Feeding your animals rightly more profitable – Young farmer

Enoch Tyulen is a young farmer who ventured into agriculture shortly after completing his NYSC in 2020. He runs an integrated farm, Unania Farms in Jos. He speaks to Daily Trust on Sunday about how he goes about integrated farming in the area.

What type of crops do you grow on your farm?

We grow tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers, Irish and sweet potatoes, and a variety of flowers.

How do you prepare the soil for planting?

We first clear and weed the space, then till the soil and apply organic and inorganic fertiliser and other nutrients that enrich the soil. When that is done, we fumigate the space and lock it up for some days. When it is time to plant, we set our irrigation system to wet the ground for some time before we plant.  However, we are currently looking forward to advancing to the hydroponic system of farming soon enough and not having to make use of soil altogether.

What irrigation methods do you use?

We use the drip irrigation system, which distributes water through drip tubes and directs water to the root zone of every plant.

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How do you manage pests and diseases? 

By following a regimen of spraying fungicides and pesticides, we can prevent and contain the spread of diseases. We equally observe our biosecurity measures strictly to avoid any form of contamination. From the nursery to the planting stage, we are careful to ensure that the plants are well protected from infestations.

What strategies do you use for crop rotation and soil conservation?

With the number of greenhouses we have, we can rotate the plants at every season of planting. When we plant directly on the soil for four seasons, we allow the ground to fallow for a year and import virgin soil, which we package in sacks and use to plant for the season.

What types of animals do you raise on your farm?

We raise layer birds, catfish, and others. We also tried our hands on cattle rearing at some points.

How do you ensure their health and nutrition? 

We do not compromise on the feeding of our animals. We are careful to observe their feeding pattern and make calculations on the feed requirements at every stage of their development. One of the major tasks in this aspect of farming is proper feeding. When the animals are provided with proper nutrition, they turn out good and yield the desired profit. We make use of a scale to measure the right quantity they need every day, just so we don’t underfeed or overfeed.

We work closely with a veterinarian who comes regularly to check on our animals. They get to receive vaccinations, and treatment if need be. We are prompt to quarantine and treat any animal that shows signs of infection to avoid its spread. Also, we do not compromise on biosecurity. We maintain foot dips, coats, and other disinfectants at strategic points on the farm.

What breeding and reproduction strategies do you use?

Except for the pigs, for which we cross the pure breeds of Large White, Landrace, and the Duros species to produce piglets, we purchase our fish as fingerlings and feed them to table size, and for the poultry, we buy our birds at day old and brood them till the point of lay.

How do you manage their living conditions and welfare?

The living space of the animals is cleaned regularly. For the poultry, we take out the litter at least twice a week, provide them with 18 hours of light time, and ensure proper ventilation. For the fish, they require their water to be changed at least twice a week, and as they grow, they will require sorting to avoid cannibalism and dominance.

What marketing strategies do you use to sell your animal products?

For our layer birds, we only get to dispose of them after two years when they are spent. Considering we have these birds in large quantities, some wholesalers come to buy them all at once. The same applies to the fish and pigs and the eggs we harvest from the birds. We make use of social media to advertise products and also provide farm educational content on YouTube (@Farm Ferry). Provision is made for individuals who desire to buy directly from the farm. There is always a ready market for farm produce.

How do you manage farm finances and budgeting?

All financial proceeds from the farm are pooled to a central bank account and when budgets are made on a monthly basis, funds are apportioned to the various farm departments. In practising the integrated system of farming, the advantage we enjoy is the support and complimentary role the system provides where resources from one unit can be pushed to another, and when one unit is suffering, the other can assist.

What record-keeping systems do you use to track farm activities and productivity?

We maintain a daily record register of all income and expenses, a weekly financial analysis, and a monthly compilation of all transactions. We also employ the expertise of an accountant who provides monthly professional analysis, yearly reviews, and financial projections.

How do you ensure sustainability and environmental stewardship on your farm?

We limit the use of harmful industrial chemicals on our farm and employ some alternative measures. All waste products are properly disposed of or recycled to avoid environmental pollution. We are making efforts to develop and produce pure organic farm produce in the future.

What technology and innovations do you adopt to improve farm efficiency?

The integrated farming system we practice enables us to make use of the natural resources we have. For instance, we can grow maggots from pig/chicken manure to supplement the fish feed. The water from the fish and manure from the birds and pigs are used to grow the plants. Some of the produce from the plants can be used to prepare the feed for the animals. It is more like an innovative cycle.

In the aspect of greenhouse farming, we make use of the venturi fertigation systems, which facilitate the swift application of fertiliser, thereby saving time and energy. The battery cage system we use improves the quality of eggs while preventing the birds from having access to their droppings, which curbs against most diseases. The nipple water system also improves water management on the farm.

How do you handle labour management and staffing on your farm?

We endeavour to promptly pay the wages of workers, and provide incentives, motivation, and a conducive work atmosphere. Staff are made to have a sense of belonging as their options are always welcome. A weekly roundtable is hosted with staff to discuss on-farm progress and future development. Before admitting staff to work on the farm, scrutiny is carried out to ensure they are persons of good reputation and would be willing to uphold ethical standards.