future farmers
Farm mechanics The sound of machinery from the school's mechanical workshop is deafening. Students in blue overalls from many grades stoop over stripped tractors and other machines, learning the basics of mechanics, welding and other mechanical skills.Issue date : 23 April 2010
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André Mentz defends his cattle book
Dr André Mentz, author of Cattle Farming and Animal Science - a holistic approach, has bemoaned the fact that his book caused such an uproar amongst scientists and was met with stiff resistance from cattle farmers. Speaking at a TAU farmers' day in Dewetsdorp recently, he suggested that all he tried to achieve was to prove that science and technology weren't infallible. Issue date : 20 November 2009
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Serious new player in the Bonsmara industry
The owners of the Küpfort Bonsmara stud have decided to buy the well-known Oftalma Bonsmara stud herd, securing one of the most comprehensive genetic bases in the industry. Pik Schultz explains that the transaction makes sound business sense, as there is an ever-increasing demand for top Bonsmara genetics in South Africa. The two studs will be managed as one entity, he told Annelie Coleman, on her visit to the Oftalma stud on the farm Corneliasrust near Glen in the Free State. Issue date : 19 March 2010
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Lessons & legacies from Tukulu's former grasslands
Until almost 30 years ago, Tukulu, a farm in the sweet thornveld area near Alice in the Eastern Cape, received national recognition for the late Edgar Matthews' conservation achievements there.
Issue date: 26 February 2010
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Why Ian Currin loves he Simmentaler
South African beef expert Ian Currin recently received the 2009 World Simmental-Fleckvieh Federation Gold Book Award for his contribution over the years towards improving the Simmentaler breed in Southern Africa. He took time off from work as a consultant with the Simmentaler/Simbra Cattle Breeders' Society of Southern Africa to tell Lloyd Phillips why the Simmentaler is so close to his heart. Issue date : 29 January 2010
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SA Bonsmaras march on the DRC
The DRC's Grelka company wants 1 000 South African Bonsmaras for its ranches in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has already bought 210 from the Proveld Bonsmara Group. Issue date: 4 December 2009
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Why SA's premium cattle area needs saving
The Molopo area in North west is widely recognised for top-class commercial beef cattle production. Stretching roughly from Piet Plessis in the east to Bray and Vorstershoop in the west, excellent grazing produces thousands of exceptionally high-quality cattle per year. Issue date : 18 September 2009
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Stud bulls & the commercial industry
According to Prof Michiel Scholtz of the Agricultural Research Council's Animal Production Institute, commercial cattlemen should be stud breeder's most important clients. These cattlemen buy and use 95% of the registered bulls in the country and make a living producing beef, not genetic prototypes, BLUP breeding values, functional efficiency or whatever else stud breeders come up with. Annelie Coleman reports. Issue date : 21 August 2009
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Reviving the lost, veld-adapted Veldmaster breed
"The alpha and omega of cattle breeding is relative feed intake and body condition," says Zimbabwean cattle farmer and international cattle consultant Johann Zietsman. Issue date : 07 August 2009
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African cattle breeds combat redwater
African cattle breeds have averted a potential redwater disaster on Manie and Karin Wessels' Free State farm. The couple, who gave up city careers to farm, lost 15% of their initial herd to redwater, but by introducing Nguni, Boran and Tuli, redwater incidents have become isolated and sporadic. Annelie Coleman visited them
on their farm in the Vrede district and found out how they farm with the disease, not against it. Issue date : 24 July 2009
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