Agri-Hub Mahusekwa

12/10/2026

🐐 *BEST GOAT BREEDS TO START A FARM*

1. Boer Goat
Fast growth
Excellent meat production
High market demand

2. Saanen Goat
Produces plenty milk
Calm and easy to manage

3. Nubian Goat
Good for milk and meat
Handles hot weather well

4. Kalahari Red
Hardy and strong
Great meat breed

5. West African Dwarf Goat
Cheap to raise
Good for beginners

🐐 Start with healthy goats, good feeding, and clean housing for better success.

Vanofarira kuchengeta mbudzi
*

05/10/2026

RAINY SEASON & POULTRY: WHAT EVERY FARMER MUST KNOW 🌧️🐔
Rainy season brings relief to crops—but for poultry farmers, it’s a time to stay alert. Wet weather can stress your birds, invite disease, and reduce productivity. Here's how to spot the problems and fix them fast:

1. Wet Floors = Sick Birds
- Rain or humidity can soak the litter, creating a breeding ground for bacteria and parasites like coccidiosis.
- Wet litter also releases ammonia, which harms the birds’ lungs.

Fix it:
- Make sure your coop is well-roofed and slightly raised.
- Use dry bedding like wood shavings or straw.
- Remove wet litter immediately—don’t wait.

2. Cold = Stress & Slow Growth
- Chicks and adult birds struggle in cold, damp weather.
- Cold stress reduces feed intake, delays laying, and can even cause death.

Fix it:
- Use safe heat sources like brooder lamps or charcoal pots.
- Block cold winds and rain from entering the coop.
- Feed energy-rich grains like maize to help birds stay warm.

3. Respiratory Problems Rise
- Dampness encourages diseases like CRD, flu, and sneezing.

Fix it:
- Keep air flowing, but avoid direct cold drafts.
- Add multivitamins or immune boosters to drinking water.
- Use natural remedies like garlic or ginger if available.

4. Drop in Productivity
- Layers may lay fewer eggs.
- Broilers may grow slowly due to stress or poor feeding.

Fix it:
- Keep feed dry and appealing.
- Offer warm mash or soaked grains during chilly hours.
- Stick to a steady routine and keep the coop cozy.

5. Predators & Structural Damage
- Rain drives snakes, rats, and other predators into poultry houses.
- Weak roofs or walls may collapse in storms.

Fix it:
- Check and reinforce your fencing, roofing, and walls.
- Lock up birds early in the evening.
- Use traps or lights to scare off unwanted visitors.

02/10/2026

*EGG BINDING / INTERNAL LAYING / EGG PERITONITIS* - mu Shona tinoti *"Zai raputikira mudumbu"* kana *"Huku yanamatira zai"*.

Ndiro dambudziko rinouraya huku dzinokandira zvakanyanya, kunyanya dze road runner ne layers dzakafuta zvakanyanya.

ZVIRATIDZO - Ungaziva sei?

✅ Huku inogara pasi, haidi kufamba, yakazvimba mudumbu
✅ Inoramba ichiita kunge iri kuda kukandira asi pasina chinobuda
✅ Dumbu rakazvimba, rakaoma kana rine mvura kana ukaribata
✅ Kamwe kanobuda mvura yero / chena inonhuwa kubva kumashure
✅ Kusada kudya, kupera simba, mazai anodzikira
✅ Inofa mukati memazuva 2-3 kana ukasabatsira

ZVINOKONZERA - Sei zvichiitika?

*1. Kushaya Calcium ne Vitamin D3* - CHINHU #1 mu Zimbabwe
- Goko rezai rinova rakapfava, rinoputika nyore mudumbu

*2. Huku yakafuta zvakanyanya*
- Mafuta anovhara nzira yezai

*3. Kushaya mvura*
- Zai rinooma munzira

*4. Kushungurudzika (Stress)*
- Kufambisa huku, imbwa kudzingirira, ruzha

*5. Huku yakura kana idiki zvakanyanya kutanga kukandira*

*6. Utachiona - http://E.coli ne Salmonella* - Zvinokonzera kuzvimba mukati

KURAPA - Kana zai raputikira kare

*Iyi inyaya ye emergency!*

*Danho 1: Batsira huku kuburitsa zai*
- Isa huku panzvimbo inodziya, yakanyarara
- Geza maoko, isa mafuta (Vaseline / cooking oil) pamunwe, pinda zvishoma nekuichenjedza kumashure kuti ubatsire zai kubuda
- Kana goko raputika: Bvisa zvimedu zvegoko zvese zvinyoro nyoro - kana zvikasara mukati zvinokonzera hutachiona hunouraya

*Danho 2: Mishonga*
- *Oxytetracycline 20%* kana *Amoxicillin* - mumvura kwemazuva 5 - kudzivirira hutachiona mudumbu
- *Calcium + Vitamin D3 (CalciBoost / DCP)* - IPAPO IPAPO! Isa mumvura
- Mvura inodziya ine shuga nemunyu kuti iwane simba

*Danho 3: Kana dumbu razvimba nemvura (Peritonitis)*
- Izvi zvakaoma. Inoda Vet kuti abaye jekiseni re antibiotic yakasimba (Penicillin + Gentamycin)
- Huku zhinji dzinofa padanho iri

KUDZIVIRIRA - Usazorega zvichiitika zvakare

Iyi ndiyo yakakosha:

*1. CALCIUM NGUVO DZOSE!*
- Ipa *Layer Mash* kwete Grower kana huku yatanga kukandira
- Wedzera *makoko emazai akapwanyiwa / limestone / DCP* - chipunu chimwe pa kg ye feed
- Isa Vitamin D3 mumvura kamwe pavhiki

*2. Mvura yakachena 24hrs*
- Huku isina mvura haigoni kukandira zvakanaka

*3. Usafutisa huku*
- Layer inofanira kudya 120-130g pazuva chete. Kana ukaipa zvakawanda inofuta, zai rinonamatira.

*4. Chiedza*
- Maawa 14-16 echiedza chete. Chiedza chakawandisa chinoita kuti ikandire mazai makuru anonamatira.

*5. Usavhundutsa huku*
- Chengeta imbwa kure, usapinde uchimhanya

TABLE YEKUKURUMIDZA:
Chikonzero Solution
Goko rakapfava Calcium + D3 + Layer Mash
Huku yakafuta Deredza feed kuita 120g/day
Mvura shoma Mvura 24hrs, geza zvinwira
Utachiona Oxytetracycline + kuchena
*YAMBIRO:* Kana huku 2-3 dzafa nedumbu rakazvimba mvura yero, hutachiona hwapinda. Bvisa huku dzese, geza ne Virukill, ipa Oxytet kwemazuva 5 dzese.

25/09/2026

6 MISTAKES FARMERS MAKE EVERY DAY THAT CAN COST THEM CHICKENS 👇

👉 Some of the biggest problems in poultry farming can start with simple daily habits that are easy to overlook.

1. NEGLECTING DRINKING WATER 👇

👉 Dirty drinkers can allow harmful bacteria to build up and may contribute to diarrhea, weakness, and poor growth.

WHAT TO DO:
👉 Provide clean water and wash the drinkers regularly.

2. OVERCROWDING THE BIRDS 👇

👉 Too many chickens in a small space increases stress and can make disease spread easier.

WHAT TO DO:
👉 Give the birds enough room and increase their space as they grow.

3. POOR AIRFLOW IN THE HOUSE 👇

👉 Poor ventilation allows ammonia from droppings to build up and can irritate the birds' eyes and respiratory system.

WHAT TO DO:
👉 Allow fresh air to circulate while avoiding strong drafts.

4. LEAVING LITTER WET 👇

👉 Wet litter creates an unhealthy environment and encourages harmful organisms to multiply.

WHAT TO DO:
👉 Remove wet areas quickly and keep the litter dry.

5. HAVING AN INCONSISTENT FEEDING ROUTINE 👇

👉 Frequently changing feeding times or missing feeding periods can affect normal growth and performance.

WHAT TO DO:
👉 Keep a consistent feeding routine every day.

6. IGNORING TEMPERATURE STRESS 👇

👉 Very high or low temperatures can place serious stress on chickens, especially young chicks.

WHAT TO DO:
👉 Keep the temperature suitable for the birds' age and watch their behaviour closely.

23/09/2026

NEWCASTLE DISEASE

KNOW IT. PREVENT IT. PROTECT YOUR FLOCK.

Newcastle disease is a highly contagious viral disease that can spread rapidly among chickens. It can affect the respiratory, digestive and nervous systems and, in severe outbreaks, can cause very high mortality.

WHAT SHOULD FARMERS LOOK OUT FOR?

Watch your flock for:

✅Sneezing, coughing or difficulty breathing
✅Watery or greenish diarrhoea
✅ A sudden drop in egg production
✅Abnormally shaped or thin-shelled eggs
✅Depression, weakness or loss of appetite
✅ Tremors, paralysis, circling or twisting of the neck
✅Sudden or unexplained deaths

HOW DOES IT SPREAD?

Newcastle disease can spread through infected birds, faeces and respiratory secretions, as well as contaminated feed, water, equipment, clothing and footwear. This is why one sick flock can become a risk to nearby poultry if biosecurity is poor.

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR FLOCK?

✅Vaccinate according to an appropriate local vaccination programme.
✅Practise good biosecurity — clean and disinfect equipment, footwear and poultry houses.
✅Control visitors and movement around your poultry.
✅Avoid introducing birds of unknown health status.
✅Limit contact with wild birds and other poultry.
✅Monitor your flock daily so unusual sickness or deaths are detected early.

22/09/2026

10 Poultry Diseases Every Farmer Should Know And Their Signs

Many farmers lose birds not because treatment is impossible…
But because they identify the disease too late.

A chicken will always show signs before it dies.
The problem is that many farmers ignore the warning signs until losses become serious.

Here are 10 common poultry diseases and the signs you should never ignore:

1. Newcastle Disease
Signs:
• Twisted neck
• Greenish diarrhea
• Sneezing and coughing
• Paralysis
• Sudden death

2. Coccidiosis
Signs:
• Bloody diarrhea
• Weakness
• Drooping wings
• Loss of appetite
• Birds become very dull

3. Fowl Typhoid
Signs:
• Yellow diarrhea
• Swollen combs
• Weakness
• Reduced egg production
• Sudden deaths

4. Gumboro Disease
Signs:
• Shivering
• White watery diarrhea
• Depression
• Birds pecking themselves around the vent
• Sudden weakness

5. Fowl Pox
Signs:
• Black wounds on comb and wattles
• Difficulty eating
• Weight loss
• Slow growth

6. Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD)
Signs:
• Sneezing
• Nasal discharge
• Swollen eyes
• Difficult breathing
• Slow growth

7. Marek’s Disease
Signs:
• Paralysis of legs or wings
• Weight loss
• Blindness
• Birds unable to stand

8. Infectious Coryza
Signs:
• Bad smell from the head area
• Swollen face
• Nasal discharge
• Watery eyes
• Reduced feeding

9. Worm Infestation
Signs:
• Weight loss
• Pale combs
• Diarrhea
• Poor growth
• Low egg production

10. Avian Influenza
Signs:
• Sudden deaths
• Swollen head
• Purple combs
• Breathing problems
• Severe weakness

21/09/2026

Marek’s Disease in Chickens
Classic Paralysis: One Leg Forward & One Backward

🦵 Symptom
• 🦵 The bird shows the classic “Splits” posture with one leg stretched forward and the other leg pulled backward.
• 🦵 This happens due to severe damage to the sciatic nerve and other peripheral nerves.
• 🦵 The chicken usually remains bright and alert but cannot walk or stand normally.
• 🦵 Additional signs may include wing drooping, twisted neck (torticollis), or head tremors.
• 🦵 Paralysis often starts in one leg and gradually worsens.
🦠 Cause
• 🦠 Marek’s Disease is caused by Marek’s Disease Virus (MDV), an oncogenic alphaherpesvirus.
• 🦠 The virus spreads very easily through dust, dander, and feather follicles.
• 🦠 Infected birds shed the virus for long periods, contaminating the environment.
• 🦠 The virus can survive in poultry houses for many months or even years.
📅 Age Group
• 📅 Clinical signs are most common in unvaccinated birds aged 6 to 20 weeks.
• 📅 Infection can occur as early as 3–4 weeks in highly susceptible chicks.
• 📅 Older birds can still get infected but usually show milder or no symptoms.
🔍 Diagnosis
• 🔍 Presumptive diagnosis is based on the characteristic paralysis posture and flock history.
• 🔍 Definitive confirmation requires necropsy showing enlarged nerves without striations.
• 🔍 Laboratory tests such as PCR and histopathology are used for accurate confirmation.
• 🔍 Rule out other causes like vitamin B2 deficiency, injuries, coccidiosis, or botulism.
🚫 Treatment
• 🚫 There is currently no cure or effective treatment for Marek’s Disease.
• 🚫 Once paralysis appears, the condition is almost always progressive and fatal.
• 🚫 Supportive care includes placing food and water at easy reach and using soft bedding.
• 🚫 Euthanasia is often the most humane option for severely affected birds.
🛡️ Prevention
• 🛡️ Vaccination of day-old chicks is the most effective control method.
• 🛡️ Common vaccines include HVT, Rispens (CVI988), and newer recombinant vaccines.
• 🛡️ Vaccines provide over 90% protection against clinical disease in 2026.
• 🛡️ Strict biosecurity, all-in-all-out farming, and thorough disinfection are essential.
• 🛡️ Avoid introducing unvaccinated birds into existing flocks.
📊 Status in 2026
• 📊 Marek’s Disease remains a significant global concern in unvaccinated backyard flocks.
• 📊 Virulent field strains continue to evolve, challenging some vaccine programs.
• 📊 Modern vaccines still offer strong protection when combined with good management.
• 📊 Regular consultation with poultry veterinarians is highly recommended.

16/09/2026

....as Agri-Hub and Mahusekwa media toured Elite Breeds and Hatcheries.

14/09/2026

Good morning farmers. As we start new week, let us take of the signs of Infectious coryza in chickens

14/09/2026