At the Kafue demonstration farm, all livestock are managed as free-range systems. This includes chickens for meat, geese for meat, chickens for eggs, and pigs.
Free-range production contributes to the whole farm system in ways that confined production cannot. Animals that range freely:
- Cycle nutrients across the land they cover, distributing manure broadly and breaking the concentration of disease organisms that builds in confined housing
- Maintain higher welfare — they can express natural behaviours, access varied nutrition and manage their own stress levels
- Carry a dramatically lower disease burden — by moving frequently, they avoid the build-up of parasites and pathogens in fixed housing
All livestock housing on the farm is moveable. This is a deliberate management choice: fixed housing concentrates disease organisms, worm eggs, and bacteria over time. By moving housing regularly, we interrupt this cycle without the use of chemicals.
The emphasis throughout is on prevention, good husbandry, and continual observation. Animals are watched daily and any change in behaviour — reduced feed intake, unusual posture, discharge — is investigated immediately. Early intervention prevents most conditions from becoming serious.
Tags: Chickens · Free range · Holistic management · Livestock · Pigs