Animals

There are massive dams and reservoirs in South Africa that are ideal for cage culture, yet are not used for this purpose. What a waste of this marvellous resource!

Your vet may not be able to respond immediately to an emergency. That means it’s up to you to help your horse as best you can. Fortunately, there’s plenty you can do, says Dr Mac.

The Sid Knott Red and Black Angus studs in the Eastern Cape were founded on top genetics sourced from the US and New Zealand. Over the years, their progeny have been bred to thrive in South Africa’s harsh conditions. Mike Burgess visited the family farm, Wolseley Estate, to speak to the stud’s founder, Sid Knott.

Sandy Speedy is regarded as one of the pioneers of holistic beef cattle production in South Africa. Annelie Coleman visited him and his daughter, Jennifer, on their cattle ranch between Vryburg and Kuruman to learn more about their ‘wagon wheel’ grazing system.

Inflammation of the tendon sheath in the fetlock region can cause severe lameness in a horse, says Dr Mac.

Brackish water can be put to good use in the cultivation of tilapia. Despite being primarily a freshwater species, tilapia are salt-tolerant and actually thrive in saline conditions.

Brothers Barrie and Gielie van Zyl, South Devon stud breeders from Windsorton in the Northern Cape, are also commercial cattle producers. They spoke to Annelie Coleman about Johstep stud’s tough, veld-reared South Devons.

A decade of intense research and development in New Zealand, involving geneticists, food technologists and more than 50 farmers, has led to a new breed of lamb that is claimed to offer improved health benefits, while retaining excellent flavour.

Summer may mean more time to spend with your horse, but it’s also the season for sweet itch, mange and ringworm, cautions Kim Dyson.

On paper, many aquaculture systems look appealing, but are they suited to South Africa’s challenging conditions?

The dual-purpose Pelham bit is used for showing, eventing and jumping and is highly effective for controlling children’s ponies, says Dr Mac.

Inaccurate feeding practices and poorly formulated diets in dairy herds can lead to subacute rumen acidosis, and result in decreased milk yields, higher than normal cull rates and profit losses for producers. Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO) CEO and specialist vet, Dr Chris van Dijk, and dairy feed specialist, Kenneth Botha, spell out the causes and cures to Gerhard Uys.

In 2013, Farmer’s Weekly reported on the Bergplaas Merino Stud in the Eastern Cape. Gavin Isted recently paid the farm another visit in recognition of its 80th anniversary, and to see what progress the award-winning stud has made over the past few years.

Clara Bruwer, a Charolais stud breeder from Vryburg, is convinced that technology is the optimal way to provide the best possible gene base for her clients. She spoke to Annelie Coleman about her success with in vitro fertilisation, and why she chose to breed Charolais over other cattle breeds.

A Pretoria-based teenager is running a successful aquaponics farm, and doing so with expertise and foresight.

A slow dribble of urine in a mare, gelding or stallion can have one of several causes, and could point to a serious medical condition. It requires immediate investigation, warns Dr Mac.

Breeding cows form the mainstay of the beef industry, according to animal scientist, Danie Bosman. Speaking at a Drakensberger information day in Potchefstroom, he said that the ideal breeding cow successfully raises a calf every year. In the first article of this two-part series, he addresses the selection criteria for a successful beef breeding cow.

Eager to hear the clatter of little hooves? Kim Dyson discusses the basics of putting your mare in foal.

Because of their scale, these systems have very limited yields. Choosing a complex, small system will not increase yield; it will only increase cost!

Almost 20 years ago, Chris Webb introduced Borans to his crossbreeding programme on the 1 500ha farm, Tharfield, in the Eastern Cape.