Profiting from indigenous livestock
John Schenk and Fiona Lees are focused on the timber industry near Hogsback, but started a part-time agricultural venture near Elliot in 2004. Despite committing to Nguni cattle, their willingness...
Green water fish culture: the perfect alternative
Green water culture provides a highly nutritious ‘soup’ of feed for fish stock, promoting faster growth. It also cuts out the high cost of artificial feed.
Top female entrepreneur’s passion for training new farmers
Piggery owner Zodwa Thwala, winner of the 2017 Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Best Female Entrepreneur Award, says that her love for teaching motivated her to add farmer...
Precision breeding with extensively farmed Merinos
Stefan Erasmus, the 2017 Toyota/AgriSA Eastern Cape Young Farmer, has boosted his Merino weaning rate more than 30% by lambing in a closed system. Mike Burgess visited him near Middelburg...
‘Is my horse bay or brown in colour?’
Knowing the difference is important to breeders, as the genetics are not the same, although the colours may appear similar, says Dr Mac.
Chicken housing – get the basics right!
At a recent poultry production course hosted by the Agricultural Research Council and presented by Paulus Sape and July Mahlangu. Gerhard Uys learnt about some of the basic principles of...
Theft ruining the hopes of aquaculture in Africa
Small-scale aquaculture will never succeed if producers are forced to finance heavy-security fencing for their ponds.
Breeding Bonsmaras for versatility and profit
With Bonsmaras having been bred for decades in South Africa for local conditions, the standards for this beef breed are firmly established. One Free State farming family is building on...
How stride length influences your horse’s jump
Jumping to win means you have to feel each stride as you ride and know when to shorten or lengthen it, says Dr Mac.
The indigenous Kolbroek pig – a South African success story
South Africa’s indigenous Kolbroek breed is ideal for contributing to food security in rural areas, according to Wessel Pistorius, a Kolbroek breeder near Magaliesburg. The modern animal, bred from a...
Controlling worms in horses
Experience over the past two years has demonstrated the value of monitoring egg counts in manure. This is key to planning an effective worm control programme, says Dr Mac.
Know your Tilapia strains
Nile tilapia has become the species of choice for global commercial aquaculture after years of selective breeding.
Herefords in Namibia: 100 years of genetic improvement
Since the first Herefords arrived in Namibia in 1918, the breed has steadily adapted to the harsh realities of beef production in the country. A century later they have emerged...
Eastern Cape’s world-class student Angora stud
The Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute (GADI) Student Angora Stud is accustomed to accolades; it produced, for example, the South African Champion Ram at the 2009 International Mohair Summit in Graaff-Reinet....
Opening a gate from horseback
It’s convenient to be able to open farm gates without dismounting. Here’s how to teach your horse the trick. Be prepared, though, to invest a bit of time and patience,...
Sustainability in pasture-based dairy farming
One of the questions modern farmers face is whether they can farm in an environmentally sustainable, yet profitable, way. Craig Galloway provided the answer in his PhD thesis on the...
Small-scale piggery success in the Western Cape
With her tiny 10-sow piggery, Western Cape pig producer Augusta Thomas lacks economy of scale. But despite this, she is making a reasonable living. She spoke to Glenneis Kriel about...
Breeding record-breaking Mutton Merinos
Henning Vorster sold a SA Mutton Merino ram for a South African record price of R110 000 at the National Sale in Bloemfontein in 2017. To find out why farmers...
Aquaponics: how to get plumper, healthier fish
If you want to grow plants and decent-sized fish, the first step is to get rid of those plastic circular bins.
What is African horse sickness?
The severity of African horse sickness (AHS) is strongly linked to the immunity status of the horse concerned, and the dose of the virus it receives from biting midges.
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