Caxton Magazines
New plan for animal recording proposed
SA Stud Book tabled a new plan in parliament that proposes to integrate and improve animal recording and genetic evaluation in South Africa.
SA’s subtropical fruit production does country proud
South Africa Is now firmly established as a player in international avocado, mango, and litchi markets, it emerged at the Subtropical Fruits Growers Association (SFGA's) annual marketing symposium, held in Tzaneen.
Drought, strong rand sour Illovo Sugar’s financials
Africa's biggest sugar company, Illovo Sugar, has reported disappointing earnings for its financial year ending 30 September 2010.
Fine wool up, medium down
The South African wool market tracked the cheaper Australian market at the latest sale, but good quality fine wool types (16 microns to 17,5 microns) performed well, closing 2% up. Prices for 18 microns to 19 microns were steady, but 20 microns to 24 microns showed the largest drop by 2% to 3%. Prices of combing lox and seed contaminated wool also came under pressure, according to BKB's Basie Claassen.
Drought mapping gets thumbs down
Meetings at Adelaide and Steytlerville indicate that farmers in the Eastern Cape are unhappy with the way satellite images are used to interpret drought conditions and earmark farms for emergency drought relief.
Many farmers pay less than minimum wage
More than a third of black and white commercial farmers in South Africa pay their workers less than the minimum wage, according to new labour minister Mildred Oliphant.
Maize surplus remains unchanged
South Africa's maize SURPLUS remains at 4 million tons, according to Grain SA chairperson Neels Ferreira. The November crop estimate by the Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) put the size of the commercial maize crop for the 2009/10 season 228 000t, or 1,8%, higher than the final crop production figure of 12,815 million tons.
Hold on to your Clover shares
Clover is South Africa's largest milk processor, processing 650 million litres of milk a year. But with the company due to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), producers will have to resist the temptation to cash in their shares during times of financial strain if they want to maintain a controlling stake in Clover.
MPs support Onderstepoort’s appeal for government funding
Onderstepoort Biological Products(OBP) desperately needs state funding to upgrade its infrastructure and equipment that was acquired back in 1968.
SA rural safety plan accepted in principle
GOVERMENT'S NATIONAL RURAL safety plan has been accepted in principle by the authorities, but there are two issues that need to be finalised, said Agri SA safety and security chairperson Andre Botha.
Don’t eat the seed!
Commercial farmer Johannes Fourie and his farmworkers, from Groblershoop in the Northern Cape, have proven that successful BEE farming is possible in South Africa. The Sanddraai Arbeidsgenot BEE farming project came into being in 2002 and has gone from strength to strength, producing grapes, pecan nuts and lucerne. Willem Block, one of the directors, says it’s all due to prayer, cooperation, communication and strict financial discipline.
Consumer class action against bread cartel to go ahead, despite setback
The parties seeking to take action against Tiger Brands, Pioneer Foods and Premier Foods for bread price fixing have vowed to go ahead with the suit, despite the Cape High Court's recent dismissal of their application to formally certify the claim as a "consumer class action".
Farmworker HIV infection rates shock
DA Shadow Minister of agriculture Lourie Bosman said he's shocked by the fact that more than half of the farmworkers in Limpopo and Mpumalanga are HIV positive after an International Organisation for Migration (IOM) study found that farmworkers in these provinces have the highest HIV prevalence among any working population in southern Africa.
Why there’s no such thing as a white horse.
Black, brown, bay, chestnut, palomino - horses come in several colours. Except white. Dr Mac explains why.
Why markets remain important
The late Peter Venter captured the essence of fresh-produce markets when he said, "When a country needs to import most of its fresh produce, then it doesn't require markets to establish prices, as these will have been done by the importers and wholesalers who bought the fresh produce across the borders.
No more backyard shacks
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.
Soil pH – the cure for clubroot in cabbages
Clubroot really is a revolting disease -that's literally the reaction of any farmer who pulls out a sickly-looking plant and sees what the root system looks like. Clubroot is also destructive enough to wipe out a crop.
Revitalising local chicory
Imported, inferior-quality chicory has severly hurt local production. Almost half South Africa's producers left the industry in the last few years, causing a huge drop in production. But Chicory SA's Loddie Greyling believes the industry can be saved. Lourens Schoeman spoke to him.
Absorption of undegradable proteins
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.
Drowning in muck
The Vaal River used to be one of Abre' J Steyn's favourite fishing spots as a young boy. Back then it was a pristine river brimming with life. But like the Oliphants River, one of the most heavily polluted rivers on the continent, the Vaal is on a slippery downward slope, with mining as its biggest problem.
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