Cost-conscious farmer Mike Rennie aims to produce as much beef as possible per hectare off the natural sourveld on his farm near Kokstad in Kwazulu-Natal.
Like much of the rest of South Africa’s beef production regions, the Kokstad area in southern KwaZulu-Natal is dominated by sourveld grasslands. In the warm and wet summer months, this natural grazing, if managed correctly, can be highly productive and nutritious for livestock. During the cooler and drier winter months, however, the quantity and quality of sourveld decrease substantially. As a result, inadequately prepared commercial beef producers often struggle to keep their cows in best possible condition for feeding a suckling calf, especially when also nurturing a foetus.
Mike Rennie, who owns Palmiet farm, about 20km from Kokstad, runs a 500-head Brafordtype breeding female animal herd divided into five sub-herds.
Two of these are mature cow herds comprising 125 to 150 cows each, with one herd made up of animals showing more Brahman-type characteristics and the other displaying Hereford-type characteristics. The other three herds comprise first-calvers that are run separately, as well as a heifer herd.
In addition, a herd of last calvers is separated after pregnancy testing and weaning; they do not go back to the bull after raising their last calf.
Rennie increasingly uses Stockman software, which is being developed by his son, to manage the rotational grazing on Palmiet farm.
HYBRID VIGOUR
この記事は Farmer's Weekly の May 15, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Farmer's Weekly の May 15, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
