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Dr Baty Dungu believes South Africa should take lessons from countries that have been using stockpiles for years to ensure adequate vaccine supplies before outbreaks occur.

Thanks to a financial boost from various public and private entities, the Majeje Citrus company will be able to fully participate in one of South Africa’s most important agricultural industries within the next five years.

Drakensberger cattle pulled the Voortrekkers’ wagons on their epic journeys to South Africa’s inland regions in the 19th century. Susan Marais visited Petrus Taljaard of Talman Drakensbergers in Mpumalanga to find out more about his love for this breed, and how he deals with cattle diseases and the area’s harsh winters.

When is the right time to begin training a foal? Some trainers believe you should start when the animal is old enough to be ridden, says Dr Mac.

Justin Platt, founder and managing director of agricultural technical services companies Zylem and RegenZ, says that farmers don’t need more knowledge, but rather better ‘knowing’.

The secret to success in any organisation is almost invariably quality management. Finding the right people and developing these skills in yourself and your staff is priority number one, says Peter Hughes.

The UN’s Conference of the Parties (COP27) ran from 6 to 18 November and was held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. On the agenda, as always, was climate change.

Mastitis can be devastating to a dairy’s profitability. Dr Chantelle Erwee, technical manager of ruminants at Zoetis, describes strategies that a farmer can implement to prevent cows from developing the condition.

Dr WJ Botha of the Biosystematics Division attached to the Agricultural Research Council’s Plant Health and Protection Research Institute explains why Streptomyces bacteria are an ideal alternative to chemical fertilisers and growth promoters.

Community-owned Springfontein Dairy has grown from a small concern with 150 cows to a commercial enterprise with more than four times as many animals and a higher milk yield than the regional average. On a media trip hosted by Nestlé, Glenneis Kriel spoke to the people who have played a role in the farm’s success.

The Drakensberger has a centuries-old history, and was initially bred for pulling wagons and ploughs. However, it has since evolved into an efficient meat-producing animal.

Given the complexities facing the agriculture sector, it seems that the road ahead will be impossible to navigate without both the financial support and expertise of banking institutions and financiers, writes Nedbank’s Zhann Meyer.