Animals

Indigenous Veld Goat breeder Erik de Witt is following his dream of preserving indigenous livestock breeds. Sabrina Dean visited him and learnt that with innovative marketing, it is also possible to make handsome returns on these unique animals.

Linden Hewson owns the 2017 Farmer’s Weekly/ARC National Best Elite Sussex cow. This achievement is significant, as the Grey Maclean Stud near East London has been kraaled every night since 2002 to keep the animals safe.

Breeding beef cattle for greater efficiency and sustained profit is both a science and an art, says Arlington farmer Llewellyn Angus.

Reduced vision at night and a reluctance to enter dark stables in the daytime may be associated with night blindness, says Dr Mac.

Although Van Aardt Greyling from the farm Ricksuhill near Lady Grey in the Eastern Cape is better known for his SA Mutton Merinos, his Beefpower Braford Stud is nevertheless home to the 2017 ARC National Best Elite Braford Cow.

While the Nile tilapia is the fastest grower, it is easier to obtain a permit for the slower-growing Mozambique tilapia.

Dr Fambies van Biljon, veterinarian at Sovereign Foods, talks to Glenneis Kriel about the crucial need to establish a well-run biosecurity programme at a poultry production facility.

The size of an operation counts less than dedication, persistence, insight and quality genetics. Operating on a modestly-sized parcel of land minutes from suburban Pretoria, the performance of Hans Franck’s Macarara Simmentaler Stud is proof of this.

As a rule, you should avoid tying off the umbilical cord after birth. However, if very heavy bleeding occurs, it’s time to act, advises Dr Mac.

The popularity of colour variants such as the golden wildebeest and black impala skyrocketed in the South African game market in 2000, and their prices reflected this. Fourteen years later, these prices dropped just as precipitously. Dr Flippie Cloete, head of Terratek at Suidwes Landbou, takes a look at the drivers that influence the price movements of colour variants.

Alwyn Viljoen is the production manager of Zaytoon Farms, which is situated on the outskirts of Mbombela and is the only supplier of fresh chicken to the region’s supermarkets. Despite being a small operation, it maintains profitability.

Johan and Danita de Swardt, who became farmers after retiring from corporate careers, ensure profitably by supplying value-added beef directly to their clients. Chris Nel visited them on their farm, Damplaas, near Paul Roux in the eastern Free State.

About 2% of foals are unable to expel the meconium within the first 24 hours after birth, warns Dr Mac.

The production of trout remains a heated topic between conservationists and aquaculturists.

Multi-award-winning Limousin stud breeder John Devonport says that a simple and practical approach makes business sense when breeding top cattle.

In the US, Soft-Ride boots are often used to make a horse more comfortable on a hard floor, such as in a stable or a horsebox. South African owners should consider using them too, says Dr Mac.

Many experts have the theoretical knowledge, but fail to put themselves in the shoes of the rural, small-scale fish farmer.

Free State dairy farmer Mick Quin has managed to grow his business by more than 800% at a time when many inland producers are struggling to survive. His secret, as Sabrina Dean discovered, is active and precise pasture management.

Certain horse breeds have an inborn ability to separate a cow from a herd, a trait that makes them a valuable partner on a farm, says Dr Mac.

In the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve in southern Mozambique, the local community are included in conservation efforts: they closely monitor turtles and fish catches, and ensure that poaching is kept to a minimum. It’s a conservation success story, supported by the Peace Parks Foundation and implemented Africa-style.