Dairyman: A master at his craft
An unwavering focus on genetics and attention to detail has paid off for master dairyman Charlie MacGillivray. Robyn Joubert visited his farm in the Karkloof.
Between a rock & a hard place
Dairy farmers need to maintain profitable businesses despite being squeezed between high input costs and powerful milk buyers.
The East African Boran – ‘the world’s hardiest breed’
Steeped in history and rooted in the African soil, the rugged Boran is receiving more and more accolades. Tanzanian Boran breeder Mark Myatt-Taylor tells Lloyd Phillips why.
Good neighbours make good business
Eastern Cape’s Young Farmer of the Year, Richard Morgan, has built on his family’s agricultural legacy, which started in 1895 in the Mankazana Valley near Adelaide. Mike Burgess reports.
Farmers finding common ground
By forming a good working relationship, nine farmers from Mmakgabetlwane village in North West have found a way to farm on communal land. Peter Mashala visited them.
Pioneer farming in Africa – in the 21st century
These days, it’s rare to hear stories of a family establishing, from scratch, a commercial farm in virgin African bushveld. But this is what one family has done in just seven years. Lloyd Phillips reports.
Sharpen your feeding
What you feed a dairy cow is important, but don’t lose sight of how you feed.
From pipe dream to poultry success
A city couple bought a run-down chicken farm in the Dargle, with the intention of changing it into a wedding venue. But the chickens turned out to be profitable on their own. Robyn Joubert reports.
Eastern Cape farmers in search of the optimum cow
Alwyn Marx, who farms with his father near Burgersdorp, started a small Tuli herd a decade ago. Impressed with the Tuli’s performance, they have expanded the operation to 300 stud cows.
Mike Burgess reports.
From the Karoo to the catwalk: The journey of the Charmac Merino
The wool of the Charmac Merino, which is bred in the Karoo
by the McNaughton family, was recently developed into an exclusive fashion fabric in Australia to meet the demand for wool from sheep that have not been mulesed. Heather Dugmore reports.
Building a family business
After completing agricultural studies and gaining work experience, Ananias and Mphai Rapholo returned home to Limpopo to start a family business, the Mohloma Agricultural Co-operative, with their father. The brothers intend building a top Dorper stud. Peter Mashala reports.
It’s not all in the genes
High genetic merit in a dairy herd cannot overcome inadequate management.
