Home Animals Page 23

Animals

Animal farming covers livestock breeding, dairy, and meat production. Explore methods, challenges, and innovations shaping modern agriculture.

Bridles: ensuring the right fit

How to properly fit a bridle on your horse and donkey

Horses are much used in South Africa. Equestrian disciplines are popular, and both horses and donkeys are still utilised as working animals on farms and in townships. Despite this, many...
meatmaster sheep

Meatmasters: bred for tough conditions and good meat

Jean du Plessis refers to himself as a ‘bush breeder’, someone who selects with the eye and farms in harmony with his natural environment. Sabrina Dean visited him in the...
Shorthorn cows with calves

Reviving the South African Beef Shorthorn

Allistair and Laurence Brown, owners of the Duncraggan and Primeston Beef Shorthorn studs, produced the 2018 Agricultural Research Council National Special Performance Beef Shorthorn bull. Mike Burgess visited the brothers’...
sever swelling on horse's knee

Don’t take chances: call your vet!

If your horse has any physical injury, get your veterinarian to come out and examine it. Diagnosing an injury is not always as straightforward as it may seem, cautions Dr...
poultry farmer Asiphe Pentu

Young poultry farmer thrives despite setbacks

Asiphe Pentu started his small-scale broiler business with only R2 000 when he was just 17 years old and still at school. After five years, he has a well-run, 100-chicken...
fish tunnel

How to safeguard your fish against the cold

A severe drop in water temperature can kill tilapia fish stock in an aquaculture system, and a proper heating system is the only solution.

Indigenous crossbreeding improves cows’ longevity

Cow longevity is crucial to optimal productivity in beef cattle production, says Anette Theunissen, an animal scientist based at the Vaalharts Research Station.
pigs eating

Reduce antibiotic usage with these management tips

Rising concern over antibiotic resistance is forcing livestock producers across the world to change their production management practices. Dr John Patience explains to Glenneis Kriel how pig producers can benefit...
brangus-cattle

Reviving generations of Brangus genetics

Harrismith breeder Dr Elsie Campher’s Helpmekaar Brangus herd embodies generations of top-quality genetics. She says the stud, founded by her father, is a ‘priceless genetic treasure’.
Deer farming in New Zealand

Deer farming: a big export business in New Zealand

With large exports of deer venison and antler products worldwide, New Zealand deer farmers are at the top of their game. Gerhard Uys spoke to Bill Robinson of Raroa Red...
small-scale broiler operation

How to make a living running a small-scale broiler operation

Necessity inspired Anneke Loock of Bloemfontein to start earning a living from a small-scale poultry business. The lessons learnt on her journey to success will prove useful to anyone launching...
Abalone

West Coast abalone farm doubles in size, thanks to demand

Today, there are about a dozen abalone farms along the coastline between Port Nolloth and East London. One of the first to be established was Jacobsbaai Sea Products in the...
pig farming

How the pork market recovered from ‘listeria hysteria’

Pork producers lost millions of rand and hundreds of people lost their jobs due to the listeria hysteria last year. Johann Kotzé, CEO of the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation,...
The fry-rearing ponds at Lake Harvest, Kariba.

A tilapia model that SA should be emulating

Land ownership of the supply chain has enabled a number of countries to produce thousands of tons of tilapia annually. There is little reason why this cannot take place in...
sheep-eating-lucerne

Self-made farmer shares his success story

The story of Cornel Landman shows what can be achieved through good business sense and sheer determination. He told Glenneis Kriel about his farming enterprise, which grew from humble beginnings.
roan-antelope

SA hunting poised for growth

Arthur Rudman, veteran game rancher and member of the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa and Wildlife Ranching South Africa, speaks to Roelof Bezuidenhout about the future of the hunting...
Horse stung by a wasp

Watch out for wasps in the stable

These aggressive insects can cause painful stings in humans and horses. Dr Mac provides some useful tips on treating your horse if it gets stung.
free-range ducks

Free-range duck farming in KZN: Why less is more

Duck meat is a high-value niche product in South Africa. KwaZulu-Natal farmer Vanessa Collocott supplies this market with certified free-range ducks, and has combined shrewd business sense with compassion in...
Boer goats

Intensive Boer goat farming: Good money, endless demand

Free State Boer goat farmer Mariaan Grobler says intensive production is a viable option as there are never enough goats available to meet demand. Sabrina Dean visited her on her...

Working equitation: a new equestrian discipline in SA

The skills learnt in working equitation teach riders and horses the basics of competition, as well as how to sort out cattle in the veld on horseback, says Dr Mac.
Send this to a friend