4 REASONS WE EMBARK ON POULTRY BUSINESS

No matter the differences in definition and individual ideas on poultry it will be noted that they all lead to one particular concept; which is the rearing of birds. But one thing that might stand as a distinctive factor among the different definition is the reason or the purpose for which the individual or farmer setup the said enterprise.
Poultry business is very lucrative, profitable or enterprising but the same time challenging because it needs a lot of commitment, focus, patience and sensitivity. The enterprise is more like every other business. The amount of time, care and finance you commit to it will also define what you get in return.
One of the reasons why poultry business is said to be lucrative, enterprising and profitable is because of the fact that poultry products are important food essential which man can’t do without. The needs for poultry products are on the high side. Homes, restaurants, bakeries and other allied businesses can’t do without it. And the inadequate supply of the low preference of other source of protein has called for the need for the production of poultry products.
In this article, am going to touch some basic aspect of poultry farming. First and foremost let me touch the reason why you should embark on poultry farm:

REASONS TO EMBARK ON POULTRY FARM
• SOURCE OF FOOD: Among the three basic human needs food stand as one of them. Poultry gives meat and egg as its major products. So, it depends on an individual, you can rear the birds on a subsistence level .i.e. just for your immediate family consumption only.
• SOURCE OF INCOME: This had been one of the major reasons for setting up a poultry farm. The products derived from the production can be sold either processed or unprocessed depending on your original laid out plan, motive, demands and market structure.
• RESEARCH PURPOSES: many research institutes embark on this venture not for the purpose of selling or consumption but with the aim of getting improved varieties for farmers in order to boost their production in term of quality and quantity.
• HOBBY: there are individuals who embarks on some certain enterprise not for the profitability alone, but because they enjoy doing it. So intention varies from one individual to another. Above all it’s always good you define your intention properly in order to know the basic requirements and steps to take at each stage.

OPPORTUNITIES ON SNAIL FARMING

INTRODUCTION
Snail farming production enterprise is an art of rearing snails for commercial and subsistence purposes. The process of rearing snail is called helicicuiture (meaning snail culture). Snail meat is very nutritious and good for the human body. It contains most of all the essential nutrients required for healthy growth. The meat has high percentage of protein (37 to 5%), iron (45 to 59mg/kg), fat (0.05 to 0.08%) and calcium. In the medical world today a research shows that the glandular contained in edible snails causes agglutination of certain bacteria, which is of value in the combating of certain disease like the whooping cough. It’s also believed that the meat contains some properties for fighting high blood pressure, anemia.
Snails have 14 species which are: Achatina, Archachatina, Atopochochlis, Bequeartina, Burtoa, Columna, Callistpepla, Lignus, Limicollaria, Limicolariopsis, Lissachatina, Metachatina, Periderriopsis and Pseudachati. But in West Africa region, there are three major species farmers taps into and the species are Achatina achatina, Achatina fulica and Archachatina marginata. These belong to the family Achatinidae, a particular group of large land snails, originally from western, eastern, and southern Africa, with long slender shells.
Achatina achatina originates from the West African rainforest belt, from Guinea through Nigeria. A. achatina is the most prized species for consumption. Several locally discovered populations of A. achatina can be found, with variation in growth rates, size, dormancy patterns, body color and even taste. The variation in size may be explained partially by differences in the length of the aestivation period; the shorter the aestivation period, the longer the feeding period and the larger, therefore, the ecotype.

Essentially, a snail consists of two parts, the body and the shell. The body is divided into three parts – the head, the foot and the visceral mass.

Snails have a hot market both internationally (Europe and North America) and locally (Southern and Western regions). Below are summary of snail consumption in some countries of the world:
France: about 5kg/annum
Italy: 306million kg
Cote d’ivoire: 7.9 million kg
These are just little out of the various statistical data available for the overall consumption. Without doubt the market for snail is unlimited and unpredictable. In Nigeria there is no captured records for snail consumption.

Daily management of snail farm
The day to day management involves several activities:

Feeding
Snails should be fed after sunset.
The feed must not be stale or mouldy.
Leftovers should be removed the following morning.
Water should be changed if trashed and replenished regularly.

Handling
You should try as much as possible avoid carrying the snails unnecessarily because it leads to stress, it can make them sick and can also retard their growth.

Housing
Check whether wire mesh and mosquito netting are intact; repair where necessary.
Clean the pens of unwanted materials, slugs, dirty.
Keep doors or covers of the snail pens always closed and locked in order to avoid escape of the snails or intruders.

Soil
Keep the soil moist by mulching and watering if necessary in the dry season.
Fresh poultry dropping concentrated and may cause harm to the snails, so never add fresh poultry droppings to the soil.
Change soil in the cages every three months if you are practicizing the intensive system of snail rearing.

Hygiene
Check pens for any dead snails; remove them immediately.
Do not use insecticides or herbicides in your snailery.
Handle your snails carefully and wash them with water from time to time.

Recording
Record inputs and output of your snail farm daily.
Include your own labour or that of family members, and inputs, like food or repairs to the pens.

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