Breeding seasons in summer rainfall areas
The following guidelines and recommendations for cattle breeding seasons are applicable to a summer rainfall region and should be adapted accordingly for a winter rainfall region.
Stress in cattle
As part of an animal’s stress response, its body releases cortisol, a hormone that provides energy to help the animal escape the stressor. If the stress persists, however, the animal’s...
Are top-priced genetics really worth it?
Logic seems to dictate that some livestock producers must suffer buyer’s remorse after purchasing an animal for an eye-watering price. Glenneis Kriel asked a few farmers whether their record-breaking acquisitions...
Beat the heat! How to care for livestock in extreme weather
South Africa’s increasingly common heatwave conditions pose a major threat to the country’s farmed cattle, sheep and goats, which often feed and live outdoors. Lloyd Phillips spoke to a number...
The importance of having a breeding season
Optimal reproductive performance is crucial to the success of a beef cattle enterprise. A defined breeding season can help to achieve this.
Proper planning: the key ingredient for quality stored fodder
To maximise kilograms of meat or wool produced per hectare, it is crucial to maintain a farm’s carrying capacity during winter. This invariably means producing high-quality stored fodder, and making...
The basics of the Bapedi breed
These fat-tailed sheep, which are smaller than average, are kept for meat. They appear in various combinations of white, brown, red and black.
Biosecurity measures on an animal farm
With the increasing spread of infectious diseases, biosecurity needs to be taken seriously on every livestock farm.
When performance fails to live up to breeding values
Discrepancies between estimated breeding values and livestock performance have led some farmers to doubt the accuracy of these values. They are, in fact, excellent indicators, but animals may not be...
Rebuilding a livestock enterprise after a drought
In this article, Dr Louis du Pisani, national manager for production advice and development at the National Wool Growers’ Association, explains how to carry out post-drought recovery and reconstruction of...
The basics of foot-and-mouth disease
Foot-and-mouth disease has drastically reduced South Africa beef exports, as importing countries buy animals and animal by-products only from FMD-free countries.
