Tips on How Livestock, Poultry and Fish Farmers Can Cope With the Covid-19 Lock-down
How farmers can cope with the COVID-19 lockdown is now a great paradigm in the agricultural world.
The outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) since the beginning of the year 2020 came with a lot of challenges for livestock, poultry, and fish farmers in most parts of the world.
Most especially in developing countries, where no organized economic stimulus or palliatives is made available.
To properly cushion the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak, and the resultant lockdown that follows.
In the sense that most farmers in developing countries are small to medium scale farmers.
They don’t have the capacity to produce their feed on their farms or have access to veterinary drugs as of when due.
They wholly depend on the activities of retail outlets that sell manufactured or well-formulated feed.
It is already posing serious challenges to some farmers in terms of the availability of labor. Especially farm workers that have to transport themselves to their place of work (farm).
The sales of farm produce become a challenge, because most farmers sell their produce at the farmers market, retail outlets, grocery stores, or malls.
Unfortunately, most of these outlets are closed down as a result of the lockdown orders by various governments across the world.
You can help yourself and your farm workers by making covid-19 protective & preventive gear available to your farm workers
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Farmers need to be proactive
How farmers can cope with COVID-19 lock-down requires calculated planning on the part of the farmer. Because the lock-down has caused disruptions to farm supplies.
These had led to serious negative impacts on the growth and sustainability of animal care materials, feeds, or ingredients used in making these feeds.
And the production of chicken, eggs beef, pork, and sheep/goats could suffer serious setbacks.
Also, breeding stocks may be affected in terms of productivity, sale, and profitability in the long run, if stringent measures are not taken to cushion the effects of the lock-down.
To cushion the effect of the lock-down the following suggestions have been made to help farmers to sail through successfully throughout this lock-down period, and to minimize any negative effects it might pose:
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Farmers Can Cope with Covid-19 Lockdown by Thinking out of the Box
This is a survival period for both man and animal. For those that have a large expanse of land. This is the right time to try free-range farming to minimize feed cost.
You can allow your birds to roam freely on your property to browse for food such as insects leaves etc.
Early in the morning and later in the evening you can supplement their feed. Thereby reducing the quantity of feed used in feeding your birds or livestock by more than 50%.
Free range chickens can save cost, its a way farmers can cope with covid-19 lock-down
Buying in Bulk or Stockpiling of Feed Ingredients/Feeds and Other Medications It’s A Way Farmers Can Cope with Covid-19 Lockdown
Most state and municipal council allow for certain periods for essential services commodity to be sold.
You can use the opportunity to purchase feeds or if you formulate your own feed by yourself.
To purchase the ingredients that would last you between two (2) weeks to three (3) months.
And chicken feeds that will last you that same period of time, to avoid or minimized any confrontation from security operatives. And the loss of birds from lack of proper feeding.
Some basic medication or multivitamins that are widely used in livestock farming.
And production such as oxytetracycline, penicillin drugs, or anti-coccidiosis drugs should also be bought.
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They should be kept in case of an emergency or an outbreak of bacterial or parasitic infection.
Vaccines should also be stored in the refrigerator especially if you still have birds or livestock that require vaccination.
All these activities should be in constant collaboration with your vet doctor at all times. This can be achieved via phones or online channels.
Buying feed in bulk is a way to cope with the covid-19 lockdown
One of the Ways Farmers Can Cope With Covid-19 Lockdown Is Nearness to the Farm
If you don’t live close to your farm then you must employ someone close to the farm.
This lock-down came with a lot of serious challenges for the farmer one of such very serious challenge is the restriction of movement from one place to another.
In countries where they have serious, tough laws for lock-down, you can’t move from one part of the city to another.
Three days ago a friend told me of how he lost so many of his birds as a result of lack of enough feed and water.
He lives about 8 km away from his farm and most times he buys the feed they need as he is going to farm. In other words, he doesn’t stockpile feeds.
The recent declaration of lock-down by the various State governments created a serious problem for his farm. He could not reach his farm again as usual due to the lock-down.
The security agencies refuse him movement there was no explanation he could give them. Some of them could be very adamant when they finally relax the movement. It was already too late he has lost a lot of his birds already.
There is a serious need to employ a farm worker even though it means employing a casual worker or temporal worker.
Just have a farm-worker living near the farm or in the farmhouse if you live far away. Living within the farm or very close to the farm has a tremendous advantage.
It will save you trouble and make your work a lot easier especially during periods of lock-down.
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Transportation/Sales of Farm Produce
Most farmers outsource their transportation from commercial drivers. This arrangement with the present lock-down as a result of COVID-19 could be a daunting task.
And in most cases difficult except serious arrangement and agreement is reached. But it is very important to have your vehicle so that you can always move your products once there is an opportunity or if the lock-down is relaxed.
In most localities, foodstuffs are considered essential services so you can move your products from one place to another if you have proper arrangements put in place even in this lock-down.
Making personal contact via mobile phone text messages with your established customers is a good way of selling your farm produce. Once movement is relaxing for essential items to be sold you can inform them of what you have available and how to get it across to them.
As earlier mentioned above, online platforms or creating your own farm websites specifically for the sole purpose of selling your farm produce should be considered seriously.
Transporting farm products from the hinterland to the farmers market could be a daunting task during this covid-19 lock-down.
Farmers can cope with COVID-19 lockdown by Strict Adherence to certain Preventive Rules on the Farm.
washing of hands regularly is a way farmers can protect themselves from covid-19
As a farmer, you have to stay healthy and alive to be able to run efficiently and continue with your farming business.
Adhering to safety rules on COVID-19 should be your utmost priority the following rules would help you stay alive and focus on your farm:
- Cut down the number of staff on your farm to just essential staff i.e. those that will be responsible for feeding and giving your birds or livestock water, and also monitor their health and report to appropriates authorities for quick action.
- If possible if you have the financial capacity of transforming your farm into a fully automated system will be a good idea. In that way, you will limit too many physical activities or contacts with the birds. At the same time provides them with water and feeds for longer periods even in your absence.
Providing protective & preventive gear against covid-19 to your farm workers
- Observe social distance between you and your customers educate your farm workers to do the same because you will continue to have contacts with your customers from time to time.
- You must provide your staff with preventive materials. And supplies such as hand sanitizers or face-masks at the same time encourage them to wash their hands always with soap. And they most wear face-mask always. Especially those making deliveries of your farm produce.
