M&H Livestock & Vet Consult

19/08/2026

Me in 6 months..

Installing a new money printer…

19/08/2026

📢 Calling cities everywhere! 🌍

Ready to transform urban spaces to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits?

Join the FAO Network for tools, training and events for greener, healthier and more resilient cities.

Apply 👉 https://bit.ly/4tEOdrT

19/08/2026

WATER: THE MOST IMPORTANT NUTRIENT FOR YOUR LIVESTOCK

• NO WATER = NO GROWTH, NO MILK, NO HEALTH

A long line of cattle at a clean, concrete trough.
In Botswana, where heat and dry spells are part of life, water is not just important — it’s everything.

You can have the best feed, best grazing, and best breeding. But without enough clean, accessible water, your animals will not grow well, will not eat well, and will not be healthy.

Here’s why

1. WHY WATER MATTERS MORE THAN FEED

• WATER MAKES FEED WORK

No matter how good your lucerne, lick, or grazing is, water is what makes it useful inside the animal.

• WATER HELPS WITH

~DIGESTION
It breaks down feed in the rumen so cattle can get nutrients. Dry feed without water = poor digestion.

~MILK PRODUCTION
A dairy cow needs 4-5 liters of water to make 1 liter of milk. In our heat, cows can drink 80-100 liters per day.

~BODY TEMPERATURE CONTROL
Cattle pant and sweat to cool down. Water replaces what they lose in the Botswana sun.

~OVERALL HEALTH
Water moves nutrients and waste through the body.

Lack of water = weak animals, poor appetite, and breeding problems. Cows won’t come on heat, goats abort, and growth slows down fast.

2. HOW MUCH WATER DO ANIMALS REALLY NEED?

• IN BOTSWANA HEAT, THEY NEED MORE THAN YOU THINK

Requirements go up in summer, with pregnancy, lactation, and when eating dry feed.

• ANIMAL AND DAILY WATER NEED IN BOTSWANA SUMMER

~BEEF CATTLE
40-60 Liters daily and 70-100 Liters in Botswana summer

~DAIRY COWS
60-80 Liters daily and 80-120 Liters in Botswana summer

~GOATS AND SHEEP
4-8 Liters daily and 8-15 Liters in Botswana summer

~CHICKENS
0.2-0.5 Liters daily and 0.5-1 Liter in Botswana summer

°》RULE
If feed intake goes up, water intake must go up too.

3. ACCESS + CLEANLINESS = HEALTHY HERD

• PLACE IT RIGHT. KEEP IT CLEAN

The troughs in the photo are perfect example for Botswana farmers.

• PLACEMENT

~EASY REACH
Like in the picture, long concrete troughs mean many animals can drink at once. No fighting, no bullies.

~SHADED AREA
Put troughs under trees or shade net. Hot water won’t be drunk and algae grows faster.

~NEAR GRAZING AND KRAAL
Animals should not walk more than 1.5km to water in dry season.

• CLEANLINESS

~Dirty water spreads disease faster than anything - worms, bacteria, and parasites.

~CLEAN 2-3 TIMES PER WEEK
Scrub algae and dung. Drain and refill.

~CHECK DAILY
In summer, troughs get empty and dirty in hours.

°》Clean water = fewer vet bills. Dirty water = disease outbreaks.

4. BOTSWANA TIPS FOR DRY SEASONS

• PLAN AHEAD FOR DROUGHT AND HEAT

~ALWAYS HAVE BACKUP
Borehole + storage tank + trough. Don’t rely on one dam or river.

~MULTIPLE WATERING POINTS
Spread troughs out so animals don’t camp in one spot and overgraze.

~CHECK DURING WINTER
Even in June-July, cattle still need 40L+. Cold water is better than no water.

~WATER FOR SMALL STOCK TOO
Goats and sheep dehydrate fast. Use low troughs they can reach.

~MONITOR INTAKE
If animals suddenly drink less, check for sickness or dirty water.

°》In Botswana, water planning is drought planning.

☆》FEED WITHOUT WATER IS WASTED MONEY

Think of water as the first feed you give every day.
Clean water → Good appetite → Better digestion → More growth + more milk + healthy breeding.

The cattle in the photo are doing exactly what healthy cattle should do: drink together, calmly, from clean water.

2026 I Never let a trough run dry. Never let it get dirty. Your animals’ performance depends on it.*

19/08/2026

With Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) – I just made it onto their weekly engagement list by being one of their top engagers! 🎉

19/08/2026

With Usamat Animal Health Hub – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

13/08/2026

Farmers, when is the best time to plant maize🌽

13/08/2026

BROODY HENS: FREE LABOR WITH FEATHERS

• USE THEM WISELY, NOT BY BLANKET RULES

Every farmer in Botswana has seen it — that hen that refuses to leave the nest, puffs up, clucks, and pecks your hand when you try to collect eggs.
That’s a broody hen. And she can either be your best worker or your biggest headache, depending on your farm goal.

A broody hen is nature’s incubator, brooder, and teacher all in one. But she also comes with trade-offs.

Let’s break it down for Botswana farmers

1. THE PROS: WHAT A BROODY HEN GIVES YOU FOR FREE

• NATURE'S FULL-SERVICE HATCHERY

~SHE INCUBATES
No electricity, no incubator, no generator needed. She sits for 21 days and turns the eggs herself.

~SHE HATCHES
Chicks hatch under her warmth and she helps them out of the shell.

~SHE WARMS
Especially critical in Botswana’s cold June-July nights. She keeps chicks at perfect temperature 24/7.

~SHE PROTECTS
A good Tswana broody hen will fight off rats, birds, and even dogs to protect her chicks.

~SHE TEACHES
She shows chicks how to eat, drink, scratch, find bugs, and avoid danger. Your labor is cut in half.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
With our frequent power cuts, a broody hen is the most reliable way to hatch and raise chicks.

2. THE CONS: THE COST OF USING A BROODY HEN

• FREE LABOR STILL HAS A PRICE

~SHE STOPS LAYING EGGS
A broody hen will not lay for 21 days of sitting + 6-8 weeks of raising chicks. That’s 2-3 months of no eggs from her.

~SHE MAY LOSE CONDITION
Sitting hens eat and drink less. They can become thin and weak, especially if you don’t feed them well.

~SHE STILL NEEDS MONITORING
You must provide food, water, and protection near the nest. You must also watch for mites, sickness, and predators.

~NOT ALL HENS ARE GOOD MOTHERS
Some abandon nests, crush eggs, or reject chicks.

°》So she saves you electricity, but she costs you eggs and time.

3. WHEN A BROODY HEN FITS YOUR GOAL

• MATCH THE HEN TO THE FARM PLAN

~GOOD FOR BROILER AND INDIGENOUS CHICKEN FARMERS
If your goal is to produce chicks and grow your flock, broody hens are perfect. Let Tswana hens and Boschveld hens do the work.

~GOOD FOR LOW-COST SYSTEMS
If you can’t afford an incubator or electricity is unreliable, broody hens keep your farm going.

~GOOD FOR TEACHING CHICKS TO FORAGE
Hens raise hardier chicks that can survive on free-range and kitchen scraps.

°》I like broody hens when they fit the goal of building a self-sustaining flock.

4. WHEN A BROODY HEN IS A PROBLEM

• WHEN EGG PRODUCTION IS THE GOAL

~BAD FOR COMMERCIAL EGG FARMERS
If your goal is to sell 30 trays of eggs every week, a broody hen is a problem. She takes up a nest box and stops producing income.

~BAD FOR HYBRID LAYERS
Commercial layers like Bovans and Lohmann rarely go broody. If one does, you usually "break" the broodiness so she goes back to laying.

~BAD DURING PEAK SEASON
If eggs are fetching high prices, losing 2 months of production from one hen hurts.

°》In this case, management means removing her from the nest and getting her back to laying fast.

5. HOW TO MANAGE BROODY HENS IN BOTSWANA

• GUIDE NATURE, DON’T FIGHT IT

~GIVE HER A SAFE NEST
Quiet, dark, clean, and off the ground. Protect from rats and snakes.

~FEED HER WELL
Provide starter mash, water, and greens near the nest. She needs to eat once a day when she leaves to p**p.

~MARK THE EGGS
Put 10-12 eggs under her and mark them. Remove new eggs daily so chicks hatch on the same day.

~SEPARATE AFTER HATCHING
Give hen + chicks their own small pen for 4-6 weeks for safety.

• KEY FARMER TRUTH FOR BOTSWANA

• MANAGEMENT DECISIONS SHOULD SERVE THE FARM — NOT SOMEBODY ELSE’S BLANKET RULE

~There is no "right" or "wrong" about broody hens.
~If your goal is chicks and flock expansion, broody hens are free labor with feathers. Use them.
~If your goal is maximum egg production, broody hens are a loss. Break the broodiness.

☆》The best farmers in Botswana don’t follow rules blindly. They ask: "What does MY farm need right now?"

2026 I Use broody hens when they help your goal. Manage them out when they don’t.

13/08/2026

13/08/2026

TURKEY FARMING IN BOTSWANA: IT'S MORE THAN JUST FEEDING

• PROFIT IS PROTECTED BY THE SMALL THINGS YOU REFUSE TO IGNORE

Many farmers in Botswana think turkey farming is simple: buy feed, pour it in, and wait 20 weeks to sell. But that’s where most people lose money.

Turkeys are not like chickens. They are slower growing, more sensitive to disease, and need much more management. In our heat, dust, and seasonal diseases, the difference between profit and loss is in the daily details.

There is much more to turkey farming than feeding.* Here’s what really matters

1. MONITORING: KNOW YOUR BIRDS DAILY

• WALK THE PEN, EYES OPEN

Turkeys can’t tell you when something is wrong. You have to see it first.

~WHAT TO CHECK DAILY
Are birds active, eating, drinking? Any dull, droopy, or isolated birds? Any coughing, sneezing, or diarrhea?

°》BOTSWANA TIP
Do this early morning and late afternoon when it’s cool. Heat stress shows up fast. Catching one sick bird on day 1 can save the whole flock in week 10.
Farmers who monitor daily catch problems before they become disasters.

2. BIOSECURITY: KEEP DISEASE OUT

• YOUR FARM GATE IS YOUR FIRST MEDICINE

Turkeys are very prone to diseases like Newcastle, Blackhead, and Coccidiosis.

~WHAT TO DO
Foot dip at the gate. No visitors in the turkey house. Separate turkeys from chickens and ducks — they carry diseases turkeys can’t handle. Keep wild birds out.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
Jackals, rats, and wild birds are common. Fence well and disinfect equipment. One visitor with dirty shoes can wipe out 200 turkeys.

3. VACCINATION: PREVENT, DON’T TREAT

• VACCINES ARE CHEAPER THAN DEAD BIRDS

A good vaccination program is non-negotiable for turkeys in Botswana.

~KEY VACCINES
Newcastle, Fowl Pox, and sometimes AI depending on your area.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
Work with your local veterinary officer or BVA vet. Vaccines must be kept cold and given at the right age. Miss one vaccine and you risk losing everything during outbreak season.

4. PARASITE CONTROL: INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL

• WORMS AND LICE STEAL YOUR PROFITS

Turkeys pick up worms from soil and lice/mites from wild birds.

~WHAT TO DO
Deworm every 6-8 weeks. Dust or spray for lice, especially under wings and around the vent. Keep litter dry.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
Wet season is worm season. Dry, dusty season is mite season. Rotate dewormers and keep the house clean.

5. NUTRITION: FEED FOR THE STAGE, NOT JUST THE BIRD

• TURKEYS NEED MORE PROTEIN THAN CHICKENS

Feeding is important, but it must be correct.

~POULTS 0-8 WEEKS
26-28% protein starter. They grow very fast.

~GROWERS 9-16 WEEKS
20-22% protein grower.

~FINISHERS 17+ WEEKS
16-18% protein finisher.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
Don’t use broiler feed all the way. Turkeys need more lysine, methionine, and niacin. Lack of these = leg problems and poor growth. Always provide clean, cool water.

6. VENTILATION: AIR IS A NUTRIENT

• HEAT + AMMONIA KILLS FASTER THAN HUNGER

Turkeys are big and produce a lot of heat and manure.

~WHAT TO DO
House must have good airflow. Open sides, high roof, and curtains for cold nights. Avoid gas buildup.

~BOTSWANA TIP
In Makadibeng and Thukutha heat, ventilation is everything. Overcrowded, poorly ventilated houses cause panting, heart attacks, and wet litter. Dry litter = healthy turkeys.

7. RECORD KEEPING: YOU CAN’T IMPROVE WHAT YOU DON’T MEASURE

• NUMBERS TELL THE REAL STORY

Write down: Date of arrival, feed used, deaths, vaccines, medication, costs, and sales.

~WHY
Without records you don’t know if you made profit. You also won’t know what went wrong when birds die.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
Even a notebook works. Track feed conversion. If 1 turkey ate 30kg of feed and weighs 8kg, you know your cost per kg.

8. EARLY DETECTION: ACT FAST

• THE FIRST 24 HOURS DECIDE EVERYTHING

Turkeys hide illness until it’s too late.

~WHAT TO DO
At the first sign of drop in feed, water, or activity, investigate. Call a vet. Isolate sick birds.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
Don’t wait "to see if it gets better". By then it’s spread. Early action saves the rest of the flock.

• THE BOTTOM LINE FOR BOTSWANA FARMERS

• PROFIT IS PROTECTED BY THE SMALL THINGS YOU REFUSE TO IGNORE

Feed alone won’t make you money in turkey farming. Profit comes from: Clean water + dry litter + good air + correct vaccines + parasite control + good records + daily monitoring.

☆》Turkeys reward farmers who are disciplined. They punish farmers who are careless.

2026 I In Botswana, successful turkey farming is 20% feeding and 80% management.

13/08/2026

DON'T BUY CATTLE WITH YOUR EYES ALONE

• A BEAUTIFUL COW IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY A PROFITABLE COW

At auctions in Bobonong, Thukutha, and village cattle posts, it’s easy to fall in love with a cow.
Big body. Shiny coat. Good horns. It looks like money.

But in Botswana, many farmers buy with their eyes and lose with their wallets. That "beautiful" cow can turn out to be old, sick, barren, or a poor breeder. And now you’re feeding an animal that gives you nothing back.

Before you hand over your P**a, think with your head, not just your eyes. Examine these 5 things first

1. BODY CONDITION: IS IT FAT OR JUST FULL?

• LOOK PAST THE SHINE

A good cow should have good body condition, not just a full belly from drinking water at the auction.

• WHAT TO CHECK

~RIBS, BACKBONE, AND HIP BONES
Can you see them clearly? That’s too thin. Can’t feel them at all? That’s too fat.

~MUSCLING
Is there meat on the hindquarters and shoulders?

°》BOTSWANA TIP
In the dry season, some cattle look thin because of drought, not poor genetics. Ask if it was on lick and water. A cow that recovers well after drought has good resilience.

☆ Thin cows take months and money to bring back. Fat cows may have fertility problems.

2. AGE: KNOW HOW MUCH LIFE IS LEFT

• TEETH DON’T LIE

Age decides how many calves, how much milk, and how many years of productivity you have left.

~HOW TO CHECK
Look at the teeth.

~2 TEETH
2 years old. Still growing.

~4-6 TEETH
3-4 years. Prime breeding age.

~FULL MOUTH
4+ years. Check if teeth are worn or missing.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
Be careful with "smooth mouth" old cows. They can’t graze well and won’t last. But a 3-year-old cow with 4 calves ahead of her is gold.

☆ Never buy a cow without estimating age. Sellers will always say "young".

3. HEALTH HISTORY: ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

• A CHEAP COW CAN BE THE MOST EXPENSIVE

A beautiful cow with disease is a liability.

• ASK THE SELLER

~Has she calved before? How many times? Any problems?
~Any history of abortion, retained placenta, or mastitis?
~Has she been vaccinated? Against CBPP, Anthrax, Brucella?
~Any treatment for tick-borne diseases like Redwater or Heartwater?

• CHECK YOURSELF
Runny nose, cough, swollen joints, lumps, eye discharge, or diarrhea.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
Ask for a movement permit and health history. Cattle moving between districts must have papers. No papers = risk.

☆ Buying a sick cow can infect your whole herd.

4. PHYSICAL STRUCTURE: CAN IT WORK FOR YOU?

• STRUCTURE = LONGEVITY

A cow needs to walk, graze, calve, and produce for years in Botswana conditions.

• WHAT TO CHECK

~FEET AND LEGS
Straight legs, strong hooves. Avoid cows that walk stiff or have crooked legs.

~UDDER
For cows, check for 4 quarters, no hard lumps, teats of good size. Bad udders = problems with calves.

~FRAME
Deep body for eating roughage. Wide hips for easy calving.

~EYES, MOUTH, AND NOSE
Clear eyes, no sores.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
For our thorn bushes and long walks to water, strong feet and good body capacity matter more than fancy color.

☆ Weak structure means vet bills and early culling.

5. PURPOSE: BUY FOR YOUR GOAL, NOT FOR LOOKS

• THE BEST COW FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR MAY BE WRONG FOR YOU

~IF YOU WANT BREEDING COWS
Look for young, fertile, good udder, good mothering ability. Breed matters less than performance.

~IF YOU WANT FEEDLOT/BEEF
Look for growth, muscling, and frame. Age and s*x matter.

~IF YOU WANT MILK
Look at udder, milk veins, and past milk records.

~IF YOU WANT DRAUGHT
Look at size, temperament, and legs.

°》BOTSWANA TIP
A big Brahman bull is beautiful, but useless if your goal is to produce small, drought-tolerant Tswana cows. Buy to fit your farm and market.

• KEY FARMER TRUTH FOR BOTSWANA

• BUY PERFORMANCE, NOT JUST PICTURES

That shiny, big cow at the auction might be 12 years old, barren, and sick. That plain, average-looking cow might be 3 years old, pregnant, and about to give you 10 calves.

☆》BEFORE BUYING, EXAMINE
~Body condition + Age + Health history + Physical structure + Purpose

2026 I Don’t buy cattle with your eyes alone. Buy with your mind, your hands, and your questions.