Turning young bulls into productive herd sires

All beef cattle producers want their young bulls to develop into productive sires, but for this to happen, they need to manage these animals carefully. Annelie Coleman spoke to livestock nutrition specialist Dr Francois van de Vyver about how to achieve this.

Where to for finance without the Land Bank?

The dire financial state of the Land Bank has left many commercial and emerging farmers without a credit line. Glenneis Kriel explores a number of alternative financing solutions to fill this gap.

Saffron: harvesting ‘red gold' in the Karoo

Bennie Engelbrecht is breaking new ground for saffron production in South Africa through his company Saffricon. He spoke to Wouter Kriel about his journey so far and his plans for the future.

How to ‘pony' a horse

Leading one horse while riding another is a useful skill that can be hard to learn, says Dr Mac.

How to start farming with R1 million

Is it possible to start a farming operation in South Africa in 2021 for less than R1 million? A number of experts discussed the start-up potential of layers, broilers, pigs, vegetables and lucerne with Susan Marais.

Growing papayas: Part 5

This article focuses on the post-planting care of papayas, and covers fertilisation, watering, dealing with suckers, and other requirements.

Belarus tractors now in South Africa

A range of Belarus tractors from Eastern Europe will soon be introduced in Southern and East Africa, after the Eastern European country concluded a distribution deal with a local company.

Beet cyst eelworm: Part 3

You can utilise the breeding and feeding habits of the beet cyst eelworm to help you control the pest effectively, says Bill Kerr.

Ailing infrastructure: a threat to SA agriculture

Agriculture has been one of very few lights glowing in South Africa’s economic gloom: the sector has managed to grow where most others have declined. However, the grim reality of crumbling transport and water infrastructure is endangering its future. Lindi Botha reports.

Agriculture: a viable option for mining towns

Buyambo Mantashe, business development manager at Agri Enterprises, argues that creating more diverse economies in mining towns through agricultural development can ensure that these towns remain economically active, even when the mines close down.

Queen of the veld

Two well-known cattle breeders from Limpopo advised other farmers not to overlook the Nguni, as this article revealed.

A new answer to SA's high demand for red cattle

The demand for red cattle has always been high in South Africa. To enter this market and offer breeders an alternative to the traditional options, the Du Plessis family, who owns the Brandwater farming business, managed to establish one of the country’s most successful Droughtmaster studs. Chris du Plessis spoke to Denene Erasmus.

Beet cyst eelworm

While the nematodes themselves may not be visible in the early days of infestation, the crop will show signs of patchy growth and water stress, says Bill Kerr. Keep a sharp lookout if the pest occurs in the area.

Improving honeybee forage management

Certain areas in South Africa face a shortfall of honeybees for the pollination of crops, particularly fruit. According to Tlou Masehela, a scientist at the South African National Biodiversity Institute, there is an urgent need to increase forage resources in order to boost honeybee farming in the country.

Tips for dipping sheep

Sheep need to be dipped to prevent the spread of lice, scab and other economically important ectoparasites.

Growing papayas

Young papaya plants are ready to be planted out in the open when they are about 200mm tall, measured from the base of the stem to the growing point. It is important that they be planted upright.

SA Veterinary Council committed to change

According to Dr Alfred Tlolo Kgasi, president of the South African Veterinary Council, the transformation of the veterinary profession is a priority. Annelie Coleman reports.

Pasture varieties and their potential in SA

Summer-planted pastures can boost a farmer’s profits by keeping animal production high. Renowned grazing specialist Prof Chris Dannhauser says there is a variety of these crops to choose from and, as Susan Marais found out, many can also be used in winter in the form of hay, foggage and silage.

Cutting-edge crop-spraying drones for Africa

Unitrans Africa has recently purchased seven Chinese-made DJI T30 Agras drones, which the company will use to provide crops praying services to farmers in a number of African countries.

Robot boosts blueberry picking efficiencies

Agritech company Arci technologies is in the process of developing South Africa’s first semi-autonomous agricultural robot. three of the company’s founders spoke to Glenneis Kriel about their machine.

Sheep farmer creates her own work and success

Emily Kok, a Karoo sheep farmer and winner of several carcass competitions, spoke to Wouter Kriel about the challenges of communal farming on government-owned land, and how she is overcoming them.

Apple Packout Rate: Size Means Everything

The Zulch family of Wakkerstroom farm won the prize for the highest average income per hectare of apples in the 2020 Ceres Fruit Grower Awards. Fourie Zulch spoke to Glenneis Kriel about this accomplishment.

How good management aids soya bean health

Plant health is one of the key contributors to high yields and good profits, and soya bean is no exception. Magda du Toit spoke to a number of experts about how to achieve these goals through sound management.

General anaesthesia

There are several reasons why your horse may need surgery under a general anaesthetic. Here is what to expect before, during and after the anaesthetising process, says Dr Mac.

Farming profitably on leased land

Richard Mashinini runs a flourishing commercial farm in the Free State. He spoke to Annelie Coleman about his education and the people who helped him succeed, and the uncertainty of farming on rented land.

‘Politicking, corruption has led to ruined roads'

The systemic problems in the Free State government’s Department of Police, Roads and Transport is of such an extent that any turnaround strategy would take a long time.

Building a reputation in the SA beef industry

Extensive veld tests by the Bosveld Santa Gertrudis Study Group have made a valuable contribution to establishing the breed’s reputation amongst other beef cattle in South Africa. .

Carbon credits: grain farmers have much to gain

the carbon landscape is changing quickly as grain farmers realise the value that lies in building carbon in their soils. but how can farmers best utilise their land to gain maximum financial value? Lindi Botha spoke to expert Dr Hendrik Smith.

Social protection for sustainable food systems

Social protection programmes to help farmers become more resilient aren’t just safety nets, but can help them make investments and meaningfully engage in markets, says the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.

Potato volumes fall on the back of poor weather

Adverse weather conditions, in particular heavy rain and frost in parts of South Africa, have resulted in lower volumes of potatoes on fresh produce markets, and a resultant increase in prices.