The horse passport explained
This legal document helps to simplify equestrian sport and ensure greater protection for horses, explains Dr Mac.
Colostrum: it’s about quality and quantity
It is crucial that a foal gets enough good quality colostrum, and harvesting can be a practical solution, says Dr Mac.
Sheep milk cheese – a quality niche product
Sheep milk is far richer in fat, protein and minerals than milk from cows or goats, and thus makes excellent cheese. While in the Netherlands, Jacques Claassen visited a dairy...
SA aquaculture comes of age
Late to the game, South African fish farms are beginning to offer tasty, well-presented products that are attracting more and more consumers.
An exclusive game hotel for high-value guests
An innovative idea for a ‘game hotel’ has boosted the profitability of Willem and Calla van Niekerk’s game farming enterprise, eliminating the need for production credit. Annelie Coleman visited their...
An additive for healthier intestines
Remove sand from the bowel and so prevent later problems, says Kim Dyson.
Managing feed and breeding in replacement females
Heifers, first-calvers, maiden ewes and first-lambers need to be managed properly to reduce risk in terms of productivity versus production costs. Dr Francois van de Vyver, livestock nutritionist with Voermol...
KwaZulu-Natal dairy farmers’ success challenges
KZN can become SA’s leading dairy supplier, but industry challenges must first be addressed.
Why colostrum is so important for a foal
The first fluid suckled by a foal significantly reduces the risk of disease, says Dr Mac.
Challenges impeding poultry sector growth
Inadequate and slow service delivery, tight regulations, increased imports and high feed costs are contributing to an increasingly sluggish poultry industry in KwaZulu-Natal. Despite this, opportunities do exist.
Simple, proven technology for fish farming
There is much to be said for the reliability of proven filter designs, as opposed to newer ones where reliance on fragile, complicated technology could result in toxic water with...
Livestock Disease Trends – March 2015
February, March and April are the peak months for insect- and tick-transmitted diseases. The unavailability of the blue tongue vaccine resulted in serious losses to smallstock farmers and everything should...
Moxidectin dewormer for horses – watch that dosage!
With its long residual effect, moxidectin dewormer is a useful treatment for encysted small strongyles and all stages of brown stomach worm in horses. But it can be toxic if...
Rigorous selection is the key to success
For Moorreesburg Merino stud breeder Johann Kotze, careful selection based on performance testing, BLUP values and strict visual selection of wool and conformation traits are all essential for a successful...
How bergafat benefits horses
Fat is a superb source of energy without the harmful side-effects of other energy sources, says Kim Dyson. And the ideal form to feed it to your horse is bergafat...
Know your tilapia species
There are many factors to consider when selecting a tilapia species. Here, in a nutshell, are the main advantages and disadvantages of each one.
Producing free-range eggs in KZN
Felicity Vonmoos is meeting consumers’ demands for humane egg production.
The value of instant green feed as livestock fodder
Germinated grain produced in a closed system is a highly nutritious fodder, but factors such as the high cost of production and the high moisture content may make it uneconomical,...
How to fit an exercise bandage on a horse
It is designed to protect, but can cause injury if applied incorrectly, says Dr Mac.
Successful switch to beef stud breeding
A burgeoning warthog population indirectly benefited smallstock predators on James Faber’s farm in the Northern Cape. The problem was so severe that he converted his farming operation from sheep and...
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