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Northern Nigeria Season Calendar

Feed, health, breeding and housing tasks for each season of the year, from the harmattan to the harvest.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Harmattan

November – February

Cool, dry and dusty. Grazing dries out and feed gets scarce.

Feed & water

  • Store crop residues under shade: groundnut haulms, cowpea hay, sorghum and millet stover.
  • Give protein supplements (cottonseed or groundnut cake) with dry roughage.
  • Make sure clean water is always available.

Health

  • Watch for pneumonia in young stock on cold nights and dusty days.
  • Vaccinate poultry against Newcastle disease before outbreaks peak.
  • Keep new and returning animals apart for 2 to 3 weeks.

Breeding

  • Plan matings so births fall when feed is available.
  • Body condition score breeding females and feed thin ones.

Housing

  • Shelter kids, lambs, calves and chicks from cold night winds.
  • Clean and repair pens while it is dry.

Hot dry season

March – May

The hottest months. Feed is scarcest and heat stress is common.

Feed & water

  • Feed in the cool of the morning and evening.
  • Use stored hay and residues, plus a protein supplement and a mineral lick.
  • Provide much more water: animals can drink twice as much in the heat.

Health

  • Vaccinate against anthrax, blackleg and haemorrhagic septicaemia before the rains.
  • Give poultry cool water and electrolytes on very hot days.
  • Check water troughs daily for dirt and algae.

Breeding

  • Expect weaker heats and lower conception; inseminate in cooler hours.
  • Protect pregnant animals from heat and long walks.

Housing

  • Give shade: trees, high roofs or shade nets.
  • Reduce stocking density in poultry houses and open the sides.

Early rains

May – July

Fresh grass returns and animals regain condition. Worms and ticks start to rise.

Feed & water

  • Move onto new grass gradually to avoid bloat and scours.
  • Plant pasture and fodder: Brachiaria, Napier grass, Stylosanthes or lablab.

Health

  • Deworm at the start of the rains.
  • Start regular tick control.
  • Control flies around pens to limit lumpy skin disease.

Breeding

  • Females in improving condition come on heat well: a good time for AI.
  • Use the Birth Planner so births fall in good feed periods.

Housing

  • Fix roofs and drainage before the heavy rains.
  • Raise feed stores off the ground to keep them dry.

Peak rains

July – September

Plenty of grass, but wet conditions bring worms, foot rot and tick-borne disease.

Feed & water

  • Cut surplus grass for hay or silage.
  • Keep feed troughs covered so feed does not go mouldy.

Health

  • Check sheep and goats for worms (pale eyelids, bottle jaw) and treat only those that need it.
  • Watch for foot rot, mastitis and tick-borne fever.
  • Keep poultry litter dry to prevent coccidiosis.

Breeding

  • Keep breeding records up to date for pregnancy checks.
  • Separate young males from females if you do not want early pregnancies.

Housing

  • Keep pens dry and well drained; remove wet bedding.
  • Trim hooves on animals standing in mud.

Late rains & harvest

September – October

Crops are harvested and grass starts to dry. Prepare for the long dry season.

Feed & water

  • Collect and store crop residues before they are burnt or sold.
  • Make hay while grass still has value.
  • Work out how much feed you need for the dry season.

Health

  • Deworm at the end of the rains.
  • Book Newcastle and other vaccinations ahead of the harmattan.

Breeding

  • Sell or cull animals that are old, barren or not paying their way.
  • Plan the next breeding season.

Housing

  • Repair fences and storage before the dry season.
  • Prepare windbreaks for the harmattan.

A general guide for farms in Northern Nigeria. Rains arrive and end at different times each year and in each state, so adjust to your area and ask your vet about local disease risks.

More FarmKit tools

Birth Planner

Calving, kidding, lambing and farrowing dates from the day of mating.

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Heat-to-AI Timer

The best time to inseminate a cow after you first see her in heat.

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Vaccination Planner

Typical vaccination schedules for cattle, sheep, goats and poultry, ready to print.

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Ration Mixer

Mix two feeds to hit the protein level your animals need.

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Condition Scorer

Score your animals from 1 to 5 and see what to change.

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Safe-to-Sell Checker

When milk, meat and eggs are safe again after a treatment.

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Profit Planner

Costs, sales and profit for a batch of animals before you buy.

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