Johan van der Schyff (36) had always wanted to farm, and needed little invitation to join his father, Johan Sr, on the family farm after completing school.
“I grew up on a maize and layer farm near Ventersdorp, but we moved to Plettenberg Bay in 1994 after my father had to sell the farm for health reasons. He had over 40 years’ experience, so I knew that having him as my mentor would be my best bet on becoming a successful farmer,” Van der Schyff recalls.
Johan Sr bought a smallholding near Plettenberg Bay as a property investment after moving there, but Van der Schyff’s desire to farm presented an opportunity to use the land more lucratively. The father-and-son team, therefore, started using all their free time to develop and build a layer facility.
“Helping to build the layer houses from the foundation up means that I know where every pipe and cable on the farm has been laid. This is a great benefit when there are breakages, we run into infrastructure problems, or want to expand the business,” says Van der Schyff.
BIG AND BIGGER
The business started out with six-layer houses with a capacity of 18 000 birds each, and opened with 100 000 birds in 2000 while Johan was still in matric. He joined the business full-time the year thereafter. Since then, another three houses have been added to the premises, bringing the farm’s capacity to 220 000 birds.
To further diversify risk and improve economies of scale, the Van der Schyffs expanded production to Humansdorp in 2006, starting out with four houses with a capacity of 18 000 birds each. Another seven houses were added later, bringing the total production of this plant to 250 000 birds.
Esta historia es de la edición February 07, 2020 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición February 07, 2020 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry's humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country's avocado production.
Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
