Short-Term Fattening and Supplemental Feeding

Fast Feed, Fast Fatten, Fast Fortune: The Future of Livestock Farming!

The technology is an intensive feeding method implemented within feedlots to efficiently bring animals to slaughter weight with optimal fat deposits. These facilities are strategically located near livestock markets and slaughterhouses, aiming for three rounds of fattening per year. The timing is often synchronized with festive seasons, capitalizing on peak demand and market prices. This approach not only ensures rapid and profitable turnover but also aligns with market dynamics, making goat and sheep fattening a lucrative and market-responsive agricultural practice.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

7•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 7/9; level of use 7/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive medium

Under 18: Positive low

Women: Positive medium

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: Same amount of carbon released

Environmental health: Moderately improves environmental health

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Water use: Same amount of water used

Problem

Space Constraints: Livestock farming often requires extensive space, which may not be available for all farmers.
Risk Management: Livestock farming can be a risky venture, and farmers often seek methods that minimize these risks.
Time Constraints: Traditional livestock farming methods can take a long time to yield returns, which may not be suitable for farmers seeking quick results.
Acquisition of Suitable Animals: Finding and acquiring suitable young adult goats and sheep for fattening can be challenging.
Movement Restrictions: Implementing movement restrictions for intensive feeding in livestock can be difficult to manage.

Solution

Intensive Feedlot Farming: Utilizes less space by implementing intensive feeding methods within feedlots.
Rapid and Profitable Turnover: Minimizes risks by aiming for three rounds of fattening per year.
Quick Returns: Ensures returns within a short timeframe of three months.
Strategic Animal Selection: Recommends selecting animals of at least 20 kg in weight and avoiding older animals for fattening.
Effective Movement Restrictions: Provides solutions for implementing movement restrictions for intensive feeding.

Key points to design your project

This technology primarily contributes to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by potentially increasing meat production. Depending on implementation, it could also support SDG 5 (Gender Equality) as described above.

Integrating the "Short-Term Fattening and Supplemental Feeding" technology into a project involves several key steps:

Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with local breeders, community leaders, and other stakeholders to understand their needs and challenges. This will ensure the technology is tailored to meet the specific needs of the region.
Training and Capacity Building: Conduct training sessions for breeders on the technology, its benefits, and how to implement it effectively. This could include practical demonstrations and workshops.
Infrastructure Development: Establish the necessary infrastructure, such as feedlots and storage facilities for feed. This may require collaboration with local authorities or private sector partners.
Supply Chain Management: Ensure a steady supply of suitable animals and feed. This could involve partnerships with local farmers, feed suppliers, and transport providers.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Implement a system to monitor the progress of the project and evaluate its impact. This will help to identify any issues early on and make necessary adjustments.

These steps should be adapted to the specific context and conditions of the region and the project. It's also important to ensure that the project aligns with government policies and regulations related to livestock farming.

80 USD

cost of a young animal

50 %

70 USD

cost to finish a young animal in four months

IP

Open source / open access

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Cameroon	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Niger	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Somalia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
South Sudan	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Critical Initial Selection: The technology begins with a crucial step of selecting healthy animals without physical defects, emphasizing those with large skeletal frames for greater potential gain.
Castration Influence: For males, castration is highlighted as a practice that influences both fattening and the tastiness of meat.
Breed Consideration: Certain breeds are identified as having better potential for growth and quicker adjustment to fattening regimes.
Age and Weight Criteria: Animals beyond four years old are deemed unsuitable for fattening, and a minimum weight requirement of at least 20 kg is recommended.
Dietary Composition: The first two weeks involve including grass and hay in the diet, with a gradual reduction over time.
Sorting and Group Rearing: Where possible, sorting animals based on weight and gender is suggested, and raising them in groups for efficiency.
Identification and Culling: Animals not adjusting to intensive feeding should be identified and culled promptly from the fattening stock.
Feed Access Requirement: Each animal should have 15 to 20 linear centimeters of feed access.
Shelter Maintenance: Shelters should be cleaned regularly to minimize the threats of pests and diseases.
Animal Management Practices: All animals should be ear-tagged for identification, undergo deworming, and be weighed weekly for monitoring and management purposes.