DEVELOPMENT OF A POULTRY FARM MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

A poultry keeping information system is a database software system that can be used to record needed or relevant information pertaining a poultry farm. The system is needed because of the importance associated with adequately monitoring the activities in a poultry farm.

Poultry production is a very important source of livelihoods for most rural communities because it provides ready cash for emergency needs, supplies the fast-growing human population with high quality protein, contributes significantly to food security, poverty alleviation and ecologically sound management of natural resources. Since there is a continuing rise in the cost of production of cattle, sheep and goat meat, consumer preferences have shifted now for poultry meat (white meat) given the ecological, economic, social and health advantages it has over the other types of meat (red meat). The poultry is the most commercialized (capitalized) of all the Nigerian livestock agriculture. The types of poultry that are commonly reared in Nigeria are chickens, ducks, guinea fowls, turkeys, pigeons and more recently ostriches. Those that are of commercial or economic importance are chicken, guinea fowls and turkeys, amongst which the chickens predominate. Poultry production in the past was not counted as an important occupation. Poultry management system in Nigeria is of three types which are intensive, extensive and semi-intensive, they are differentiated on the basis of their flock size and input and output relationship. Flock size in intensive production are in thousands, whereas semi-intensive production system flock size range from 50-200 birds and keeping of big flock size in as a result of research development in artificial incubation, nutritional requirement and disease control. Poultry birds mature earlier than most breeds of livestock, they bring economic return within relatively short periods of about 10-12 weeks, poultry eggs and meat play a very important role in bridging the protein gap in Nigeria and they are generally accepted (Adedeji, Ajayi, Amao and Opebiyi, 2014).

A detailed set of records is essential to making sound farm management decisions. This publication discusses the importance of farm records, explains the basics of bookkeeping, and outlines other major record keeping components and concepts including asset inventory, depreciation, profit and loss, enterpriseaccounting, and cash flow. Computer based record systems are widely available and should be considered when setting up a record system. Software capability to support farm records has grown dramatically in recent years. Different software packages differ in complexity and price. However, the output—balance sheets, cash flow, income statements and enterprise accounts—provide the information necessary for farm business planning and management. Computers can be used to generate these documents (Carkner, 2000).

1.1 Background of the Study

The need for, use and benefits of information for farm decision making has engaged the attention of farmers, researchers and policymakers over the years. Information is data that has been transformed into a form that is meaningful and useful for decision-making with data distinguished as raw facts, figures, objects et cetera. The ‘system’ about information relates to the connection or integration of components of collection, processing, storage, and distribution of information to support decision-making (Laudon&Laudon 2002). By extension of this non-farm definition, farm information systems (FIS), then, can be appreciated as a tool to assist farms in forward planning, risk management, and by the use of information (Doye, et al., 2000). Poultry production enterprises require good information systems to ensure success.