How to Livestock

The sweet thorn tree has been appearing in increasing numbers. Yet this ‘invader’ should be welcomed by farmers, as it provides year-round feed and shelter, writes Roelof Bezuidenhout.

This article examines how to breed and feed chickens properly, as well as how to maintain good hygiene in order to keep the birds healthy and productive.

This indigenous fat-rumped meat breed does well in arid semi-desert, savanna bushveld and coastal spekboom veld. The lambs mature early.

Keeping sheep and cattle in top shape requires careful management and a balancing act between eliminating vectors and avoiding resistance build-up to medication. Lindi Botha spoke to veterinarian and MD...

This sexually transmitted disease could be the reason your lamb crop is smaller than expected. Roelof Bezuidenhout offers advice on prevention.

Chickens must be provided with a warm, dry sleeping area, and plenty of fresh, clean water.

A vaccine against wireworm has become a vital tool in helping to control the disease and thereby reduce contamination of pasture by the eggs of the parasite.

The Boer goat, which is bred primarily for meat, is farmed very effectively in combination with cattle due to its browsing ability and its limited impact on the grass cover.

This locally developed, dual-purpose meat and white wool breed thrives in semi-arid regions.

This breed matures early, producing meat with a high ratio of lean meat to fat. This makes it an attractive proposition to the modern consumer.

Ngunis have excellent breeding potential, renowned resistance to tick-borne livestock diseases, and outstanding maternal ability. But feedlots often offer unattractive prices for them. Crossbreeding may solve the problem.

The Kalahari Red breed has a fine head, lob ears, round horns that are bent backwards, and tender meat.