FAST FACTS
New technology enables farmers to monitor cattle feeding behaviour and select animals with the best feed conversion rate.
Green fertilisers can drastically reduce a farmer’s carbon footprint.
The strong move towards veganism in Europe has prompted Danish researchers to develop tastier plant-based protein products.
Danish researchers have developed a wide variety of products and technologies aimed at assisting that country’s farmers, and by extension, those across the globe, to lower their carbon footprints and employ more environmentally friendly production practices.
MEASURING FEED AND MILK OUTPUT
A large percentage of any dairy farmer’s variable costs are feed-related, and in Denmark the portion is as high as 88%. Any saving in feed or improvement in feed efficiency therefore goes a long way towards increasing profits.
Genetics play a major role in feed conversion. Selecting the best-performing animals, however, is easier said than done. VikingGenetics, a co-operative owned by 20 000 dairy and beef farmers in Denmark, Sweden and Finland, has therefore developed technology to make the process of selection simpler and more accurate.
The co-op’s cattle feed intake (CFIT) system uses 3D cameras and artificial intelligence to monitor the feed intake of each cow during lactation. A camera, placed above the feeding table, identifies a cow through her unique colour pattern and shape, estimates her weight, and quantifies how much she eats.
Esta historia es de la edición September 02,2022 de Farmer's Weekly.
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Esta historia es de la edición September 02,2022 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.
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IPM requires a completely different mindset
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Bacterial and fungal diseases of garlic
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Technology that can help protect South Africa's farms
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The impact of theft on farms in South Africa
A high number of livestock are being stolen every year in South Africa. Insurance is expensive and farmers are battling to find solutions to the problem, says Dr Lindie von Maltitz, agricultural economics lecturer in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State.
Staying afloat amid the cost-price squeeze
John Hudson, head of agriculture at Nedbank Commercial Banking, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the importance of environmental and social sustainability for a prosperous agriculture sector.
Free State has no reason to mark Transport Month
Free State Agriculture (FSA) is very concerned about the extremely poor state of rural paved and gravel roads in the province and has very little, if anything, to celebrate during Transport Month, which takes place every October.
SA's food system ‘vulnerable to climate change'
The Just Transition Agenda for Food System Policymaking in SA webinar, hosted by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) in October, highlighted the role that South Africa’s food system plays in contributing to climate change and how vulnerable it is to the impact thereof.
