Caxton Magazines
Why colostrum is important
A calf must drink from its mother as soon as possible during the
first 12 hours of its life.
Coconut meringue tarts
Frankly, the last thing a fatty like myself should be doing is baking little coconut meringue tarts. But there comes a time in the affairs of beginner cooks when the desire to deviate from yet another braai or casserole is just too strong to ignore…
Community opts for a sustainable livelihood
The Onverwacht community, with support from Food and Trees for Africa, an international NGO, has opted for a more sustainable solution than RDP housing to improve their lives. Peter Mashala reports.
Goats: good management = good money
If you understand the needs of your goats and enjoy working with them, you’ll earn more from an average quality flock than a bad manager will from a top-class flock, says Roelof Bezuidenhout.
How to start farming high-value game species
Wildlife managers need experience and ability to succeed in this exciting, growing business.
Zulu resort upgrade
I got a call from Phangisile in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, a previous client of mine, for whom I’d designed a Zulu-themed resort.
Skeletal dysfunction in horses
Equine chiropractic can help with the diagnosis and prevention of skeletal dysfunction, says Kim Dyson.
It’s time to remedy injustices to South Africa’s ‘first nations’
Their forefathers were the first to step on South African soil, and their modern-day descendants are finally being compensated for the land they were dispossessed of, says Raymond Trollip, leader of KwaZulu-Natal’s diverse Khoi and San descendants.
Is Eskom doing enough to save the Cape Vulture?
Mike Burgess reports on how man’s energy hunger could spell doom of one of our most iconic bird species – the Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres) – despite attempts to lessen the threat.
Agri equipment – big bucks vs better value
Every year, Nampo sees the prices of agricultural equipment climbing steeply, which makes South African-manufactured products that much more attractive. Joe Spencer reports.
Your cucurbits will get viruses
Apart from powdery mildew (discussed in last week’s column), viruses are the next challenge that almost every cucurbit grower will face at some stage.
Constructive criticism
Last week, I wrote about trust between the producer and the market agent, focusing particularly on the role of the producer.
Don’t be tricked by pronkgras
Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum, or pronkgras in Afrikaans) can trick landowners into assuming that it is a relative of indigenous blue buffalo grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and therefore valuable as a grazing plant.
Wupperthal rooibos farmers co-operate for a better future
Rooibos has been grown in Wupperthal in the Western Cape for almost 200 years. Recently, the small industry has become more profitable, thanks to a co-operative formed to gain Fairtrade certification.
Beating drought with the help of resurrection plants
If molecular biologist Prof Jill Farrant is successful, farmers could soon have access to cultivars that can withstand one
or even two months of extreme drought.
Dormer sheep breed: Origin and history
The Dormer, one of the most popular mutton sheep breeds in SA today, has an interesting history.
Adding Dormers to a Merino operation
Well-known Merino stud breeder Eddie Prinsloo has diversified into Dormer sheep and is getting excellent results with this dual-purpose breed.
Packaging – make the right choices
Packaging choices could spell success or failure in the agriculture sector, especially for exports. This is according to Ralph von Veh, MD of the corrugated division of leading paper and packaging company Mpact. Robyn Joubert reports.
Afasa calls for a separate agri youth fund
Existing financing models aimed at rural youth development in agriculture, were ineffective and not serving the needs of the youth.
R30 000 fine for animal cruelty
A Groot Marico farmer has been fined R30 000 for neglecting to feed a herd of 600 cattle.
