Cattle

The Dexter cattle breed is hardy and well-adapted to South Africa's harsh farming conditions.

Brangus cattle are making an indelible impression on the Malawian beef industry. The breed is well-adapted to farming conditions in Malawi, says Peter Tselingas, Brangus breeder and owner of the Pananyama Brangus stud in that country.

Holomo Lebona believes that Bonsmaras' adaptability makes them exceptional investments.

Dairy farmers have used sand and straw as bedding in dairy cow housing sheds for some time, but recently there has been a change to alternatives such as recycled manure solids. Marié du Toit was one of the first producers in South Africa to introduce synthetic mattresses.

Michael Duckitt says that farming Nguni cattle in the Swartland has decreased his farming risks.

Crossbreeding beef cattle is gaining ground, as SA farmers increasingly value high productivity and low production costs. Prof Michiel Scholtz, head of the Vaalharts Crossbreeding Programme, tells Wilma den Hartigh about the programme’s contribution to the utilisation of crossbreeds.

Chief technician at the Agricultural Research Council’s Beef Cattle Improvement Scheme, Frans Jordaan, discusses the genetic-based guidelines for ensuring the best purchase at an auction.

Top stud breeder Hennie Viljoen says farmers must use top genetics to increase productivity and profitability.

New Zealand may be thousands of kilometres away from South Africa, but the dairy industries of both countries share similar challenges. Will Henson, agronomist from Agriseeds New Zealand, visited KZN to share his ideas on optimising dairy profit from ryegrass pasture.

Veterinarian Dr Jan du Preez discusses the top five diseases that South African farmers should guard against to ensure that their cattle and their bottom-line are not negatively affected.

Be gentle with nature. Work with what you have on your farm and not with what you would have liked to have. This is the grazing management philosophy of commercial farmers Helmut and Iris Stehn from Dordabis in Namibia.

The Senepol holds the key to sustainable and profitable beef production in South Africa, says Wilhelm Oosthuyzen, owner of Senepol SA’s 2015 Stud Herd of the Year. Annelie Coleman visited his Joxepa Senepol Stud near Bothaville, Free State, to find out more about this remarkable breed.

The Namibian stud livestock breeding industry currently consists of 79 000 head of registered livestock. Annelie Coleman spoke to Jacque Els, CEO of the Namibian Stud Breeders’ Association in Windhoek, about the distinguishing features of the industry in his country.

Beef farmers should take care to match the nutritional needs of a cow to her production cycle to ensure optimal fertility rates, expecially when forage quality is low. Dr Dietmar Holm, associate professor at the Department of Production Animal Studies, University of Pretoria, explains.

There is enormous demand for locally produced fresh milk and processed milk products in Zambia. Kalundu Dairy Farm contributes substantially to supplying this requirement.

Studies indicate that gentler livestock handling practices will result in less stress for the animals and fewer stress-related diseases, says Leon Kruger of the smallstock unit at the Agricultural Research Council.

Dave Cawthorn runs stud and commercial Tuli cattle on semi-sweet veld near Stutterheim in the Eastern Cape. Mike Burgess recently visited the Horseshoe Farm to investigate the impact of this hardy and fertile indigenous beef breed on the Cawthorn farming operation.

Heinrich Bruwer's passion for superior Brahmans has led him to the best genetics in the world.

The owners of Rouvus Drakensberger Stud near Ventersburg take performance testing and animal recording seriously. Father and son team Gawie and Frik Roux incorporated central growth testing into the management of their stud to determine feed conversion ratios (FCR), in conjunction with animal scientist, Danie Bosman.

Rangeland Ecology Group programme manager at the Agricultural Research Council, Dr Mike Peel, discusses animal management under fluctuating environmental conditions in the Lowveld areas of SA.