How to Livestock

Castration stops a bull calf’s testicles working so that it can’t reproduce, and also prevents the production of male hormones.

How to identify and treat diarrhoea in animals.

If you know what to look for, you can treat sick chickens, prevent diseases from spreading in your flock and select healthy chickens when buying new ones.

Dehorned cattle are easier to work with, house and transport. The chance of bad bruising is lessened, as is the danger of injury to udders, flanks and eyes, as well as to labourers working with the animals.

Preventing disease requires good management and a programme for vaccination, deworming and dipping, explains Peter Mashala.

Breeding in a beef herd can take place all year, or in a short breeding season. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Use the best one for your needs.

Proper management of goats is very important because they can cover a large area in a day searching for food. They are also intelligent and can get through fences and into other people's yards and vegetable gardens, creating problems between you and your neighbours.

To provide eggs for your family, start off small by keeping about 12 layer hens, and then start your own small business. You can grow as your resources grow and you gain experience.

Farming with pigs on a small scale can be economically viable, but invest in proper infrastructure and good feed from the start. It's not easy to farm with pigs, but the industry offers a lot of support to emerging farmers.

Fertile, good-quality sheep are key to better production, healthy lambs and high-quality meat. Since one ram mates with up to 40 ewes in a season, and its genetics make up half of the lamb flock, a good ram is very important. Buy the best ram you can afford, from a reputable breeder that you trust.