The verdict in three sentences
In poultry, feed is 65 to 70 % of production cost: poorly tracked, it wrecks the margin without anyone noticing. A dedicated app tracks consumption, mortality and sales flock by flock, and targets mortality under 5 % instead of the 8-12 % endured without records. Managing the feed-conversion ratio saves 8 to 12 % on feed and shows the margin in real time.
Feed and mortality: the two invisible leaks
A flock is managed by the gram and the day. Without records, you cannot know how much feed goes per bird or why mortality is climbing. The app turns these hunches into figures and triggers alerts before the loss becomes irreversible.
| Metric (2026, estimate) | Manual notebook | Dedicated app |
|---|---|---|
| Feed share of cost | 65-70 % (unmanaged) | 65-70 % managed, -8 to -12 % |
| Mortality per flock | 8-12 % | < 5 % |
| Feed-conversion ratio | Unknown | Tracked and optimized |
| Margin per flock | Calculated afterwards | Real time |
| Vaccination alerts | Forgotten | Automatic |
| Egg/chicken sales | Scattered cash | Collected via mobile money |
Manual notebook, spreadsheet or dedicated app
The notebook does not compute the feed-conversion ratio. The spreadsheet does but stays on a computer, far from the coop. A dedicated app captures data in the field, calculates automatically and alerts at the right time.
| Criterion | Manual notebook | Spreadsheet | Dedicated app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed tracking / bird | Approximate | Manual | Automatic |
| Feed-conversion ratio | No | Hand formulas | Calculated |
| Vaccination alert | No | No | Yes |
| Margin per flock | Afterwards | Delayed | Real time |
| Wave/MTN collection | No | No | Yes |
| Indicative cost | 0 FCFA | 0 FCFA | Project fee |
Mini case study
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Kofi raises a flock of 1,500 chickens in Kumasi. Feed costs about 1,800,000 FCFA per cycle (65-70 % of total cost). By tracking the feed-conversion ratio, he cuts waste by 10 %, i.e. 180,000 FCFA saved per flock. In parallel, the app brings his mortality from 10 % to 4 %, i.e. 90 birds saved; at 3,500 FCFA per chicken, that is 315,000 FCFA recovered. On a single flock, the combined gain exceeds 490,000 FCFA — several times the cost of the tool.
FAQ
Why track feed so closely? Because it is 65 to 70 % of production cost: an 8 to 12 % saving on feed flows straight to the margin, without touching anything else.
How does the app reduce mortality? Vaccination alerts and daily tracking allow early reaction; controlled mortality drops from 8-12 % to under 5 %, saving dozens of birds per flock.
What is the feed-conversion ratio? It is the amount of feed needed to produce a kilo of chicken or a certain laying rate; tracking it lets you adjust rations and save 8 to 12 % on feed.
Can you collect egg and chicken sales? Yes, via Wave or MTN Money: sales are tracked and reconciled against production, giving a reliable real-time margin per flock.
How many birds per farm? The app comfortably handles flocks of 500 to 2,000 birds, with several flocks in parallel and the history of each.
Let's talk about your project. We build your poultry app with feed, mortality and per-flock margin tracking. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
