Poultry farming is a potentially risky but time-tested income generator. If you have bought my popular Practical Feed Formulation Handbook (or downloaded the FREE chapter PDF version), then you know I have an elaborate background in poultry farming.
That background covers practical hands-on experience in intensive, market-focused production of broilers, cockerels, and layers – especially in the last three years of my stay as a student of Agricultural Extension Services in the University of Ibadan.
I gained this high quality exposure via membership of a very organized student body (Students Farm Research Foundation – SFRF), which comprised mainly Vet Medicine students and a few students studying Agriculture.
The SFRF also had access to experienced senior lecturers from the School of Vet Medicine and Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry who functioned as its patrons.
My feed formulation handbook contains details about this body, and what we did all year round PLUS very comprehensive information on feed compounding/rations formulas for poultry in particular.
I believe this is one of the main reasons it has become quite popular since I published it over 12 years ago.
To read a preview and/or get YOUR free copy, signup using the form below, for access to the multiple FREE downloads page on www.tayosolagbade.com
There is however a lot more to poultry farming than feed formulation!
Having said the above, I have consolidated my know-how in this field by relating closely with Poultry Farm CEOs who purchase my products and services.
What I’ve found from over a decade of serving farm owners is that many focus mainly on “feeding costs” as the major obstacle to overcome.
In truth however, critical as feed formulation is to minimizing operating costs of a poultry business, it is just one of many aspects of Poultry Farm Management.
As I have said in a previous article, getting your ration formulation right is no guarantee of poultry farming success.
There are other crucial considerations and requirements for profitable operation.
For instance – and I’ve found this relevant in relating with countless farm CEOs who buy my farm support products – you need to learn how to employ best practices to enhance your farm’s ability to maximize output at optimal (NOT necessarily minimal) costs.
In this regard, the day to day running of the farm business enterprise becomes relevant.
For instance, getting the farm hands to do what is essential for successful operation – diligently, and honestly – is essential to the farm’s success.
If well formulated and balanced rations are made available, but undisciplined (or poorly trained) farm hands waste them, or fail to feed them as an when due, to the birds, the desired results will STILL not be achieved.
This can – and does – happen!
Indeed, as the experiences of so many farm business owners is proving, farm hands – even when sincere – may not deliver productive performances needed, if a formal best practice system is NOT in place.
This is not just the case with farm businesses, but also other enterprises. Even those that are not profit oriented.
As the CEO, or owner, you do yourself a big favour, if you set up a workplace organized according to best practices.
One that is designed to make those who work in it, operate within set guidelines that increase the chances of achieving consistently uniform, output right first time, every time.
In order to achieve the above, businesses that succeeded adopt various tools and resources for daily routine use.
Examples include Training Manuals, Process Work Instructions, as well as Process Management Software.
I have written severally about this in the past, and also put up a video based introduction to a concept I call “Best Operating Process Management Systems (BOPMS)™“, which I recommend for profitable farm business management.
One of the key components of a BOPMS™ is Customizable Process Management Software that enables automated day to day monitoring and trending of Key Performance Indicators, for Timely and Profitable Farm Management Planning and Decision Making.
It is to help farmers intelligently implement the above for their unique enterprises., that I offer my growing library of customizable Farm Business Support Excel-VB driven Spreadsheet Software.
Examples include my Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator, and Poultry Farm Manager apps.
Below: Two of 16 Video User Demonstrations for The Excel-VB Driven Poultry Farm Manager
a. Loading & Logging Into The Poultry Farm Manager
b. Updating the Broilers Farm Operations Data Entry Table In the Poultry Farm Manager
Below: One of 8 User Guide Demonstrations for The Excel-VB Driven Ration Formulator (Computing 30% Protein Content Feed Formula – Excel-VB Ration Formulator)
My Farm CEO clients buy apps like the above, to drastically reduce time and effort needed to derive for daily data recording and report generation needed to effectively track their farm business’ KPIs.
Once you have such tools at your disposal, you rapidly gain deep insights – often proactively – and identifying (potential) “problem areas” becomes much easier.
What’s more, you also become familiar with what is “normal” for your farm, and over time learn to detect significant deviations that could help you spot “pilfering” and other negative developments.
The best part is that you also get to see what’s working in one area of your farm, that you can apply to other areas e.g. if you introduce a new ration formula for a cage line, the software can provide charted/graphed comparisons of Hen Day Percentages for that cage line against others.
If it shows superior performance, you’d see the trend instantly, and that would enable you adopt the same formula for the rest of the farm in a timely manner.
So many other benefits accrues from having a BOPMS™ in place on your farm.
That is why I continue to advocate its adoption, even if in phases, by Farm CEOs. Without it, most farm businesses are unlikely to achieve their full performance output capabilities.
Click here to learn more about the BOPMS™.
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