World News – 28 March 2008

More mulesed wool trouble for the AussiesThe Australian wool industry is beginning to panic as it faces the threat of losing its markets in...

Global warming good for mohair?

Last year’s Mohair SA delegation TO the Far East has reported on the industry there, where the weak Japanese yen, non-rising personal spending and high wool prices have forced manufacturers to substitute polyester in their traditionally mohair blends. An

Coordinate predator management

Anyone who uses controls on predators – including hunters and landowners – should be accredited to a conservation authority, says Prof HO de Waal of the African Large Predator Research Unit (ALPRU) at the Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Scien

Mohair looks good

In line with forecasts, the latest mohair sale saw a major upward swing in the fine young goat and the long, fine summer kid component of the clip, said Pierre van der Vyver, general manager of mohair at Cape Mohair and Wool (CMW).
Issue date: 28 March

Land Bank gets new board; Land Affairs new DG

and and agriculture minister Lulama Xingwana has announced the names of the new Land Bank board, paving the way for the appointment of a new CEO expected to turn the ailing institution’s fortunes around.
Issue date: 28 March 2008

Good to put positive pressure on municipalities – TAU SA

Farmers in Swartruggens, North West, are seriously considering withholding payment of their municipal rates, due to services not rendered and depositing the money into a trust fund instead, that will be paid over to the local municipality when the problem

Classification of agri land unclear

Agricultural land has come under serious threat, due to the lack of laws concerning its classification and protection. “There’s much confusion about what’s classified as agricultural land and what isn’t, and this can result in agricultural land being so

Farmers spend R52 million on development

A snap survey conducted by Agri SA’s Commodity Chamber has found that organised agriculture spent R52,4 million on farmer development projects in 2006/07 – up from R11,5 million in 2002/03. Agri SA, and by implication its affiliates, are often accused of

Succulents: the Euphorbia

South Africa is rich in a variety of succulents totalling half of the succulents found worldwide. Aloes are probably most commonly known, but Euphorbias are fascinating in their own right.
Issue date: 28 March 2008

Designed to foil centre-pivot crime

The theft of cables and control systems from centre-pivot irrigation is a serious problem for irrigation farmers. The total economic impact could be many millions of rand a year, especially considering loss of production and damage to crops. D igital Supe

Using nitrogen to get a uniform stand

When all things are in place, Nitrogen is the variable which we use to regulate growth and fruiting to suit the variety, type of tomato and conditions. Too many farmers like to calculate their fertiliser programme in advance and include nitrogen.

townie shaken not stirred

The scantily clad waitress sauntered up to me and Jan and asked in her most seductive voice, ï¿½Can I take your drinks order, gentlemen?ï¿½ ï¿½Iï¿½ll have a dry martini ï¿½ shaken not stirred,ï¿½ I said in true James Bond style. ï¿½ Jan said, ï¿½Iï¿½ll have a Klipdrift met

Lamb rib casserole

Lamb ribs, usually served covered in sticky glaze after 10 minutes of scorching on a smoky braai, lend themselves superbly to a dense, flavoursome, meaty casserole. Boiling up a kilogram of meat and potatoes is no big deal, which is why this is called a casserole and not a stew. A casserole is a big deal, especially when thereï¿½s a mystery ingredient that rockets this combo of lamb and vegetables into the stratosphere.
Issue date: 28 March 2008

A new challenge

IN THE PAST, RACING PIGEONS HAVE been referred to as the poor manï¿½s race horses. Today they are an expensive hobby. A superior racing pigeon can cost more than the average price of a horse and in Gauteng, the combined winning stakes during a single racing

Going back to employment basics

ï¿½Other than producing something that sells, your most important decision is who to employ, because they can make or break you.ï¿½

Kalahari Red goats & optimal land use

A relative newcomer to stud breeding, Zelda Brits had to learn fast. Chris Nel visited her and her husband Attie on their Bronkhorstspruit smallholding to hear about the challenges facing a women breeder building a successful 210-ewe stud on 8,5ha.

What is thrush?

If your horse has become reluctant to move forward and you can see no visible cause, he could be suffering from thrush. This is an infection found in the grooves on either side of the frog in the hoof.
Issue date: 28 March 2008

Advice for a new minister

The key to success in the agriculture and land affairs hot seat is to partner farmers and agri unions and focus on turning individual small-scale operations commercial.
Issue date: 28 March 2008

Changing the jackalï¿½s diet

Increasing numbers of small stock are prey to the black-backed jackal, posing a serious threat to small-stock farmers. Two scientists found the reintroduction of larger predators changes the jackalï¿½s role as superior predator and forces this omnivore to

Brids of war

In Pretoria it was an important day on the racing-pigeon calendar. Two days previously, hundreds of pigeons had been dispatched by train to the distant Karoo hamlet of Fraserburg, known today as Leeu-Gamka. They were to be released that morning at 7am for

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