Vuyani Mfene is defined by his enthusiasm and passion for poultry farming. Shortly after completing the World Poultry Foundation-sponsored Managing a Poultry Abattoir course at the KwaZulu-Natal Poultry Institute, the young South African proudly shared with KZNPI staff his achievements – rows of plump, equally sized and neatly packaged fresh chicken.
Having studied at Buhle Farmers’ Academy and armed with a National Certificate in Agriculture from Ekurhuleni Agricultural College, along with a strong recommendation from the college, Vuyani landed the role of manager at a broiler farm raising batches of 1000 to 2000 birds. The farm sells to the live market but also processes birds in the traditional way.
To improve product quality and learn more modern small-abattoir management, Vuyani’s employers sent him to KZNPI. Reflecting on his experience, Vuyani said, “It’s the best. They treated us well. I loved the environment!” He continued, “The course attendees were of the same mind, we became like family in five days.”
Vuyani enthusiastically highlighted the key aspects of the training: learning the best procedure for eviscerating a bird, the proper chill time after de-feathering, steps to maintain good hygiene, and proper packaging and storage of the product. A key takeaway for him was learning how to handle the birds before processing to reduce stress and keep the meat tender – “Offload the birds in the shade,” for example.
Vuyani would like to see his farm shift away from selling to the live market. “Feed is too expensive,” he remarked. After returning from the course, he proposed the purchase of a new machine as the next step toward setting up a modern abattoir at the farm. This upgrade, he explained, would help to reduce feed costs, ensure the birds are processed at the ideal time and weight, and grow the farm’s market potential.
Ambitious, energetic and curious, Vuyani aspires to return to KZNPI to attend a broiler production course. One day, he envisions managing a vertically operated farm that “does everything!”
For now, we wish Vuyani every success in leading the farm to new heights!
To learn more about KZNPI and their courses, visit their website.
Ms. Frances Chisholm
Friend & Supporter of the WPF
Learn More About Frances
This story is one in a series from Frances Chisholm highlighting stories of lives impacted by World Poultry Foundation programs and workshops both in the U.S. and abroad. We encourage you to learn more about Ms. Chisholm and our poultry projects in South Africa.
CATEGORY
LOCATION