SA’s ostrich industry gets serious about animal welfare
South Africa’s ostrich industry unveiled its Ostrich Production Standard in 2021, and 85% of farms are currently participating in the programme. Dr Adriaan Olivier, industry veterinarian at the South African...
Hardy, dual-purpose Dexters make sound business sense
Twenty years ago, Gauteng livestock producer Kobus van der Linde bought a handful of Dexter cattle as a hobby for his children. Today, Van der Linde’s 100-head Lundi Dexter stud...
Read this before buying a bull for your beef herd!
Sechaba Majola, a researcher in the Animal Unit at the University of the Free State, gives advice to small-scale beef cattle farmers on how to buy a quality bull and...
Drakensberger cattle: ‘An all-rounder like no other’
Drakensberger cattle pulled the Voortrekkers’ wagons on their epic journeys to South Africa’s inland regions in the 19th century. Susan Marais visited Petrus Taljaard of Talman Drakensbergers in Mpumalanga to...
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...
Should you start handling foals early?
When is the right time to begin training a foal? Some trainers believe you should start when the animal is old enough to be ridden, says Dr Mac.
From mining to breeding award-winning White Dorper sheep
Faced with the grim reality of retrenchment, Larry Snyders refused to give in to despair. Instead, he poured all his energy into his sideline business, a small White Dorper stud....
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...
Great pork, good profits – thanks to top genetics
Growing demand for lean pork and a more muscled carcass, plus the need to run an efficient, productive operation, have put ever-greater pressure on pig farmers. Superior genetics remain the...
Treating upper airway collapse
Surgery is commonly used to treat upper airway collapse in racehorses, but new breathing exercises using masks may prove better, says Dr Mac.
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...
Cost-saving tips for horse owners
Prices are skyrocketing in South Africa, so it’s worth keeping a monthly budget to make timely decisions on cost-cutting, says Dr Mac.
Limpopo hatchery goes to the next level
Although Clive Tigere obtained a university degree in statistics, he turned his back on an office job and returned to Louis Trichardt in Limpopo to start a hatchery. He explained...
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...
Change feed, change behaviour!
Starches and fibrous feed influence the composition of gut bacteria as well as the behaviour of a horse, says Dr Mac.
Letelle sheep: profitable and resilient
The Letelle is a proudly South African dual-purpose sheep, but despite its exceptional qualities, it remains one of the most underestimated sheep breeds in the country. Theo Oosthuizen, who breeds...
Focus shifts from zinc to gut health for robust pigs
Increasing pressure against the use of zinc oxide in pig herds has left farmers concerned about whether an alternative will be as effective at controlling disease and maintaining animal health....
Ostriches prove their worth in harsh drought
While earnings from ostrich production have declined following the fresh meat export ban caused by the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak, the birds remain a valuable income contributor. Glenneis Kriel...
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.
Listening to your horse’s gut
A veterinary examination of a horse should always include listening to its intestinal sounds. However, the owner can do this too, says Dr Mac.
