Family Vet Services

Sharivit   You need this supplement (SHARIVIT)for your broilers & laying birds. Read about the compositions especially   No.2 in the composition table Composition of sharivit CHOLINE CHLORIDE  REQUIREMENTS OF BROILERS Choline supplementation in broilers shows a linear response in weight gain up to 1115mg/kg from 10-22 days of age. Increasing choline content up to 2000mg/kg further increases the weight gain CHOLINE CHLORIDE  REQUIREMENTS OF LAYERS Layers, like broilers, have an essential requirement for choline. Choline is required for the formation of a phospholipid lecithin, a component of egg yolk. NCR recommendations for choline allowances in laying hens are 105 mg/day for white egg layers and 115 mg/day for those laying brown eggs.  Generally, Choline chloride is an important additive in livestock, especially poultry as it helps to maintain cell membrane integrity and normal maturation of bone cartilages, thus preventing perosis. Its other functions incl...

 Unlike the genetically improved or modern broilers and layers production business which many people are already into and the market is filled making it difficult for newbies to survive, local or indigenous chicken (Okuko'Igbo)production is yet to be untapped as most or intending farmers are unaware of the high demand of these birds in the Nigerian poultry market. It can be reared with little capital and with or no assistance and anyone (young or old) can manage the production. Fulani Ecotype Frizzled chicken   Consumers of indigenous chicken breeds • Any class (Elites,middle class,average class etc) • Any religion (traditional, Christians, Muslims etc) From the above, it simply means that consumption of Okuko'Igbo has no restrictions thus making the demand high. Local chicken breeds in Nigeria includes ; 1. Fulani breed(heavy ecotype) 2. Igbo breed (medium ecotype) 3. Yoruba breed (light ecotype) Igbo Ecotype (Ichacha) Yoruba Ecotype Suitable Production System for the Nigeria...

 N igeria is a country in Africa and well known for her rich cultural and traditional heritage and most of the animals we keep or eat are among these heritage. In this post,  Ozuluonye Emmanuel,  puts together this write up about Avuke okuko based on his personal research in Obollo-Eke community of Enugu state Ichacha cock Ichacha or Avuke  is an undocumented popular breed of indigenous chicken in Nigeria particularly among the Igbos in the southeastern part of the country Amongst all local chicken breeds, it commands a higher price than every other breeds chiefly because in the Igbo traditional religion, it's mostly used to offer sacrifices to the deities.  Local chicken markets in Igbo land are always in a short supply of this special breed of indigenous chicken. Ichacha hen brooding her chicks Characteristics of  Ichacha •  They have very short and limited feather at the wing and tail region . • It has less feathers covering the entire body. • Its c...

  Frizzle chicken farming is popular mainly for it’s distinctive characteristics of curled or frizzled plumage. It is truly a unique   chicken breed . And it is actually a dual purpose bird which is valued for both meat and eggs production purposes. Frizzle chicken should have an African origin especially among the Igbo/Ibo tribe in the southeastern part of Nigeria due to it's  use by the African traditional religion worshippers or native doctors. In Igbo land, due to the dialect differences in the Igbo language, so also does the local name of Frizzle chicken differs but has one meaning. In  Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Imo, and Ebonyi states, its called  Abuke,Ayahiri'   Ayahara, Ajilija  and  Iyaya okuko.  It is called these names because of it's ruffled feathers (Nwokeomo).  Iyaya okuko(frizzle chicken) is equally recognized as a distinct breed in these nine European countries and Australia. The European countries which recognize this ...

  Oludele Th e Naked Neck chicken known in Igbo language as Oludele okuko(vulture neck)is an old dual purpose chicken breed. It is naturally devoid of feathers on its neck and vent. The origin of Naked Neck chicken is unclear. This chicken breed is also called the Turken, Kaalnek, Transylvanian Naked Neck chicken, etc. Many people thought this breed as a hybrid of a chicken and the domestic turkey. But this is not true, and these birds are pure chicken. Male and female naked neck chicken The Naked Neck trait is highly dominant and is passed on the first generation offspring when crossed with a non-naked neck breed. Nowadays the Naked Neck chickens are common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa as well as America and Europe Female and her chicks Naked neck chicks Features of Oludele Okuko(Naked neck Chicken) • Naked Neck chicken comes in a variety of colors. • The exposed skin on their necks turns bright red in the sun (just like turkey), but when not exposed to the sun, it remains...

 Us e of intelligent/selective culling of the  poultry flock is of utmost  iImportance for success in poultry production especially in layers/egg production. Selective culling refers to the identification and removal of non-laying birds from a laying flock PURPOSE OF CULLING 1. It increases the profit by ensuring that the feed will be consumed by the better producing layers. 2. It helps to save cost of medication and vaccination. 3. More space is provided for the remaining. 4. Culling sick birds can reduce incidence and spread of poultry disease in flock. 5. Actual Egg production will be maintained. Culling is very important and should be a continual process on every farm whether small or large farm. This selective culling should be practiced right from chicks stage. When chicks are started, all weak chicks should be eliminated. During growing stage, runty and slow growing pullets should be removed and fed with 2% extra protein to gain growth within 3 - 4 weeks. Culling d...

  A.  POOR EARLY GROWTH AND LACK OF UNIFORMITY Weak pullets CAUSES 1 - Nutrition 2 - Environmental conditions 3 - Appetite 4 - Disease ACTIONS 1 - Check starter ration (availability, nutritional and physical quality), Check water supply (availability and quality) 2 - Check temperature and humidity profiles, Check day-length, Check air quality (C02, dust, minimum ventilation rate) 3 - Check poor stimulation of appetite (low proportion of birds with full crops) 4 - Post-mortem on dead chicks, take veterinary advice Healthy broilers at 5weeks B.  POOR LATE GROWTH AND UNIFORMITY Un-uniform growth in 5wks broilers   CAUSES 1 - Low nutrient intake 2 - Infectious disease 3 - Environmental conditions ACTIONS 1 - Check feed nutritional and physical quality and formulation, Check feed intake and accessibility, Excessive early restriction, Lighting program too restrictive 2 - Establish cause (post mortem), take veterinary advice 3 - Check ventilation rates, Check stocking densi...

 M ange is a skin disease caused by an external parasite (mite) which is characterized by severe swelling which affects pig growth. Alternatively, it can be called  Sarcoptic mange, Sarcoptes scabiei, scabies Mange is a parasitic skin disease caused by Sarcoptes scabiei. Sarcoptic mange (sometimes called scabies) is the most common and it is significant because it is irritating and uncomfortable to pigs, causing a lot of scratching and skin damage. It significantly reduces the growth rate and feed conversion rate. The life cycle of the mite is short, taking 14-15 days to complete. The mite dies quickly away from the pig. In less than five days in most conditions (although it could be from hours to 15 days). It is important to keep this in mind for its control. If a farm is free of mange, it is one of the easiest diseases to prevent, because it can only be introduced to the farm by animals carrying the organism. However, once introduced into the farm, it tends to remain endemic...

  The first few hours of life can define the lifetime performance of a pig. A weak pig will also struggle, especially as it is exposed to an array of antigens and environmental stresses as it grows .  Emmanuel U. Ozuluonye, Animal Health/Production Consultant, Zulinkx Agro & Vet. Services , outlines four key areas that pig farmers need to focus on to build a strong immunity foundation for piglets. “When the piglet is born, it is a very naive animal. It does not have a well developed immune system. So most of the immunity that the pig will require for survival will come through passive immunity from the mother to the piglet,”  Ozuluonye  says. He further explains there is no passage of antibodies while the piglet is in the womb. Therefore, the protection the piglets receive immediately after birth is critical. FOUR (4) ESSENTIAL THINGS THAT BUILD SOLID PIGLETS IMMUNITY: Piglets receiving colostrum within the first 20hrs of birth 1.  SOW/DAM HEALTH Piglet immu...