Cattle

Cattle farming made easy: expert advice on nutrition, health, and herd management.

Healthy soil means healthy cattle

Healthy soil plays an important role in cattle health and production. Dr Jan Myburgh from the Department of Paraclinical Sciences in the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science spoke...

Optimising nutrient availability for cattle

Nutrient circularity in cattle farming can help improve soil health and reduce farming costs. Ernest Makua, livestock technical adviser at Red Meat Industry Services, spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about...

Hurwitz Farming’s record-breaking success with Boran cattle

Hurwitz Farming has become synonymous with Boran cattle in South Africa. But it hasn’t always been plain sailing. Simeon Hurwitz spoke to Janine Ryan about the increasing popularity of this...

The Brahman: a key player in Namibia’s beef production industry

The Brahman has played a pivotal role in the development of Namibia’s beef cattle industry. During the Namibia Brahman Breeders Society’s 70th anniversary, seasoned Brahman breeder Ryno van der Merwe...

One man’s journey from a city job to a farm’s pastures

From the bustling streets of Pretoria, Gauteng, to the serene pastures of eNtokozweni in Mpumalanga, Colin Morodi’s journey from government bureaucrat to dedicated cattle breeder is a story of determination...

The winning formula behind Zimbabwe’s most fertile stud

Stud breeder Lianne Herbst has high praise for her Simbra cattle, a versatile breed known for its good fertility, adaptability to market demands, and performance in feedlots.

Expert tips for managing calving issues in Dexter cattle

At a regenerative farming day held earlier this year in Paarl, Western Cape, Willie du Plessis, chairperson of the Southern Dexter Club, shed some light on ways to treat calving...

Producing healthy animals through high-density grazing

Simbra farmer Kobus Bester spoke to Zunel van Eeden about the advantages of high-density grazing, which entails the grouping of high numbers of livestock to graze small areas of land...

Inside the Cornish Beefmasters stud

Marcel Stapelberg, co-owner of the Cornish Beefmasters stud, spoke to Mike Burgess to give him a better understanding of why and how the family established their stud in less than...

How to manage and control internal parasites in cattle

Internal parasites are the bane of most farmers’ existence as they are hard to detect, control, prevent or manage. Thankfully, there are some strategies that may help. Janine Ryan reports.

SA Boran genetics in good demand internationally

In August Troy Gayler, the owner of Paradise Boran Stud in southern Queensland, Australia, bought a pregnant heifer, Haylee (BH 21-404) for an African record price of R1,8 million at...

The dairy where small changes have made a big difference

Dian Landman, winner of the Eastern Cape Toyota Young Farmer of the Year award and runner-up in the Milk Producers’ Organisation’s Nedbank Stewardship Awards in 2023, spoke to Glenneis Kriel...

Top tips for effectively managing a Bonsmara herd

Louis Steyl, CEO of the Bonsmara Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the true value of effectively managing a Bonsmara herd in order to maximise...

Facial recognition technology: a new weapon against stock theft

Facial recognition technology is poised to revolutionise livestock management. Annelie Coleman spoke to experts about this Australian-developed technology and its potential to reshape livestock production in South Africa.

Epigenetics: what it is and what it can do for livestock production

Epigenetics is an emerging area of research in livestock nutrition, genetics and breeding. Prof Michiel Scholtz, specialist researcher in applied animal breeding at the Agricultural Research Council, spoke to Annelie...

Dexter cattle find their niche in regenerative farming systems

The Dexter cattle breed is proving its mettle as a regenerative farming tool in the Western Cape’s intensive farming systems.

Regenerative farming: from ‘lifeless dust’ to productive farm

The use of regenerative farming practices has enabled Barry Meijer to restore the ‘lifeless dust’ on his farm and turn it into productive pastures for his cattle. He spoke to...
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The WOAH addresses four major animal health challenges

The World Organisation for Animal Health’s 2024 general session addressed global animal health challenges, including foot-and-mouth disease, highly pathogenic avian influenza, and African swine fever.

The role of reproduction in profitable beef cattle farming

Reproduction is vital for beef production, boosting income, genetic improvement, and reducing overheads. Hennie du Toit, animal and pasture scientist at Agropedo Armenta, writes about the importance of reproduction in...

Why performance testing in livestock is important

Melville Ferreira and Freek Botes, researchers at the Agricultural Research Council’s Animal Production Institute in Armoedsvlakte, explain why performance testing is important for herd progress.
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