With regard to the livestock, the cows were generally fine until the first week of Sept.

  
The three heifers were all in calf with 3 months difference in between. The first one caught pneumonia with just 4 days do delivery. It was so bad that it affected the cow’s appetite. Although a vet treated it and it recovered, it developed intestinal digestive complications. This coupled with delivery of the calf meant that the cow become very weak. As it is a dairy animal and its main benefit is milk, after delivery, production was so low that the new born calf barely had enough. However with treatment and specialized feeding, it recovered and the output increased.

The two rotties that were left

The next one(that was due to delivery a month after in October) also became sick. Just a day before it delivered it became fatigued, even the vet did not have a remedy for this. All we did was observe and hope for the best. It delivered on its exact due date but unfortunately the delivery proved to much and 2 days later it died. This being a commercial venture that has taken years to establish turned out to be more of a learning lesson.

 Up to date I have not realized any income besides doing everything right. It adds to the tribulations faced by many farmers even causing many to give up on livestock farming or farming all together. Such a setback deals a big blow by testing one’s patience to the maximum. It also prevents any progress since without any returns one cannot expand the small enterprise. It also gives critics a field day, I have had ‘friends’ and experts pin point to me the problems and what I failed to do or should have done.

One of the German Shepherds

 The canine department is still on its initial stages. This is due to the initial setback. The first batch of German Shepherds got affected by aflotoxin. This was from processed food purchased from a registered company but they did not accept liability. This resulted in the death of 4 dogs (All pure breads). To a small scale breeder who is trying to establish, this was a big drawback. Now the department has shepherd, terriers and rotties(Rottweilers). The terriers and the rotties are mature. The female have delivered puppies. The rotties delivered a set of 6 puppies but 4 died. The 2 that were left are doing well.

 The terries also delivered 6 puppies, all of which are still there. Though this the main aim for breeding .(i.e get pups and generate an income from selling them) it has added to the financial woes. This is because they need vaccines which are vital but expensive meaning more ‘capital’ has to be injected into the already strenuous venture.

Fluffy with its puppies

Such are the obstacles.