Farming Basics

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

Drought seems to have become a permanent part of Southern Africa’s weather patterns, but many farmers are still caught unaware, and suffer accordingly.

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.

Based on his extensive experience in representing mostly KwaZulu-Natal landowners in labour tenancy claims lodged against them, attorney Rob McCarthy of McCarthy and Associates believes the process is inherently biased in favour of claimants. He speaks to Lloyd Phillips about this challenge, and gives landowners advice on how best to fight false labour tenancy claims.

Fickle power supply and ever-increasing tariffs are spurring South Africa’s agriculture sector to look at alternative sources of electricity. Jacobus Treurnich, the land rights manager of G7 Renewable Energies, spoke to Jeandré van der Walt about wind farms and the opportunities that farmers will have to rent out their land for wind-generated power.

There are many signs that both the supply and quality of water in South Africa are likely to decrease. This poses a host of challenges for the country’s farmers.

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

To be truly effective, biosecurity has to be part of the farm’s ‘culture’, so that every employee and visitor is motivated to adhere to the procedures.

Investing in an end-to-end employee health, risk and well-being solution can result in considerable savings for the employer, while ensuring that valued staff members are retained.

A farm can only produce according to its potential and what’s invested in it, says Roelof Bezuidenhout.

Gaps in insurance cover can be addressed by structured risk financing policies that allow for the funding of risks not feasibly covered by traditional policies.

In most developing countries, salmonella is a major cause of illness and death in children under the age of five, warns Zimbini Mdlulwa, a researcher at the Agricultural Research Council.

It is the role of a skilled financial planner to identify potential financial risks that clients are faced with, and provide tailor-made solutions to mitigate its financial impact on the client. This article proposes an unlikely solution to a common, yet often forgotten, risk: ill-health and non-specific absence from duty, and how the use of a power of attorney may protect businesses in these situations.

Diseases can result in huge financial losses for a livestock farmer. Any potential problems should therefore be treated as soon as possible.

Succession planning is a process that occurs over time, which ultimately involves the transfer of the farm business assets. It depends on the needs and wishes of the owner.

Achieving optimal yields is greatly dependent on providing crops with the right nutrition at the right time. Understanding the role of fertilisers and ensuring the correct application can make the difference between profit and loss.

Development in a natural area should maintain the integrity of the environment and never compromise the proper functioning of the ecosystem within the landscape.

Rabbits are inexpensive to keep and produce high- quality protein. They can also be housed in a small space, making them ideal for the small-scale farmer.

The watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) originated in Africa, where tribes in arid areas used it as an emergency water source.