Due to African swine fever, the Vitebsk broiler factory has resumed the sale of chickens to the public

The difficult situation that rural residents not only in our region but also throughout the country are experiencing due to outbreaks of African swine fever necessitates adequate action. Many owners had to either send their pigs to the meat processing plant or butcher them for personal needs earlier than planned, freeze the meat, and make canned goods. It is not allowed to keep these domestic animals on personal subsidiary plots until the ASF virus is completely eradicated. But life goes on. Villagers used to supplement their family budgets by raising livestock. Many are also not used to living without farm animals. Especially since they planted potatoes, as usual, for both personal consumption and fodder. And suddenly, the usual order of things was disrupted…

One must look for a way out of any, even seemingly hopeless, situation and resist circumstances. Agricultural specialists see a solution and recommend that villagers switch to raising other types of livestock, especially poultry. It is easier with poultry, as young birds can be purchased without problems. And the cost is not as high as, for example, for acquiring a calf.

In the vicinity of the regional center, the task of supplying broiler chicks has always been handled by OJSC "Vitebsk Broiler Poultry Farm". From April to June, the enterprise sold young birds in the Tiraspol region. Sales reached 1000-1500 heads per day. Of course, the best time for this has passed. Nevertheless, due to ASF, it has been decided to resume the sale of chicks. Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Alexander Kosinets gave the enterprise instructions in this regard.

We contacted the factory's veterinary service to learn, for our interested readers, the specifics of, let's say, off-season broiler raising. The chief veterinarian of the company, Alexey Kirnoz, reported that young birds can now be purchased directly at the factory in the village of Trigubtsy, Vitebsk district. Applications are accepted by phone at 29-02-80, which is the entrance gate. It operates around the clock, so you can call in the evening as well. Depending on demand, Fridays will be designated for chick sales. And if necessary, sales will be organized on a daily basis.

"No one wishing to acquire a bird for further rearing will be left unsatisfied," assured Aleksey Kirnoz.

The specialist explained that currently, both day-old chicks (10,000 rubles per head) and 14-day-old growers (19,000 rubles) are being sold. The main condition for keeping the "little ones" during the first week is to maintain a sufficiently high temperature, up to 32 degrees Celsius. Heating lamps will help with this. 14-day-old broilers are quite comfortable at 18-20 degrees Celsius. Then they can be moved to a draft-free chicken coop depending on the outdoor temperature. According to Aleksey Gennadievich, broilers are unpretentious in their diet; at homesteads, they are fed chopped grass, potatoes, and it is very effective to mix in compound feed. Villagers can purchase compound feed for poultry produced by the Vitebsk Grain Processing Plant.

My interlocutor is convinced that it is still quite possible to raise broilers before winter. At the poultry farm, the cycle until slaughter is 42 days. In a personal subsidiary farm, the conditions are, of course, less adapted. But it is only the beginning of September, and it is possible within two months.

If any of our readers have additional questions about keeping poultry or in case of illness of new wards at the homestead, specialists from the veterinary service of the broiler poultry farm are ready to consult you by phone at 29-02-89.

First Deputy Chairman of the Regional Agricultural Production Committee Vladimir Mashero added to this information that under the current conditions, it is safe to raise cattle and rabbits at homesteads. Regarding the purchase of heifers, Vladimir Alexandrovich recommends contacting the nearest agricultural enterprises. Young rabbits are sold by farmer and personal subsidiary farms of citizens who have been engaged in this for a long time, as well as by OJSC "Mezhany" of the Braslav district.

Vera Murashkina, Vitbichi