnel who will reside permanently in the farm to monitor and see to the well being of your birds. You will also need security personnel that will monitor the inflow and outflow of people around your farm; and most importantly, guard against theft. Aside these few mentioned, you can add more personnel to suit your business needs.

  Five Challenges of Starting a Poultry Farming Business

High start-up capital

Longer pay back period

Outbreak of diseases 

Labor intensive

 Pests and predators