Caxton Magazines
Getting Holsteins to live longer
Genetic progress has increased SA Holstein cows' milk production by more than 17% to about 9 308â„“ per lactation over the past 10 years. But the longevity issue is preventing farmers from realising the full potential of these "supercows". Glenneis Erasmus reports.
Issue date: 30 May 2008
Issue date: 30 May 2008
SA can take on Chile’s fruit market
Chile has become a major competitor in the deciduous-fruit market. But with the weakening rand and modern data-flow technology, the South African industry could have a competitive edge on it. Industry experts Dr Mohammed Karaan and Stefan Conradie spoke to Wouter Kriel.
Issue date: 30 May 2008
Issue date: 30 May 2008
Blueberries: white elephant or BEE goldmine?
George farmers fear Blue Mountain Berries (above), a giant empowerment farm with 70ha under netting, will end up like nearby Groothoek (right), a prolific vegetable producer which collapsed after being taken over by a workers' co-op - and the taxpayer will have to foot the bailout bill.Stephan Hofstätter investigates.
Issue date : 30 May 2008
Issue date : 30 May 2008
World-class vegetable varieties
International trade fair Fruit Logistica has bestowed innovation awards on two new tomato varieties, and one re-packaged cucumber. Robyn Joubert reports.
30 May 2008
30 May 2008
Mycotoxin alert for rural SA
SA's subsistence-farmed grain may be prone to dangerous levels of aflatoxin and fumonisin. A "farm to fork" health check is urgently needed. Roelof Bezuidenhout spoke to Edson Ncube.
Issue date: 30 May 2008
Issue date: 30 May 2008
A word of caution for vulture “restaurateurs”
Veterinary PHARMACEUTICALS EXPERTS have cautioned vulture "restaurant" operators against putting out animal carcasses recently treated with veterinary medicines for vultures to feed on.
SA farmer teaches the US about poor man’s lucerne
A LOCAL sheep farmer has been unofficially dubbed the world's greatest authority on managing Sericea lespedeza, or poor man's lucerne. ???Hendrik from Cedarville in KwaZulu-Natal recently returned from a trip to the US where he shared his Sericea lespedeza management experiences with farmers and scientists alike.
Sansor congress `08
The South African National Seed Organisation (Sansor) recently held their annual congress, aimed at addressing the need for alternatives to commercial grass and forage species. These are some of the topics the speakers addressed.
British milk farmers more positive
DairyCo, the UK organisation that replaced the Milk Development Council, found a marked positive change in the mood of British dairy farmers. In response...
Training day for wine workers
In a bid to maintain the quality of service in the wine industry, Wine Training South Africa will present a one-day training course for wine farmworkers in Stellenbosch at the Landbougenootskap offices on 18 July.
Issue date : 30 May 2008
Issue date : 30 May 2008
DWAF still mum on water-price justification
Forestry SA (FSA) and the DEPARTMENT of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) are still at loggerheads over a decision to increase water prices for the country's forestry sector by 6,4% for the 2008/09 year.
Ezemvelo auction produces excellent results
The R12 061 600 recently achieved at the annual Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Game Auction was an excellent result, which clearly demonstrated buyers' faith in the quality of the provincial conservation organisation's game, as well as the professional manner in which it's captured and handled by Ezemvelo's Game Capture Unit.
Zimbabwean farm invaders let animals starve
Two of Zimbabwe's National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' (ZNSPCA) inspectors have been deployed to camp on the farm Friedawell near Chinhoyi, about 100km north of Harare.
Will labels change perceptions about GMOs?
The debate about genetically modified (GM) foods continues. In South Africa, where we have been producing GM food commercially for 10 years and have about 60% of arable land planted to crops, two concerns still remain - labelling and health.
Expropriation Bill to be steamrolled into law by end June?
The feeling IN organised AGRICULTURE, as well as other concerned public groups, is that the regulations in the Expropriation Bill will be steamrolled into law by the end of June.
Issue date: 30 May 2008
Issue date: 30 May 2008
Cosatu’s race card blunder
Cosatu has come out guns blazing after a shooting which led to the death of one burglar and the injury of another, labelling it as a "racist murder".
Issue date : 30 May 2008
Issue date : 30 May 2008
Gladiolus- the winter rainfall species
Gladioli occur naturally in South Africa in most soil types and on most topographies. Of the 165 local species 110 occur in the winter rainfall region, writes Cameron McMaster.
Issue date: 23 May 2008
Issue date: 23 May 2008
Spicing up chicken in record time
The BASCKIN grilling machine is nothing more than a cast-iron grilling pan to which I've fitted a stainless steel lid from one of my frying pans.
Issue date: 23 May 2008
Issue date: 23 May 2008
Working cowhorses in feedlots
It is quite surprising to see horses on a modern feedlot - in between the mechanised feeders and computerised feed mixers and tractors with radio-controlled trailers.
Issue date: 23 May 2008
Issue date: 23 May 2008
townie at butt-end
Of all the vocations I could have chosen in my youth, becoming a vet was never one of them. Science and biology weren't my strong points at school. Come to think of it, neither were maths, geography or history.
Issue date: 23 May 2008
Issue date: 23 May 2008
