Animals

If we want our dairy cows to produce more and better milk, we need to understand how they synthesise milk in the first place.

Don't pussyfoot around with stud cattle - to be effective in the commercial market, they must be managed as commercial animals, with the ultimate test being performance. So says stud breeder John Burgers of the Victory Brangus Stud. Annelie Coleman visited him on his Wakkerstroom farm to find out more about his approach.

Brian Stewart, owner of The Duck Lady, shares his tips and secrets for profitable duck farming.

Within two seasons, and without warning, the Eastern Cape's free-ranging kudu numbers have shifted from 'too many' to 'too few'. Roelof Bezuidenhout speculates on what could've gone wrong.

For 50 years sheepdogs have proven themselves indispensable workers on many livestock farms. But for KwaZulu-Natal farming sisters Ragni Pretorius and Ingrid Fricke, Border Collies are absolutely critical in managing their Dohne Merino flock.

The showing of racing pigeons is like an avian beauty pageant - a celebration of external qualities based on textbook prescription, writes.

James Moore is an ambassador for the sport of pigeon racing – and his pigeons have consistently done well in competitions, writes Thomas Smit.

Breeders are quietly optimistic that they can develop a modern animal for the profitable sheep-fat market, while Persians are increasingly being used to breed fat and fertility back into Dorpers, writes Roelof Bezuidenhout.

With a sport horse, the performance of the animal is critical to its success and to this end, it's essential to make sure the saddle is chosen carefully, says Dr Mac.

Living legends in the pigeon racing fraternity, twins Bob and Eddie Gibbs have decided to retire from the sport at the age of 84. Thomas Smit reviews their remarkable careers.

Not all races are won by the sprinters, which can be knocked out of the running by adverse weather conditions.

Locally bred Letelle sheep are known to be economically balanced, hardy animals that are well adapted to South Africa's sometimes harsh environment.

Black, brown, bay, chestnut, palomino - horses come in several colours. Except white. Dr Mac explains why.

The key to successful pigeon racing lies in good pigeon health, which you won't achieve if pigeon housing is poor. Thomas Smit presents a beginner's guide to building an effective racing pigeon loft.

Food proteins that can't be broken down by microbes are passed down to the duodenum and digested enzymatically. Malcolm Stewart-Burger examines these undegradable proteins and how they are absorbed.

Summer brings flies and diseases to your stables. Kim Dyson gives some advice on how to protect your horse against the other critters and ailments the warm weather brings.

By the time Riekert Erasmus could walk, he was picking up tips on how to break in horses from his father. At 16, he was taming and training wild horses for pocket money.

A livestock farmer, plagued by stock theft, turned to feeding sprouting grain in a feedlot to protect his sheep. And his trial has yielded some impressive results. Robyn Joubert reports.

The richest one-loft race in the world, the Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race is more than just another pigeon race. It's an institution that tests your skill as a breeder and the consistency of your pigeons, writes Thomas Smit.

Knowing how soft tissue injuries occur will help you alleviate your horse's pain and speed up the healing process, writes Kim Dyson.