A more profitable way of running livestock
Breeding is not always the best way to make money in livestock farming. You might profit more by buying young animals and rounding them off.
What you need to know about better cow management
Rest and nutrition are both key to ensuring conception, good health and maximum profit.
Cattle branding: how to get it right every time
If branding is carried out poorly, it can lead to infection, muscle damage, and brands that are difficult to read. Shane Brody explains how to ensure safe, effective branding.
Vaccinate your animals: it’ll pay you in the long run
Administering a vaccine to your animals will cost you money. But not vaccinating them will cost you much more.
Growing out and fattening cattle in a feedlot
Most cattle sold through abattoirs are feedlotted. This article looks at the basics of feedlotting and how an operator can increase profit margins.
Learn about beef BLUP basics
Producers use breeding values to determine the long-term value of certain animals to their herds.
Some bacterial and parasitical pig diseases to look out for
An overview of eperythrozoonosis, Clostridium perfringens Type C, ascariosis and Glasser’s disease.
How recording ewes reproduction boosts fertility
Recording the reproduction of your ewe flocks during each breeding season will help you identify potential fertility problems.
Dealing with abortions in sheep and goats
Enzootic abortion, brucellosis and other conditions can seriously reduce the lambing rate. It’s crucial to act swiftly to bring these diseases under control.
Dealing with liver fluke in cattle
Fasciolosis, also known as liver fluke, occurs throughout South Africa, can cause many problems in cattle.
Signs of a healthy dairy cow
To be profitable, a dairy herd must be in good shape. It’s therefore crucial to be able to recognise a healthy dairy cow, and know when things are not right.
Feeding cattle: learn the basics
When rounding off cattle for slaughter, you can either grow and mix feed on the farm or buy ready-mixed feed. If you have only a few animals, buying a mixed...
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Swartland jam factory turns rejected fruit into profit
A fruit-manufacturing business at Piket-Bo-Berg in the Western Cape has created a market for rejected produce by turning it into jam, chutney and similar products. Jeandré van der Walt spoke...
