CATEGORIES

Mini-infrared Camera System Promises Better Irrigation

A new camera system that combines a regular digital camera with a miniature infrared camera could provide a cost-effective way to monitor crop temperatures and help irrigate crops.

Free State Breeders Use Strict Selection To Produce Top Bulls

Dr Enslin Coetzee and Issie Liebenberg, the owners of the ZEC Angus stud, breed for efficiency and functionality. They produced the bull Match, which took top honours at the Interbreed Bull Growth Test Class 2019 at the Bloem Show. Annelie Coleman reports.

Don't Let Ascaris Eat Up Your Profits

These small intestinal roundworms can easily infect pigs, resulting in weight loss, breathing difficulties, liver damage and other serious problems.

Fat Kills Dogs Too

40years ago As dogs get older, they tend to gain weight, and excess weight is your dog’s greatest enemy, according to this article.

Advanced Production Practices Gaining Ground

In response to ever-more consumers demanding ethically produced food, Butt Farming, a large commercial pig operation in KwaZulu-Natal, is incorporating improved animal welfare practices into its processes while maximising productivity. Lloyd Phillips spoke to Stephen Butt.

'Court Judgments Generate More Questions Than Answers'

Organised agriculture, as well as a land rights organisation, have raised questions about two recent court judgments on land reform.

Rewards And Pitfalls Of Communal Wool Production

Volumes of formally marketed communal wool in the Eastern Cape have increased from 222 610kg in the 1997/1998 season to more than five million kilograms in 2017/2018. Mike Burgess spoke to communal wool farmer Xolisa Bomela about the ups and downs of sheep farming in the Ntseshe region of the former Transkei.

Igloos In The Great Karoo

When trekboers entered the treeless Great Karoo in the early 1800s, they built dome-shaped houses out of stone. Some survive to this day. Mike Burgess explores these remarkable homes.

Growing Daisies For Seed

31 YEARS AGO One of South Africa’s favourite wild veld flowers, the Namaqualand daisy, can be a valuable alternative winter crop for smallholders and farmers if the flowers are used for seed production.

Getting Water To Your Crop

Hydroponic operations can be run with one of several irrigation systems. This article examines micro-tubing, drip irrigation and gravitational flow.

FMD: We're Paying The Cost Of Complacency

The chances of South Africa suffering future foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks are high. Without the implementation of better management and control measures, including a traceability system, the red meat industry will continue to be at risk of suffering huge losses.

Feed And Water Requirements For Horses

You need to plan your horse’s diet during the dry months to prevent digestion issues, says Dr Mac.

Earthworms Make Light Work Of Soil Regeneration

With sugar cane being a perennial crop that is ploughed out and replanted only after a number of years, the soil in which it grows can suffer as a result of monocropping. KwaZulu-Natal sugar cane farmer Chloe Clegg has engaged earthworms to improve the health, productivity and sustainability of the soil on her family farm. Lloyd Phillips visited her operation near Harding.

CITES Votes To End Removal Of Elephants From The Wild

A vote was recently passed to end the movement of live African elephants from nature to captivity at the 18th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Agriculture A Vital Part Of The Solution To Land Degradation

The world’s drylands are becoming hotter and drier. Expanding commercial agriculture and investing in sustainable land management practices are two ways in which governments can mitigate this form of land degradation, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Trade War: No Pain, No Gain

The trade war between the US and China has hit many industries. Meat and grains are amongst them, with supply of these commodities high and prices at a low. Lindi Botha spoke to Robert Preska and Jack Shao, executive members of the US Meat Export Federation, about the situation.

The Crucial Nitrogen-humus Link

Humus contains approximately 10% nitrogen, and thus acts as a storage facility in the soil for this element.

Ronderib Afrikaner

One of the larger breeds of indigenous sheep, the Ronderib Afrikaner does well in arid to semidesert grassland.

Understand Cattle Behaviour To Achieve Low-stress Handling

Stress in cattle can cause these animals and their handlers numerous problems, and ultimately lose money for the cattle farming business. Dr Johan Cloete, a ruminant technical veterinarian with MSD Animal Health, says it is essential for handlers to understand cattle behaviour in order to achieve reduced stress.

Try Honey For Money

30YEARS AGO While beekeeping can be a lucrative hobby or occupation, it is a difficult and time-consuming venture.

SA Exports Its First Major Consignment Of Gold Kiwi Fruit

South Africa’s gold kiwi fruit production sector, which is only 10 years old, recently concluded its first-ever major exporting season.

Running Two Engines

Escalating production and marketing regulations will hit smaller farmers the hardest, warns Roelof Bezuidenhout. Are you ready to meet these challenges?

Maize Production Faces Uncertain, Volatile Future

The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) recently presented its South African Baseline Agricultural Outlook for the period 2019 to 2028, which provides a comprehensive summary of the agriculture sector and its projected growth over the next decade.

Informal Beef Herd Is ‘SA's Largest Uncounted Agri Asset'

The demand for beef will grow 23% over the next decade, according to the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP).

Dealing With The Data Produced By Precision Farming

Erik de Vries, a director at precision farming consultancy Agri Technovation, says the number and diversity of data points generated by precision agriculture technologies require capable central platforms to allow the information to add value to farming businesses.

Global Malnutrition Due To 'Trend To Eat Less Meat'

The majority of consumers worldwide suffer from malnutrition due to a trend to eat less meat.

Bigger, Better Nampo Cape

After the success of the inaugural Nampo Cape in 2018, Grain SA says it’s preparing for an even more impressive show at Bredasdorp this year. Denene Erasmus and Jeandré van der Walt report.

Award-winning Goat's Cheese From Clarens

After teaching herself cheesemaking, Estee van Aswegen entered her Baris cheeses at the South African Dairy Championships and won top of class.

Weakness Of Willing-Seller, Willing-Buyer Principle

The willing-seller, willingbuyer principle has been blamed for delays and other failings in South Africa’s land reform programme. Veteran attorney and land matters expert, Bertus van der Merwe, says this is a fallacy, and that government ineffectiveness is largely to blame for these problems.

Agri Equipment On Tap, Online

The cost of farm machinery is a major challenge for small-scale and commercial farmers. Nick Hoffman, general manager at Linebooker, and Jehiel Oliver, creator of Hello Tractor, explain how new digital platforms are being used to source equipment with ease.