Dealing with milkweed
These plants grow almost anywhere, and can be deadly if your animals eat too many of them, warns Paul Donovan.
An answer to African poverty?
According to Johnny Morrison, chairperson of the SA Indigenous Veld Goat Club, a millenia-long migration through Africa has honed the breed into a superbly functional animal. Annelie Coleman reports.
Body condition scoring
Scoring body condition (BCS) in dairy cows is an economically important management tool to check the body reserves and energy status of cattle.
Brahmans come in from the cold
Brahman stud breeder James Prinsloo runs a thriving cattle enterprise on the Mpumalanga highveld where winter temperatures can fall to -12°C. Known for their resilience to heat and drought, the...
Bee farming – liquid gold, but hard work
South Africa’s beekeeping industry may still have room for newcomers, but this unusual type of agricultural production is far more challenging than it may appear. Lloyd Phillips reports.
Bringing back the Afrino
This easy-care, dual purpose breed thrives in the harshest conditions, offers high net profits and is a pleasure to farm. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Supporting a family, week by lonely week
Malekaleke Maila farms with Pedi sheep on communal land in Limpopo. Unable to run his flock near his village, he is forced to spend each week away from home. Yet,...
Mastitis in a dairy herd
Udder health problems, especially mastitis, can significantly limit profitable dairy farming, says vet Dr Vincent Turner. Robyn Joubert reports.
100 years of memories
Oom Jacob Coetzee of Hartbeesfontein has watched agriculture develop over the course of the last century. Born in Cradock on 17 July 1912 he moved to the farm Mahemsvlei in...
Farming without frontiers
Justin Stirk of Goodwoods Bonsmaras in the Eastern Cape is one of a group of Bonsmara breeders who present the annual Frontier Bonsmara sale in Grahamstown. Heather Dugmore talks to...
Ngunis on the mountain
East Cape Nguni Club chairperson Wimpie Mostert calves over 200 registered Nguni stud females in an environment that has truly tested the value of the breed’s adaptability and hardiness. Mike...
Farming off the grid
The convenience of Eskom-supplied electricity is almost unknown to Bushmanland’s commercial livestock farmers. But thanks to the sun, wind and careful management, these farmers have all the power they need....
The juggling act
Ruminants are adapted to convert fibre into the energy needed to produce milk and meat, but total input needs to be balanced for optimum production.
A Sussex stud herd in Vrede
James Stephen talks to Chris Nel about establishing a new stud herd and rehabilitating a previously neglected farm at the same time.
Non protein nitrogen in feed
Urea can be mixed with silage and roughage to increase milk production.
Rearing dairy calves
Calf rearing is a critical aspect of dairy farming. Good calf rearing has the potential to create wealth and improve the quality of the herd.
Breeding Limousins for Southern Africa
The Du Toits of La Rhone in Tulbagh are fruit farmers. A fortuitous event inspired them to transform their beef hobby herd into an acclaimed South African Limousin stud. Denene...
Preparation for calving & lactation
These critical periods need to be well managed in the dairy cow so that problems are minimised and production optimised.
Still strong after 76 years
The past two years have seen the 76-year-old Eduan Braunvieh Stud excel at the Vryburg Show and the Braunvieh Vleissentraal-ARC Special Performance Test Class. Mike Burgess visited Gawie Naudé to...
Micro mineral requirements
Supplements are not a substitute for good nutrition, but trace elements are vital to dairy cow health.
