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Farming Basics

Farmer’s Weekly brings you the latest updates on farming basics in the agricultural industry.

Why colostrum is important

A calf must drink from its mother as soon as possible during the first 12 hours of its life.
Good management = good money

Goats: good management = good money

If you understand the needs of your goats and enjoy working with them, you’ll earn more from an average quality flock than a bad manager will from a top-class flock, says Roelof Bezuidenhout.

Don’t be tricked by pronkgras

Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum, or pronkgras in Afrikaans) can trick landowners into assuming that it is a relative of indigenous blue buffalo grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and therefore valuable as a grazing plant.
Chicks in a brooder.

How to start your own poultry business

New opportunities to generate a sustainable income are opening up in SA’s poultry industry.

Dealing with powdery mildew

Unless a cucurbit variety has genetic resistance to powdery mildew, you will have to deal with this fungal disease at some stage.

Classing mohair 2

Roelof Bezuidenhout focuses on the importance of the micron in Angora hair and how to shear and grade.

Know your pests: Aphids

All aphids share the same basic body structure. They are small and soft-bodied with a tear-drop shape and sucking mouthparts. Their success is in part due to the prolific asexual reproduction capability of some species.

Know your crop pests

In the coming months, entomologist Paul Donovan will explain how to identify crop pests and suggest various measures to control them.

Classing mohair 1

Roelof Bezuidenhout takes us through the preparation of the clip.

Look after your wind pump

A wind pump is expensive, but is one of the most neglected pieces of farm equipment, says Roelof Bezuidenhout.
Managing heifers and first-calvers

Managing heifers and first-calvers

It’s expensive to grow out heifers until they calve for the first time. It pays to invest in the heifer group, says the ARC’s Leslie Bergh.

Farming hydroponically – part 3

Hydroponics is a popular way to grow vegetables because of the high quality of the produce and efficient water use. If you use a greenhouse, you can supply vegetables out of season when the price is good.
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