Animals

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’.

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 Deer Stud.

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 a similar enterprise, says Sabrina Dean.

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 West Coast hamlet of Jacobsbaai. In the 24 years since it started farming abalone, the farm has produced an ever-greater number of these delicacies, and now exports millions annually.

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, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the crisis and how it has reshaped the industry.

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 South Africa.

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.

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 industry in this country and across the continent.

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.

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 her high-risk enterprise.

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 Free State farm to learn how she has fine-tuned her commercial operation to maximise production.

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.

Nkosemntu Nika, who farms in the Winterberg near Tarkastad in the Eastern Cape, is the first black Eastern Cape farmer to become a Brangus stud breeder. Mike Burgess spoke to him about his journey from farmworker’s son to the sale of his first ZK Brangus stud bull for R50 000 at the 2018 East Cape Brangus Sale.

Access to the latest information and the opportunuity to compare with peers are both crucial for the cattle breeder. This is what the Simmentaler/Simbra Hoogland Study Group aims to achieve for its members with its annual Young Bull Day.

Approximately 15 cichlid species occur in South Africa. To the untrained eye, several appear confusingly alike, especially as juveniles. So make sure you get the right tilapia species for your aquaculture enterprise!

After suffering the effects of a trichomoniasis outbreak in 2010, Afrikan Farms, winner of the ARC’s National Commercial Beef Producer of the Year award for 2018, decided to switch from running a mixed-breed cattle herd to a Beefmaster herd. Siyanda Sishuba reports

Three years ago, WA Hugo started farming dairy goats on 8ha just outside Lambert’s Bay. Today, he has a herd of 150 goats and produces various cheese products. Jeandré van der Walt visited him on his farm, Bettiesville, to learn more about the dos and don’ts of dairy goat farming.

Horses are prone to injury, and all horse owners or carers should therefore know how to clean and disinfect a wound, says Dr Mac.

Although she is a qualified engineer, Tracy Marobobo has traded her corporate suits for khaki and boots as she pursues her true passion in life: farming. Sabrina Dean recently visited her at the farm where she is working towards becoming a commercial Bonsmara cattle farmer.

The Highveld Horse Care Unit cares for neglected equines. Farryn Day of the unit says that a lack of education is the main reason for the mistreatment of these animals.