Enhancing livestock growth through alternative fodder production

Enhancing livestock growth through alternative fodder production

 

As the cost of commercial feeds continue to rise, leading to higher production costs, farmers have begun exploring alternative fodder production to reduce and improve the bottom line for farmers.

 

Chief Executive, Bic Farms Concepts, Adebowale Onafowora, has found a technique to produce high-quality, nutritious, low-cost maize and fodder for livestock.

He grows high nutrition animal fodder hydroponically in just seven days, and the feed grows throughout the year. He has been pushing for hydroponic fodder production to save on imported feedstuff.

While looking for a window of opportunities to get into commercial framing, he learnt how to grow maize and other fodder crops.This ensures that he is able to produce it throughout the year.

Indeed, livestock producers are facing the challenge of sufficient quantity and quality of feeds.

 

Onafowora considers hydroponic farming affordable and suitable for small-scale farmers as it ensures that cows and other animals have maize and fodder throughout the year, irrespective of the season.

According to him, hydroponics fodder production technology guarantees daily production of highly nutritious livestock feeds.

 

“It is grown from grains; we convert one kilogramme of grain to five kilogrammes within seven to nine days. Normally, on the soil it will take up to 90 days to do that but because of the technology within nine days it is done. Apart from that, we are saving about 95 per cent of land usage.

 

“What you need is100 hectares of land to grow. In terms of fodder quantity, we will do that on one hectare and we are doing that, saving about 90 per cent of water,” he added.

 

He started small. Today, he is celebrated for promoting the use of hydroponic fodder as the best option for livestock feeds. His approach has paid off. He also owns other businesses. Thus, he has learnt the secret of value-adding.

 

For him, hydroponic fodder would help to reduce the cost of livestock feed by over 20 per cent.

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Currently, expensive and imported feed is one of the constraints to profitability of the livestock industry. Nomadic cattle rearers find it difficult to access green fodder to feed cows. In some areas, it is unusual to find farmlands with sufficient grass fodder at certain times of the year.

 

Onafowora demonstrated to The Nation and other farmers how to produce maize within seven to nine days. He explained that maize seeds sprouted and matured in seven days providing full-blown plant that could be served as a highly nutritious feed for livestock.

 

He has found support in the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which recognises that the livestock sector has a huge potential to increase income, generate employment despite limited investments from the sector.

 

For the global organisation, among the major constraints faced by the livestock sector is scarcity of feed and fodder. FAO is on the forefront of encouraging hydroponics farming to ensure more nutrition for farmers’ livestock, which will increase milk production and raise incomes.

 

Like Onafowora, the United Nations Organisation believes strengthening the livestock sector will not only help meet the growing demand for meat-related products, but will also enhance farmers’ income and generate employment.

 

With demand for red cattle and conflicts between farmers and pastoral herdsmen threatening food security, FAO has been organising programmes to increase farmers’ access to supplementary feeds for fattening animals in the market.

 

At the moment, livestock production is being supported by several government programmes. It remains mostly grass-fed, while feedlot production has been very insignificant in terms of meat generated. In Lagos, there have been moves to develop effective action plans and industry support policies to promote beef cattle quality, yield, and productivity.

 

Part of this is the promotion of hydroponic fodder system, a technology that will allow farmers to grow and harvest feedstuff in a week.

 

The expectations is that the beef sector has a bright future which could be fruitful as Lagos Government and FAO work out a blueprint for cattle feedlot estate project which would include abattoir facility.

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To guarantee livestock fodder even when pastures are dry, FAO and Lagos Government would train farmers to plant maize and other fodder crops, using the hydroponics system. Within 12 days, the crops are matured enough to feed the animals, according to FAO.

 

It is one of the proposed reforms to ensure sustainability and competitiveness of the beef industry.

 

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Olatokunbo Emokpae, said the state was planning to bridge the yearly deficit in cattle supply in the state, put at 1.4 million head of cattle.

 

In collaboration with FAO, a Technical Cooperation Facility, Project Feasibility and Value Chain Analysis of the Red Meat Value Chain, particularly the cattle feedlot estate in Lagos, has commenced.

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Mrs. Emokpae spoke on why a cattle feedlot estate has become critical for industry rejuvenation.

 

“Lagos State with a population of over 24 million requires a total of 1.4 million heads of cattle valued at over N490 billion annually while local production from existing feedlots in the state is 12,000 heads of cattle.

 

“This leaves a gap of over 1,388,000 heads of cattle, which are sourced from other states of the federation and neighbouring countries,” she said.

 

Mrs. Emokpae said the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-administration had started work on the establishment of a cattle feedlot for which a 750Ha was acquired at Igbodu in Epe.

 

“The feedlot project will also facilitate beef traceability, among other health benefits for Lagosians, generate income for investors, create jobs, and stimulate economic activities within the project community,” she added.

 

She sees the state processing over 2,000 heads of cattle daily. She said producers were being saved the agony of moving cows from the North, when more Nigerians begin to invest in the cattle feedlot estate.

 

For her, faster production of maize in large-scale using the estate approach holds a significant cost benefit for feedlots. She added that the opportunities span cattle production, processing, logistics, beef marketing, and distribution in the state.

 

Mrs. Emokpae said: “A total of 250 hectares have been cleared and parcelled into lots of five hectares each for allocation to investors.

 

“The feedlot project will also facilitate beef traceability, among other health benefits for Lagosians, generate income for investors, create jobs, and stimulate economic activities within the project community.

 

“It is envisaged that the project will be replicated in the three senatorial districts of the state over time.

 

“Aside from investing in the feedlot project, opportunities also exist in other areas of the red meat value chain of which investors can take advantage and make good returns on investment.

 

“At present, 18 semi-mechanised abattoirs and eight mechanised abattoirs have been established in various locations across the state. In this direction, the state government is blazing the trail through the establishment of the Lagos State By-Product Processing Centre at Oko-Oba, Agege.”

 

She praised the FAO team for the support availed the ministry not only for the feedlot project, but also in the development of the project.

 

FAO representative to Nigeria Mr. Fred Kafeero said the organisation would continue to provide strategic support to national development programmes and strategies aimed at reducing poverty, improving food security and managing natural resources.

 

He said: “It is worthy of note to mention here that the Lagos State Government has demonstrated high commitment to developing the livestock sector through the establishment of the cattle feedlot farm estate.

 

“It is a private sector-led initiative whereby the government allocates land for small, medium and large feedlot operations within the estate.

 

“The government will also provide common infrastructure and sanitary services on a cost- recovery basis. It was within this context that the state government requested for FAO technical support the implementation if the initiative.

 

“To respond to this request, FAO designed a Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) facility to access all aspects of the proposed feedlot project, including technical, economic, financial and environmental consideration.

 

“This is to determine valid reasons to advance the project idea, improves the focus of the project and provides useful information for the project implementation.

 

“I am glad to let you know that FAO will provide in a timely, efficient and cost-effective manner, a range of managerial and technical advisory services.

 

“This will be done through a combination of FAO field staff, technical backstopping mission, consultancies and other contractual arrangements to the study,” Kafeero said.

 

The Director, Veterinary Services, Lagos State, Dr. Rasheed Macaulay, said very few commercial cattle farms existed in the state with a production of 12,000 cattle yearly.

 

Macaulay said it was appropriate for stakeholders on the red meat value chain to be informed of the importance of exploring the opportunities in the project.

 

His words: “As a way forward for the implementation of the project, the ministry has secured the by-in of 36 investors who have subscribed for allocations at the Feedlot estate.

 

“These subscribers will move to the site as soon as the allocation of lots is concluded by the government.

 

“We strongly believe that this exercise by the combined technical team of the FAO, state government and cooperation of relevant stakeholders along the value chain, shall contribute significantly to the success and sustainability of the project in term of efficiency and effectiveness.’’

 

He reiterated that Lagos wants to implement a functional national identification and traceability system for the livestock sector.

 

He said the plan was to incorporate emerging livestock farmers, breeders and feedlot owners into the value chain.

 

Despite the benefits to farming livestock, producers have been experiencing a decline in profitability, largely due to high input costs. Climate change and an increase in seasonal droughts, the latter resulting in a reduction in natural grazing, are also concerns for the long-term sustainability of the industry.

Report by Daniel Essiet