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IS THERE ANYTHING LIKES "UNEXPECTED" ECONOMIC GROWTH?
In a delivery dedicated to
energy crisis in African countries, the following
was written:
"Most
of African cities around the continent are experiencing power cut (energy crisis.)
Only about 50 up to 80 percent of national demand is satisfied by power generating
stations, which cannot provide uninterrupted service. Electricity power is not
delivered 24 hours around the clock but during only one to eight hours per day;
and cities' boroughs are serviced one-by-one in a round- turn. Even countries
that have mineral resources (coal and oil) or installed hydropower dams are in
the same boat.."
Even South Africa, the most sophisticated African economy
is experiencing power cuts. Right now. And South African authorities are blaming "unexpected
growth" to explain why the crisis is occurring and acute.
That is the economic growth's surge in South Africa is having a huge impact on
demand on electricity supply, and the power generating stations cannot cope.
That is a very strange reasoning, as a keen observer of the economic
and political stage of South Africa knows very well that the country had
not experienced any economic growth's surge for 10 years running under
Mbeki's leadership.
Indeed, according to Statistics
South Africa, since the end of the apartheid
era, in 1994, yearly economic growth rate averaged 3.5%, and we do
know that that
is not enough to alleviate poverty in African countries. Particularly
when inflation rate evolution is far above the economic growth rate in the range
of 5% to 7%.
Reading press reports
from South Africa, we know that the crisis is the result
of a blatant mismanagement by Mbeki government, which discarded technical reports
(dating back to ten years ago!) from the main power generating company ESKOM,
warning the authorities that the country is heading for severe power crisis if
suitable infrastructure investment are not carried out urgently in the energy
sector. The reports earmarked year 2007 as the beginning of the energy crisis!
So, the reason given by South African
authorities blaming the crisis on "unexpected" growth is another denial
exercise. The reasoning of "spin doctors". So much for the "unexpected" economic
growth. Such things do not exist. Any growth in any line of business
results from planning. Good and efficient planning as shown by the spectacular
economic growth rate occurring since one decade in the Arabian
Gulf States, and in The State of Qatar in particular
Click following link to read about Economic
Growth Never Originates From the Void.
- SERVICES
AND PRODUCTS FROM Dr. QUENUM & ASSOCIATES / BUSINESSAFRICA (TM)
List of Products and Solutions to trading and
investing in and out emerging nations - and particularly in sub-Saharan
African nations - is
here to review.
We draw your attention to Jobs & Projects'
platform that assists first, project-owners to tender for
the best experts to carry out projects at very competitive costs,
and, second, job-seekers to publish for free Résumés/CV to attract project-owners attention.
The Free and Pay-Per- Click advertisement
platform is also the cheapest way to advertise for your business
and drive traffic to your website.
 Dr.
Quenum and Associates, IBC / BusinessAfrica (TM) have decided to follow
Yahoo
wise business practice - that is to establish business relationship
only with clients who can produce email address linked
to an ISP domain name or that could be traced back against a database of valid
and legitimate domain names. In other words,
from now on, only ISP-based email messages can expect replies from Dr. Quenum & Associates,
IBC / BusinessAfrica (TM). For
more on the matter, please visit this link.
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Contributor's Guidelines
are here to review. Your
contribution on "How
emerging nations and particularly
African countries / entrepreneurs
could bridge the developing gap" is
welcome.
| Your
feedback / objection / contribution is welcome. Visit WorldWide
BizCenter,
and choose General
Information (as topic) to
create a thread for discussion. On the top of the WorldWide BizCenter page,
there is a HELP link to assist you making an efficient
use of the discussion board. This
link also is useful |
Many
thanks for dropping by and see you here on March 15, 2008
Dr.
B.M. Quenum
Editor
of AFRICABIZ
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Several business opportunities - component parts of the Integrated Developing Scheme described in Africans, Stop Being Poor! are listed in following table.
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1-SHEA BUTTER (5,
6, 7,
11, 12,
13)
2- BLUE GOLD (14,
15, 16,
17, 18,
19)
3- FREEZE-DRIED PAPAIN (20,
21, 22
and here)
4- KENAF (23,
24)
5- VEGETABLE OIL (25,
26, 27,
28)
6- CEREALS (30,
31, 32,
33)
7- FRUITS (34,
35, 36,
37, 38,
39, 40,
42, 43,
44, 45,
46)
8- ESSENTIAL OILS (47,
48, 49,
50, 51,
52)
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9- ROOTS & TUBERS (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
10- FOWL BREEDING (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
11- FISH FARMING (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
12- BIOMASS ENERGY (89, 90, 91, 92)
13- SUGAR CANE & PRODUCTS (93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99/100, 101, 102,
14- LIVESTOCK (103,
104,
105,
106, 107, |
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LIVESTOCK & GAME DEVELOPMENT: PART
IV - A MEDIUM-SCALE CATTLE FATTENING OPERATION - A - BASICS
This delivery is a continuation of the previous ones [104, 105]
that laid down the basics for animal feed formulation.
Broad fattening trade's principle reads as follows: “Buy
the cattle low. Fatten them cheaply. Sell them high.”
Thus three main questions: (1) Where to buy; (2) How to fatten, and (3) How to
sell
- WHERE TO BUY
FLOCK
At following link
are listed livestock breeds of the African origin
Wilkipedia provides
here a long list of breeds worldwide
The following linked-site provides
comprehensive description of African breeds
In West Africa, the White Fulani cattle is the most abundant
herd, mainly owned by the nomadic Fulani people who occupy the belt between
the Sahara and the rainforest from the west of the river Senegal to the east
of Lake Chad, including parts of western Senegal, Southern Mauritania, in and
around the flood plains of Niger, northern region of Benin, Chad, northern Nigeria
(Kano, Zaria, Borno and Bauchi States) and Cameroon.
As already stated
in a previous delivery livestock's sector in African
countries, is controlled and managed by small pastoralists/herders/breeders, who
use traditional pastoral methods and techniques. Herds's feeding depending
most of the times on the availability of rain--pastures that become scarce
or are completely wiped out during drought periods. Therefore, herdsmen wander
from place to place with cattle searching for grazing pastures.
Often, the "wanderers" /pastoralists cross borders from semi-arid,
arid regions/countries to greener regions or countries, invading agricultural
fields, destroying crops and creating havoc that result most of the times in
bloody clashes with sedentary agriculturalists.
Further, traditional pastoralists/herders/breeders (particularly in the West
African region) do not consider their stock of animals as marketable products.
They are happy to count livestock heads over years and sell only few from time
to time. Only Mutton/ Goat's herders/ breeders sell "en masse" to supply
Muslims for the celebration of the end of ramadan
The herds of the wanderers pastoralists are underfed, and therefore
represent a perfect sourcing to purchasing flocks to operate a medium-scale
cattle fattening business. There
are basically two general types of cattle: dairy and beef types. you have
to decide on which one you want to fatten. In this series, we shall consider
beef type.
- FATTEN THEM
CHEAPLY
Before you buy cattle flock, you need to arrange the fattening area, that is
(1) establish shelter, and (2) fence it and (3) organize water tank or well to
provide abundant water to the flock.
-1- Shelter
No need to build expensive barns and sheds for cattle. A
windbreak will provide sufficient shelter for yearlings and older cattle.
As one is speaking of tropical areas, beef cow spends most of its life in
the open, using only what nature provides as shelter. An arboreus ground is
an asset.
A few trees, preferably on high ground,
or a shed or barn with opposite open sides will provide satisfactory shade. However,
calves should have some protection from wind and rain.
An important consideration
when providing shelter for cattle is to make it draft free, but not tight.
Cattle give off a great amount of moisture in respiration and voiding of
wastes. Structures that do not allow that moisture to escape can cause
all sorts of health problems in the cattle. A good three-sided shed, with
its back into the wind will provide plenty of shelter during the worst
of weather. [Source]
-2- Fencing
It is an absolute necessity to fence the fattening plot(s), establishing
sturdy fences as cattle are big and heavy and tear up fences that are lightly
built. However, fences being expensive to build and maintain,
and will deteriorate rapidly if your cattle are allowed to rub against
them. Therefore, a single ‘hot’ wire
(one hooked into an electric fence charger) will keep them off the fence
and help preserve it.
-3-
Water
If plot's) are nearby a flowing
river, or if you have a well or a pond on
the ground, make sure the water is drinkable for the animals. A simple
quick chemical analysis would help keeping healthy animal and protect your
bottom line. Cattle need a good supply
of water. Typically, a cow will drink about 12 gallons / 50 liters of water
per day.
If you notice
a green growth of algae or moss in your water tanks,
try this: fill a small cloth sack with copper sulfate and
just swish it around in the water once or twice a week. For ponds, use a
larger sack and pull it around behind a boat. [Source]
-4-
Feeding
As stated in a
previous delivery, there is no need to have a complex feed
composition to efficiently fatten cattle.
Two deliveries [(23, 24]
had been dedicated to Kenaf cultivation. A wonder plant that can be
used for livestock feed. Having a plot dedicated to such cultivation
could help keeping your fattening/ feeding cost lower.
Otherwise, one can consider establishing "classic" pastures
with Digit Grass, a specie native to South Africa.
It grows on the more fertile soils in summer-rainfall areas which have
400–1000
mm average annual rainfall. It is an important sown pasture species
in South Africa. It has two main cultivars; Apollo and
Premier.
(1) Apollo produces lower seed yields, and interest in it has languished. And
(2) Premier is the only cultivars commercially available.
For an extensive
discussion/ exposé about Digit Grass, click here.
Another pasture specie from South Africa that is a must to consider
is Ribbon grass, Broad-leafed bristle grass. Family:
Poaceae (Grass Family. It is a perennial grass, which is propagated
by division as it forms large rootstocks and creeping stolons.
Sexual propagation by means of seed can also be done, although
in most instances large quantities of seed will not be available.
For
more on Ribbon Gras, click here.
In addition to pasture grass feeding, providing Hay is
also a good feeding practice, that is most of the times neglected
in African countries. Hays from harvested cereals (corn, sorghum
in particular) are excellent for cattle fattening. Also,
the flock will need to have additional Ground Feeding in
order to gain weight progressively in a short span of time.
Corn is the best fattening cereal around. However, owing to fact
that there will be competition with human consumption in most African
countries, one has to use that only if there is an "excess" of
corn crop in a country. Currently a rare occurrence
in most African countries.
In case one can have corn for cattle fattening, it is a good practice
to supplement grazing and hay consumption you may consider the following
formula for 1000 lbs/ 453.60 kg
a) 1000
lbs of corn
b) 100 lbs. beef supplement
c) 50 lbs. molasses feed
d) 5 lbs. salt.
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All cattle require salt
for the maintenance of health. It’s normal operating procedure to have
a salt block or mineral block available at all times for the cattle. In addition,
it is a good practice to make available “Hi-Mag” block:
A supplement block that has especially high amounts of magnesium and helps prevent “grass
tetany.” The disease is a metabolic disorder characterized by
low levels of magnesium in the blood serum of cattle.[Source]
Next delivery, Issue
107, available on March 15, 2008, will deal with
how to organize fattening operation of cattle's batches - over a 12-month
period - prior to economics's considerations.
| MORE
ON LIVESTOCK & GAME DEVELOPMENT |
1-Handbook
of Livestock Management
by Richard A. Battaglia (Paperback - Jul 21, 2006)
2- Raising
Small Livestock:
A Practical Handbook
by Jerome D. Belanger (Paperback - Feb 11, 2005)
3- The
Homesteader's Handbook
to Raising Small Livestock Goats, Chickens, Sheep. Geese, Rabbitts, Hogs, Turkeys,
Guinea Fowl, Ducks and Pigeons
by Jerome D. Belanger (Hardcover - April 1974)
4-
Backyard Livestock:
Raising Good, Natural Food for Your Family, Third Edition by Steven Thomas and
George P. Looby (Paperback - Jan 2, 2007)
5-
Keeping
Livestock Healthy:
A Veterinary Guide to Horses, Cattle, Pigs, Goats & Sheep, 4th Edition
by
N. Bruce Haynes (Paperback - Nov 1, 2001)
6- Alternative
Health Practices for Livestock
by Michael Keilty and Thomas Morris (Hardcover - Jan 1, 2006)
|
7- A
World Dictionary of Livestock Breed
Types, and Varieties
by V. Porter and I. L. Mason (Hardcover - Jun 6, 2002)
8- Livestock
waste facilities handbook
(Paperback - 1985)
9- Raising
Small Livestock:
A Practical Handbook
by Jerome D. Belanger (Paperback - Feb 11, 2005)
10-
Livestock Feeds and Feeding (5th Edition)
(Hardcover - Jun 8, 2001)
by Richard O. Kellems and David C. Church
11- Raising
Game Birds
by Lessiter Publications (Paperback - Jun 1986)
12- Livestock
Production in Unfavourable Economic Environments:
Strategies for Attaining Sustained Competitive Advantage
by P. G. A Jennings
(Hardcover - Mar 30, 2007)
|
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