SA’s top beef producers shine at ARC awards
The Agricultural Research Council recently presented its 44th instalment of the annual National Beef Performers Awards, which recognises outstanding achievements across seven categories of beef cattle performance and production. Farmer’s...
Mastitis: prevention is better than cure
Mastitis can be devastating to a dairy’s profitability. Dr Chantelle Erwee, technical manager of ruminants at Zoetis, describes strategies that a farmer can implement to prevent cows from developing the...
Beef production: achieving a top herd through careful veld management
Father-and-son team Robert and Sanele Khumalo constantly strive to maximise carcass weight in their commercial beef production enterprise. But with heavy recent rains and ever more unpredictable weather patterns, this...
The Beefmaster: adaptable and hardy
Cows of this tough, dual-purpose breed from Texas are renowned for their strong maternal traits, their fertility and their easy calving. What’s more, the Beefmaster’s famous ‘Six Essentials’ guide simplifies...
High-priced Drakensbergers
Drakensberger bulls have fetched spectacular prices on auction over the past few years. In this article, we list some of the highest prices registered.
How Angus cattle add value to a fruit farm
The production of Angus cattle enables Western Cape farmer Gielie Geldenhuys to make use of land unsuitable for fruit or onion production. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his diversification...
Bonsmaras that set bank-breaking records
Due to their popularity, Bonsmaras have fetched high prices at auctions for many years. In this article, we list some of the highest prices achieved at sales.
Fertility and meat quality: the traits driving the growing demand for Brafords
What do you get when you cross a Brahman with a Hereford? You get the Braford: a fertile animal with amazing mothering abilities that has a long life expectancy and...
South Devon cows and heifers: the central pillar of stud efficiency
The Roets family of the Eastern Cape’s Barkly East district has been associated with South Devon cattle for approximately 90 years. Yet it was only in 2017 that PD Roets...
How to optimise beef cattle production
Optimisation of the environment is the single most important requirement for sustainable beef production, according to animal scientist Hennie Snyman. For that to happen, the implementation of precision farming principles...
‘FMD restrictions are late, but necessary’
Role players in the South African beef industry believe that, although they have come at a rather late stage in the game, the government-enforced restrictions on the movement of cattle...
The cattle most at risk from lion attacks
In a recent study, researchers at the University of Pretoria attempt to explain why some types of cattle may be more likely to serve as prey for lions.
Raise weaning weights through good nutrition and fertility
Top-quality heifers and well-balanced nutrition form two of the most important cornerstones of effective red meat production, writes Henco Leicester, technical manager at Telwiedre, an animal feed manufacturer, in Heilbron....
‘FMD still poses a major threat to SA livestock’
The spread of foot-and-mouth disease across South Africa will continue unrelentingly unless all industry players step up to the plate and do their part to control the disease as much...
How a top dairy farmer is mitigating high input costs
JK Basson is a three-time winner of the ARC’s National Master Dairyman of the Year Award. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how he manages to survive in an industry...
Your one-stop guide to BLUP breeding values
Frans Jordaan and Dr Ben Greyling of the Agricultural Research Council provide recommendations to help breeders apply good management and recording practices that can optimise their herds’ genetic evaluations.
The rise of the Bonsmara in South Africa
The Bonsmara, which was developed in South Africa from the 1930s, was bred specifically for African conditions, and is the most dominant beef cattle breed in the country today. It...
Maximising Brangus weaner growth with top-quality genetics
A successful commercial beef cattle enterprise is one that keeps cow mortalities to a minimum, while achieving maximum weaner growth. Rian van Wyk, who farms Brangus in Mpumalanga, spoke to...
Genetics-based guidelines to buying a bull at an auction
Frans Jordaan and Dr Ben Greyling, researchers at the Agricultural Research Council, write about the importance of choosing bulls based on breeding and performance indices, rather than their visual appearance.
Performance testing for the commercial farmer
Frans Jordaan and Dr Ben Greyling of the Agricultural Research Council write about the important role that performance testing plays in increasing a commercial herd’s fertility and profitability.
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