Frozen Fish and livestock products

One would not adequately do justice to the above topic until the key words are defined.  Therefore, the best way of tackling such assignment is to collectively, where applicable join, and where necessary, separate the words and their definitions.

Prospects, to start with, are the possibilities or likelihoods of something happening, while livestock refers to animals such as cows and sheep; and bird such as chickens kept on a farm.  Processing of these animals in holistic perspective or, in several approaches would lead us to the next explanation.  Of course, exploring the processing of these animals ensure that, you either sell them in whole or in parts and invariably as fresh or frozen products.

The later however, is specifically referred to by this discourse and as such, the possibilities of venturing into the production of Frozen Livestock, their envisaged markets and marketing coupled with the attendant inhibitions are going to be exhaustively dealt with.

On the other hand, however, Fish Productions and/or Production would not be left untouched as we progress in our quest to get educated in these empowerment guidelines programmed. By way of introduction, the only commonly bred species of fish in Nigeria, nay Africa is the African Catfish (CLARIAS GARIEPINUS).

To a layman in Nigeria, hitherto, when the mention of livestock is made what readily comes to mind is the poultry.  Whereas, cows, sheep even pigs are inclusive.  It has been known for a long time that, poultry meat production had been on, while innovative development has just hit the beef, pork and mutton, to mention but few.

At Zartech Limited, where I work for upwards of nine years now, we were not venturing into beef production until about three years ago.  Our main focus and of course, mainstay had been poultry protein-rich products: frozen chicken and commercial table eggs.  Now, I have the ample authority to confirm that, we are working assiduously to harness all available resources to improve frozen beef production to rank side-by-side with frozen chicken.

However, the implication of this submission is that there is no limit yet to the production of frozen livestock most especialy, the above mentioned ones.  If the conducive environment, I meant, enabling atmosphere, so-to-say, is in place, the local communities such as ours (I am identifying with Afijio Farmers) would stand the best chance not only to produce but also achieve lucrativeness.

Having belaboured the points raised above, the next step of our learning, in earnest would be the market(s) and marketing of the frozen livestock.  Perhaps the import of this presentation and what the organizers have in mind was the Frozen Chicken Production; to enable the communities which make up Afijio Farmers Co-operative Society contribute, through meaningful participation, their own quota to Food Security Development and Sustainability.

Then, if that is, there is need for this discussion to first highlight the process of rearing the birds.  Basically, when the capital is sourced or granted depending on the applicable means, Broiler Chicks (DOC) are ideal.  The pen house must have been provided and prepared ready for housing.  At the required temperature and feeding regime with adequate water supply for drinking growth to maturity is ensured.  As from forty-two days of growth (from day-old), birds are ready for the slaughter house.

To get a 1.2kg dressed weight for example, live weight must be 1.68kg with the chicken offal responsible for the difference.  Therefore, factor to be considered is 0.48kg, this implies that the more dressed (frozen) weight you want, the more the live weight.  Further still, you could pre-determine a uniform dressed weight in your flock which would have been informed by specifics of customers, that is, to be more or less.  However, the activities in the slaughter house are a whole lot of long and enduring process.  It is of high necessity to explain in brief and for the purpose of which this paper was intended: the slaughtering and freezing procedure.

At maturity, as mentioned above, the flock is moved into the slaughter house where the birds are slaughtered through the impoverished cones to ensure at least 85-95% of the blood is drained.  Although, there is sophisticated processing plant, but the cost could unavoidably disable us from our cottage type we are discussing about.

The dead chickens are then transferred into the hot water, and later the waiting de-feathering machine.  After this stage the intestines including the gizzards are removed (although gizzards are later treated for consumption).  The heads and feet are removed to be sold separately, while the whole dressed, packed chickens are kept in the blast freezer (if processed by modern technology equipment).

However, for the understanding of our discourse, smaller freezer could be used but the processed quantity will have to be minimal.  We should understand something; electricity is very basic and important if we should survive in our trade.  Feed grinding, electric motor that will drive the plucking (de-feathering) machine and the cold room or freezer depend so much on this.  So, if the infrastructures are put in place, production is ensured.

At this juncture, we should leave the rhetoric and address the above suspended salient and integral point(s) which will draw our argument back home; as pin-pointed by the topic under discourse: market(s) and marketing of the frozen livestock.

It is an established fact that Nigeria is a very good market for frozen livestock, the national per capital notwithstanding.  However, the joy of it could have been consumers of chicken would be increased, had per capital income improved.  This is unlike in advanced countries like the USA where a typical frozen chicken farm produces over 1.5 million frozen chickens per day! But, we should not be deterred as our collective and individual efforts at production could change the trend in our state in particular and Nigeria in general.

Several of the eateries in the country could not boast of sufficient supply.  It is a known fact that, 90% of their menus are chicken based and yet no enough quantities to come by.  Worst still, the few available ones are being offered at cut-throat prices with the attendant adverse effect on the pockets of consumers.  To a great extent this position has made competition difficult if not impossible.  The situation has climaxed into putting so much money to the banks of few that are producing.

This is why we should leave no stone unturned to publish these suggestions here-gathered today, so as to ensure capacity building in not only the young but as well as old people in this society.  The best of the front is as being enshrined today with the government representatives in our midst who could assist to convey our heart felt intention regarding Food Security challenges to be assuaged.

Meanwhile, another complimentary protein-rich product(s) is fish.  Recently the African Catfish-Clarias Gariepinus has become house-hold name amongst the poultry farmers.  The fact that ready feed from the maggots enabled by the feaces of laying birds and chicken offals are available, make it possible for its culture.  This is another advantage derivable when one is into frozen chicken production both in the rural and urban settings.

There are two types of cultures, concrete tank and pond.  Water quantity is an essential factor in the production of catfish.  It must be balanced for a concrete tank system to effectively operate.  It should be noted that while the system is very space effective, it is not water friendly.  There should be continual dilution of water in the fish culture tanks which are constantly being polluted by uneaten and leftover feed, fish feaces and carbon dioxide (CO2) passed out by fish during respiration.

Having done with that, an insight will be made into the conventional system of pond culture.  Enough space is allowed hence, the freedom enjoyed by the fish as this is their natural habitat.  Pond construction depends largely on the site.  Meanwhile, since the production of fish in running water system is totally dependent on the supply of food from outside the pond, it is obvious that this type of culture is only possible where complete feeds are available for fish culture purpose.

The continuous flow of water through the pond can be achieved by the construction of a sluice with an inlet and a drainage installation – the monk.  The most ideal pond type should be partially excavated pond with low walls.  Soil from excavation is used to build the low walls of this pond.  The ideal site has a slight slope so that the water supply channel can be constructed slightly above and the discharge channel slightly below the level of the future pond.  In this way pumping is neither needed for filling nor for draining.

Let us give an example of how to build a partially excavated pond with low walls.

At this juncture, once again, I should say there are more to be added but for the time and space allowed, I may have to retreat till another better day.  But in the meantime, let me let you into the size and weight ranges of the African Catfish from Eggs to Adult Fish.

In conclusion, however, Nigeria populace has not been adequately fed with enough of the poultry protein.  Fish protein too has not supported it complimentarily either.  The Nigeria situation has informed the organizers of this awful and laudable programme to prepare their youths and elderly, but still able, as well to address the food security challenges.

The involvement of the Federal Government agency in wealth creation and peoples’ empowerment through capacity building as exemplified by National Agency for Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) should be embraced with absolute concentration and seriousness.  This is our time to benefit from the windfall of the national cake; we should not let it slip by our hands.  Do not forget that, I have asserted it in the early stage of my paper that: I am identifying with your Farmers Society.

The time is now, God has appointed it, and it shall come to past.  I congratulate you all and best of all the times ahead.  Thank you for your time and the opportunity accorded me for this presentation.  God bless us all.