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The importance of animal protein to the survival and growth of human beings cannot be over-emphasized. Animal protein is one of the most important food items in the world. Protein helps in bodybuilding and growth, in the reproductive systems and the prevention of diseases. Animal protein sources include fish, beef from a cow, goat meat, pork from pigs and chickens meat.
To get animal protein in commercial quantity, broilers is one of the easiest sources. Broilers are special breeds of chickens, which are raised under intensive care for the sole purpose of being slaughtered within a period of eight weeks. Broilers are rich in protein, highly palatable and very succulent.
Nigeria is the second-largest market for broilers in Africa after South Africa. There is a large market for chicken meat in the country as Nigeria still has a demand-supply gap of over 1 million metric tons. To this end, whatever is produced will definitely get market, even at a good price.
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The land requirement for broilers production is very minimal. The 5,000-broiler farm will need about two plots of land for effective takeoff.
Broiler production is highly profitable. Percentage return on investment is about 50 per cent. The market also exists in other African countries such as Niger Republic, Chad Republic and Northern Cameroun.
The recent ban on importation of frozen chicken has made commercial broilers production very lucrative.
The fear of birds dying has been reduced to a minimal level with the advancement in the production of vaccines that prevent and cure diseases associated with poultry farming. A serious-minded broiler farmer can also take up an insurance policy cover for its birds.
Investment in broilers production will help create jobs, and increase the productive capacity of the country’s poultry industry, thereby ensuring food security and economic growth.
Raw materials for feed ingredients for broilers production are readily available in Nigeria. They include such items as maize, groundnut cake, soya cake, palm kernel cake, wheat offal, rice bran, bone meal and the Oyster shells. These items can be sourced conveniently in the country.
READ ALSO: PAN pledges sustainable development for poultry value chain
Technical Information
To establish a poultry broiler farm, a farm site that is accessible all the year round is required. On acquisition, poultry house is constructed with a section as brooder house to nurse day old chicks for two weeks before being transferred to the broiler pan.
Interested investors can be put through in the areas of design and construction of poultry houses. On construction, wood shavings are needed on the floor of the houses before day-old chicks are brought in, day-old chicks are procured from reputable hatcheries located all over the country especially in Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Oyo, Warri and Sapele. Prospective investors can be assisted in the procurement of day-old chicks. On purchase of day-old chicks, they are brought to the brooder house already built. Broilers stay in the brooder house for two weeks before they are transferred to the broiler pens. Other routine works needed on daily basis are poultry drugs administration, feeding with well-formulated poultry ration and provision of clean water.
Within eight weeks of intensive feeding, the broilers would have reached table size ready to be sold to interested consumers, hotels food canteens, catering houses and reputable markets. A largest-scale broiler farmer may eventually go into the sale of frozen chickens through investment in processing and freezing.
Financial Implication
N
Pre-Investment 200,000
Land and building 1,750,000
Day-old chicks (5000) 1,000,000
Provision for feeding 2,000,000
Other working capital & Utility items 750,000
TOTAL N5,700,000
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Profitability
On the establishment of the farm, 10,000 broilers can be raised within 8 weeks. This can be repeated at least four times a year. A clever investor will have a processing unit and freezing facility and marketing outlet with the project.
To raise 10,000 broilers, a minimum of N300 net profit is realizable from a bird. Total profit realizable by cycle is N3, 000,000. This can be done 4 times in a year, the net income of N12 million is achievable. There are living examples of farms in Nigeria that have made fantastic income from broiler farming. Investors can be assisted from inception to the actualization of this project.
OLUMAKINDE ONI
