₦airaland Forum

I position mineral salt lick for them and make it available for 1-2hrs straight on every mondays and thursdays. That's just the way I run things over here.

Important Feed Ingredient Series 001

Soya bean pulp (dusa awara / tofu dreg)!

By definition is the nutrient-dense, insoluble pulp left over after pureed soybeans are strained to make soy milk and tofu.

Nutritional Value: It is rich in dietary fiber, plant-based protein, healthy fats, isoflavones and antioxidants.

It makes a good, cheap feed ingredient for goats and sheep.
1️⃣ Put the fresh pulp in a woven sack and twist it tightly with a stick to wring out the water.
2️⃣ Spread it thinly on the rooftop and sun-dry it. Turn it often.
3️⃣ Store it only when fully dry, so it doesn't go mouldy.

Use it as part of the ration, mixed with forage like Azolla, grain concentrate or cassava peel meal and any other feeds.

Important: Phosphorus is high in soya pulp. Too much phosphorus without enough calcium can cause urinary stones, especially in males. To prevent this:
• Add ground limestone (calcium) to the feed.
• Keep a mineral salt block and clean water always available. This encourages drinking.
• Use a sheep-safe mineral (low copper) for sheep.
Have you tried soya pulp for your animals? Share your experience below.

Where to get it: it's either you make one yourself or you approach those locals selling soya bean cake aka awara or those selling soya milk. These people will sell the residues at a cheap reasonable price, for e.g the one inside the paint bucket on the photo attached below cost N700. It will serve me for three days straight since I will be fetching from it to mix with other feed ingredients.

Day 24 of Napier Grass Regrowth:

Look at this lush comeback after the first harvest cuttings ✅ Just 24 days and it keeps giving back

Just 19 days after the first harvest cutting, my Super Napier grass is already regrowing beautifully. Every cut is followed by fresh, vigorous tillers. If you're looking for a reliable, high-yield fodder for your micro-livestock, this pasture grass is the gem.

Goats are very dramatic animals. They can't handle even a little pain and may scream at the sight of a needle. During a routine and simple dewormer shot like ivermectin, they are much louder. Sheep or cattles will show little to no reaction whenever even after taking injection shots or getting their hooves trimmed.

faceland:
The last time I saw that Chicken is over 20 years ago and it was a disappointment. It was Christmas, they were about 3 or 4, after they removed their feathers, they were very small.

the last time I reared plymouth rock chickens was around 2011. They are hardy and taste like local chickens too. How time flies.

That is called plymouth rock chicken breed, sadly enough, most hatcheries barely produce them in Nigeria. Currently noiler & brahma chickens are being churned out everywhere these days.

Super Napier regrowth update!

Just 4 days after the first cutting, the regrowth has started. Fresh shoots are pushing up from every stem, and the stubs are already sprouting again.
Good fodder for the ruminants, rabbits and grasscutter.

the rainy season will soon be over ; challenging times 🤦🏾‍♀️

Day 57:
It is a wrap..or should we continue with how these cut-offs would regrow quickly in 40 to +45 days time?

sultaan:
Is that the one we call elephant grass?


looks really similar.

The real difference comes from breeding: super napier has been bred to grow more, have more leaves compared to stem, taste better to animals and pack more nutrition than regular elephant grass. But it's still the same plant at its core; same elephant grass family just a better-bred version.

Napier grass fed to my pregnant ewe today..

In order news:
pasture grass cutting & legume seeds now available:

Napier grass cuttings
Juncao (Chinese grass cuttings)
Lablab (legume seeds)
Centrosema
Alfalfa

Day 55

I have just fed my pregnant ewe the top leaves of my 55-day-old super napier grass; this is the sweet spot in between day 45 and 65 of still growing Napier leaves that mean more protein and energy for her.

Why you don't feed less than day 45 old napier grass should draw your attention to prussic acid and nitrates, which can build up in young, fast-growing Napier.

prussic acid and nitrate levels are typically much lower by day 55 compared to day 40, since the plant has matured past the highest-risk young growth stage.

Wilting the cut grass a few hours before feeding helps reduce the risk.
Introducing it gradually too.

Note: Napier grass can be fed to other micro livestock like rabbits & grasscutter

Use all that money buy small ruminants ( goat / sheep and micro-livestock like grasscutter, rabbits and rear as a side-hustle etc.

got my CAC certificate today.
https://www.facebook.com/share/19b3SLDqsQ/

in other news, one of my young rams, yes - the one that bite me while I was trying to give it oral bulos medication the other day, nearly died on me today. I have been observing how he barely eats like the rest or drink water that much, he just wants to eat house foods and grains all the time, and I wasn't surprised when he crashed on the ground today and couldn't get up and starting showing stiffness of the neck and bottom body region. Prior to this; there had been three consecutive heavy night rains that came with the cold and like I had explained earlier on about some challenges we face in livestock management during this season. I believe it was the young ram's lack of eating grasses, forage that made its system crashed (he is a selective eater). Because during cold night, they tend to lose their internal body energy while trying to keep themselves warm. That's why they need hays, forages etc to ease through the cold nights.

I quickly drenched molasses mixed with water down its mouth and forced fed him with enough soya meal paste.. right now he's getting better as i can see he's chewing the cud.

I'm suspecting thiamine or some kind of deficiency in something as I have ruled out enterotoxemia, tetanus and white muscle disease since these three are fatal and could have killed him instantly..let me go get b-complex medication first thing in the morning.

we keep pushing, one day at a time 🙏

Day 40.

Look at this lush growth; planted in rows and already thriving even in this tight backyard space. From small cuttings to this dense, healthy stand in just 40 days. Proof that with the right care, Super Napier really lives up to its reputation as a fast-growing, high-yield forage grass.

Are you excited to see how much taller it gets by the next update. Leave me some likes

WHEN YOUR GOAT OR SHEEP GOES OFF FEED AND CRASHES DOWN, COULD BE RUMEN IMPACTION.

Ever noticed your goat or sheep stop eating, go weak, dull and just lie around inactive for days? One of the common culprits is RUMEN IMPACTION, when the rumen; their main digestive "fermentation tank" gets packed with feed material and stops working properly.

LIKELY CAUSES:
• Too much dry, coarse, low-quality roughage (stemmy hay, dry stalks, crop residue)
• Sudden overload of grain/concentrate feed
• Foreign material ingestion (plastic, cloth, hairballs are common in confined goats)
• Poor water intake, dry rumen contents pack down harder
• Bad teeth, can't chew feed properly before swallowing
• Underlying illness, pain, fever or low calcium; these can shut rumen motility down even without a physical blockage
• Heavy internal parasite burden.

SIGNS TO WATCH FOR:
• Off feed for days, weakness, dullness / inactivity
• Firm or doughy feel on the left flank
• Reduced or no rumen contractions
• Little or dry manure
• Possible mild bloating

POSSIBLE TREATMENT APPROACHES (always best under vet guidance):

• Rehydration: oral fluids or IV fluids in severe cases
• Rumen stimulants/motility drenches
• Magnesium sulfate or mineral oil drench to help move impacted material
• Correcting any underlying issue; treating infection if fever is present, calcium/magnesium supplementation if deficient, deworming if parasites are the cause
• Offering soft, palatable, energy-dense feed (e.g., molasses water) to encourage intake
• In severe/non-responsive cases, a vet may need to perform a rumenotomy (surgical evacuation)

Bottom line: a few days off feed with weakness is an EMERGENCY, not something to wait out. Rumen impaction is often a symptom of something else going on (poor diet, pain, infection, metabolic issues).

So a proper hands-on check (temperature, rumen palpation, mucous membrane color) is key to catching the real cause early.

Moldy feed begets sick livestock!

Feeding moldy soya, groundnut or sunflower cake to your goats & sheep can cause aflatoxicosis: toxic poisoning from mold that damages the liver.

Watch for: loss of appetite, rough coat, weakness, yellow eyes/gums (jaundice), diarrhea, poor growth; severe cases lead to liver failure and death.

If it happens: remove moldy feed immediately, use a mycotoxin binder (e.g., activated charcoal in the form of oral drenching to bind and stop reabsorption further), support liver recovery with multivitamin supplementation, liver tonics and good nutrition. Call your vet for serious cases.

Prevent it: never feed musty or discolored concentrates. Store cakes in a cool, dry, ventilated place and buy only what you'll use soon.

Mariangeles:
Isn't that land too small for such?

Why not grow something else (like ginger) there instead?

it is small indeed and napiers still growing with 39 days left before the first cutting, just enough to feed one pregnant female sheep only, she would also feed on it when she starts lactating. I care about her a lot.

ghettochild:
Is this grass for livestock grazing

yes it is✅ not open grazing but a simple cut-and-carry feeding system

Day 30: I'm already 30 days into my super napier grass trial on cured poultry manure.
growth's been solid so far, but now I'm looking at fine-tuning nutrients. Here's what's next:

Adding crushed, finely ground egg shells for a slow-release calcium boost.

Bringing in Epsom salt to keep magnesium levels up, well it would be important since poultry manure runs high in K, which can crowd out Mg uptake.

Watching the leaves for any yellowing between veins as a sign to adjust as I'm basically going for a more imaginative balanced Ca-Mg-K profile to support all that fast growth. Will update as the grass responds! Plz note: I'm working it as I sense and see fit to reach a desirable result because at the end of the harvest and while feeding my lactating ewe. I'm not just feeding her with some cut and carry grass, I will be feeding with grass fodders rich in Mg to prevent any possible sign of grass tetany disease. At least one should know where its problem is coming from when future mishap strikes.

Third time in three months, goat farming is making headlines in a national daily!

Vanguard just ran another feature on it today (Aug 19), this time stressing that knowledge should come before investment. And honestly? That's the real story here.

I've been watching this space closely, and the pattern is clear; goat farming is quietly becoming one of the most talked about entry points into Nigerian agribusiness. Low startup cost, strong demand, resilient animals; but as these repeated features keep warning, going in without proper knowledge is where most people lose money.

If you're thinking about getting into livestock, this is your sign to start with research not resources. knowledge before investment.

Anyone else noticing this trend? 👇

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/08/knowledge-should-come-before-investment-in-goat-farming-says-expert/

day 23: so far it seems we are able to get about 42% germination rate. I will take that as a win. Some cuttings that got no early sprouting action since these past few weeks have started to emerge beautifully. Saturday is another organic liquid tea day since napiers are heavy feeders.

The Grass and Legume Advantage: The neglected livestock feed source.

One of the most underestimated parts of livestock farming in Nigeria is growing pasture grasses and legume plants. Many backyard farmers focus on buying feed every day or simply letting their goats, sheep or cattle roam the community freely, believing they will find enough to eat.

The truth is that pasture grasses like Super napier, Juncao, Guatemala, etc provide energy, while legume plants such as Stylosanthes, Centrosema, Alfalfa and Lablab supply the protein needed for better growth, fertility, milk production and overall animal health.

A small pasture plot can reduce feed costs significantly and provide more consistent nutrition than random grazing. Pasture is not a luxury; it is a foundation of profitable livestock farming.

Deworming Goats or Sheep the Right Way: 5 Rules That Actually Work

Many farmers deworm on schedule yet still see thin animals, dull coats, and bottle jaw; then losses follow. The issue usually isn't the deworming habit itself, it's how it's done.

1. Dose by weight, not guesswork
Estimate or measure body weight before dosing. For albendazole, a common guide is 1ml per 10kg. Under-dosing lets surviving worms build resistance over time while overdosing causes toxicity and other health complications to the animal.

2. Rotate dewormer classes
Sticking with one product for years lets worms adapt. Switch drug classes (e.g., albendazole to levamisole or ivermectin) roughly every 6 months, ask your Vet which class you're using.

3. Time it strategically
Treat about two weeks before the rains, and again two weeks before mating and before kidding. Worm larvae surge on wet pasture, so getting ahead of that window matters most.

4. Clear the pen after treatment
Remove dung daily for 2–3 days after deworming and disinfect the area. Worms exit through droppings, and goats grazing or nosing through contaminated bedding can be reinfected within about two weeks; this step costs nothing but labor.

5. Treat sick animals separately
Isolate thin or weak goats and deworm them first, following up with vitamin ADE and B-complex a few days later. A compromised goat's immune system can't clear parasites well even after treatment.

Get the dose, timing and rotation right, pair it with good forage and you should see fewer relapses and stronger kidding survival.

How often are you currently deworming your goats or sheep?

WHAT'S YOUR GRAVE MISJUDGEMENT ABOUT DIAGNOSISING A GOAT KID OR LAMB WITH THIS SERIOUS SITUATION

Head tilted back/up (opisthotonos-like posture) with labored breathing, goat down and not rising; points to a few likely causes in goats/kids:

- Polioencephalomalacia (goat polio): thiamine deficiency, often from sudden diet change or grain overload. Classic symptom is head tilted back, blindness, staggering.
- Listeriosis: bacterial infection, often from moldy silage/feed. Causes head tilt, circling, facial paralysis.
- Enterotoxemia (overeating disease): common in young, fast-growing kids on rich feed; can cause sudden collapse, convulsions, labored breathing.
- Tetanus: stiff posture, head/neck extension, breathing difficulty as chest muscles stiffen.
- Pneumonia: primarily respiratory, but severe cases can cause weakness and abnormal posture from oxygen deprivation.
- Bloat: pressure on the diaphragm causes labored breathing; often paired with a distended left side.
- Heartwater: young animals < 6 months old are most at risk. Watch for sudden fever, staggering, convulsions & sudden death from bont tick bites. Control ticks + treat early with Oxytetracycline. Prevention saves your flock.

Given the goat is down and struggling to breathe, this looks like an emergency, the outcome is likely poor without immediate treatment.

Next step: Isolate it and get a vet urgently. Vets can treat polio/listeriosis with thiamine and antibiotics if caught in time.

RAINY SEASON ALERT FOR GOAT & SHEEP FARMERS

During rainy season, green forage is everywhere. And this is when small ruminants like goats and sheep overeat a lot.

That sudden rush of rich, wet grass is dangerous because it causes 2 big problems:

1. BLOAT - Gas buildup in the rumen from fast fermentation
2. ENTEROTOXEMIA - Also called "Overeating Disease". Caused by Clostridium toxins when there’s a sudden carb/protein spike. Small ruminants like goats and sheep will absolutely overeat, especially in rainy season when there’s lush green forage everywhere.
Too much rich, wet grass fast = fermentation in the rumen = gas = bloat. And the sudden carb/protein spike also feeds the bacteria that cause enterotoxemia "overeating disease".

SYMPTOMS TO WATCH FOR
It hits fast that sometimes the first sign is finding them dead.

ACUTE CASES:
- Sudden death with no warning
- Going off feed, depression, separating from the flock
- Abdominal pain: kicking belly, grinding teeth, head pressing
- Bloating
- Watery or bloody diarrhea
- Staggering, tremors, convulsions
- Weakness and going down fast

SUBACUTE CASES:
- Depression and off feed for 1-2 days
- Mild diarrhea
- Weight loss and poor growth, especially in kids and lambs

KEY THINGS TO KNOW:
1. Goats tend to show more diarrhea + neurologic signs
2. Sheep, especially lambs, often just die suddenly with little to no signs

THE GOOD NEWS: IT'S PREVENTABLE

Treatment rarely works once signs show. So we prevent.

1. VACCINATE: Give CD&T early and an annual booster. This covers overeating disease.
2. FEED MANAGEMENT: Introduce lush pasture slowly, no sudden feed changes.
3. ROUTINE: Don’t let them control feeding time. Keep them on your schedule.

Prevention is cheaper than losing livestock to sudden death.

Have you lost any animals to bloat or overeating disease before? What worked for you?

they will be 14 days old by tomorrow.
Nothing has been added up to this point. And giving the fact that super Napier are heavy feeder of soil nutrients especially during sprouting and early growth stage, I'm still monitoring and speculating on when to start feeding them with my organic liquid tea, as I have planted smart napier grass and Guatemala before and not this very napier variant grass, but I do sell and supply to farmhouses with bulk order of super Napier cuttings & others lol.

One thing the rainy season keeps reminding me is that livestock farming is all about preparation. I'm already running low and out on medications and it's a timely reminder that this is one of the most demanding periods of the year for anyone raising livestock.

While the rains bring lush pastures and an abundance of fresh forage, they also create ideal conditions for parasites, bacteria and other disease-causing organisms to thrive. Cases of diarrhea, pneumonia, foot & mouth problems, internal parasites and other health issues become more common, making preventive care just as important as good nutrition.

This is one of the reasons many well-managed livestock farms don't leave breeding to chance. They practice strategic breeding by carefully planning when to mount, tup or mate their animals so that kidding and lambing coincide with a season that is generally less stressful and carries a lower disease burden. Giving newborns a cleaner, drier environment and more favorable weather can significantly improve survival rates, reduce veterinary costs and allow both mothers and their young to thrive.

Every season has its advantages and its challenges. The rainy season is excellent for pasture production, but it also demands extra attention to herd health, biosecurity and medical supplies. Running out of essential medications when disease pressure is at its highest is a lesson no livestock farmer wants to learn the hard way.

In livestock farming, success is not only measured by the number of farm animals you own, it's measured by how well you prepare for the seasons before they arrive.

Mid to late-term abortion in sheep & goats: What every livestock farmer should know.

Losing lambs or kids in the last trimester is often caused by infection; here's a quick explanatory guide:

Main Causes & Carriers

- Toxoplasma gondii spread by cat feces contaminating feed/water.
- Chlamydia abortus: spread through contact with infected placenta/discharge.
- Brucella melitensis: spread via infected animals or bucks, milk and birth fluids (can infect humans too)
- Campylobacter fetus: spread through contaminated feed, water or a carrier animal.
- Salmonella & Listeria: less common, linked to spoiled feed or dirty water

The mother often looks perfectly healthy, the fetus is the one that suffers, either dying in the womb or being born weak and dying soon shortly afterwards.

Treatment:

- Isolate aborting animals immediately to stop spread
- Antibiotics (oxytetracycline) can help control chlamydia/campylobacter losses in the flock
- Supportive care: fluids, warmth and nutrition for the mother
- No effective treatment once toxoplasma has damaged the fetus; focus shifts to prevention
- Always consult your vet for the next line of action

Prevention:

- Quarantine and test new animals before adding to the flock
- Vaccinate against Brucella and Chlamydia where available
- Keep cats away from feed and water sources (toxoplasma control)
- Provide clean water, good ventilation and low-stress housing
- Physical trauma: Rough handling, overcrowding or chasing by dogs.
- Avoid transport/heavy work during afternoon heat
- Ensure proper nutrition: selenium, vitamin E, A and D3
- Dispose of aborted fetuses/placenta safely by burying it deep in the ground or burning it and disinfect the area of contact (wear gloves; some of these are zoonotic meaning it can spread from animals to humans)

Still available, distance is not a barrier