CATEGORIES

Growing Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts attract their fair share of pests. Here’s how to identify and control the important species.

Droughtmaster: the ticket to breeding more uniform calves

Now semi-retired from farming, Adriaan Odendaal of Villiers in the Free State is able to devote most of his time to the improvement of his almost 10-year old Rocky Droughtmaster stud. With the use of a new breeding method, he is confident that he will achieve his goal of breeding a uniform herd that is true to type within a few short years. Denene Erasmus reports.

Embryo flushing: a sure way to accelerate genetic progress

To stay ahead of their competitors in the breeding game, livestock farmers have to continually improve the genetics of their animals. Nollie and Pieter Stofberg, owners of Platdrif Sussex Stud in the Western Cape, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how they make use of embryo flushing to achieve this goal.

Growing Brussels sprouts: Part 2

Irrigation, fertilization, and weed control all play a crucial role in the success of this crop. It’s also important to harvest at the right time when the heads are bright green, firm, and large enough.

Exploring the beauty of a small seaside town on SA's West Coast

Yzerfontein is home to stretches of beautiful fynbos. Atlantica, with its panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean, is the ideal place to stay while visiting this tranquil harbour town, says Brian Berkman.

Preventing and fighting veld fires

Fire protection associations play an integral part in managing fire risk during the dry winter season. Pieter Dempsey spoke to Johann Breytenbach, general manager of the Free State Umbrella Fire Protection Association, about the importance of these organisations and how they can grow their capacity and capability.

New feed waste solution for dairy farmers

The UK-based agriculture solutions company, JF Hudson, has designed a first for the dairy industry: an attachment that can help to greatly reduce feed wastage in dairy sheds and save farmers money.

Training a yearling

Your horse doesn’t have to be a racehorse to follow the training programme employed for starting Thoroughbred yearlings, says Dr Mac.

Complying With SA's Demanding Labour Laws

Western Cape pome fruit producer Steven Versfeld earlier this year became the first farmer to achieve platinum status with no non-compliances from the Sustainability Initiative of South Africa for his workforce management. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about this accomplishment.

Breeding Chickens For The Show Ring

What started out as a hobby for Helene Roodt six years ago has since turned into a full-time and surprisingly intricate and successful show chicken breeding business. Annelie Coleman visited Roodt to find out more about her enterprise.

Zondo Commission: a line in the sand, or not?

The Zondo Commission, South Africa’s ambitious project to unravel the networks of state capture in the country, is wrapping up its work. Theo Venter, an independent political and policy specialist and lecturer at the North-West University Business School, takes a look at some of the achievements of the commission thus far, and how its work may influence the future of the country.

Mohair price up 75% year-on-year

The 99% sales clearance achieved at the first winter season sale of mohair was a good indication of healthy demand for mohair. There were 88 723kg on offer.

Market access initiative for beef farmers launched

A new livestock initiative is set to provide a platform for the formal selling and buying of cattle for Eastern Cape beef cattle producers. This was according to Roelie van Reenen, supply chain executive at the Beefmaster Group.

Dexter cattle are ideal for experiments

This article explored how Dexters, being the low-maintenance and inherently docile cattle they are, were ideal material for animal scientists operating in certain fields of research.

Area planted to wheat in England up by 28%, but canola production down

The area planted to wheat in England alone for the current harvest has increased 28% from 2020 to 1,62 million hectares. This was according to the provisional results of the UK’s agriculture ministry’s latest survey.

Dealing With Abortions In Sheep And Goats

Abortions and deaths of newborn sheep and goats reduce lambing and kidding percentages, and hence your profits.

Breeding Natural Enemies To Control Pests

Limpopo insectary Insectec was founded to develop a secure and steady supply of biological pest control solutions for producers of a variety of fruit and vegetable crops. Magda du Toit reports.

Dealing With The ‘Orphan Disease'

Neurocysticercosis, caused by a tapeworm that cycles between humans and pigs, is a leading source of serious neurological disorders such as seizures in people living in certain rural settings, writes Roelof Bezuidenhout.

What You Should Know About Mosquitoes

Not all mosquitoes are created equal, say Shüné Oliver and Jaishree Raman of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases of South Africa. However, people should be sure to protect themselves when visiting regions known for mosquito-transmitted diseases.

Increasing Your Nut Crop: Diversity Is Key

When choosing a macadamia nut variety to plant, farmers could be tempted to stick with one variety throughout the farm to make management easier. However, diversity is key to obtaining a superior nut crop, as cross-pollination between varieties can lead to a yield increase. Lindi Botha reports.

Chief Kama: the Christian collaborator

The Ann Shaw Mission Church in the Eastern Cape’s former Ciskei is known in Xhosa as KwaKama (Kama’s place) in reference to the nearby grave of the 19th century Xhosa chief William Kama. Mike Burgess tells the story of this devout Christian and controversial collaborator with the British.

Feed conversion testing brings greater profits

More meat per herd per year is the golden thread that runs through a profitable cattle enterprise, and genetics play a crucial role in the herd’s advancement. While DNA testing is useful for genetic selection, it can’t determine feed conversion rates. This is where Phase D performance testing comes in. Lindi Botha reports.

How SA farmers can benefit from Israeli tech

Israeli technology in agricultural production can be hugely useful to South African farmers. These technologies range from decreasing water usage to improving propagation. Wouter Kriel and Susan Marais report.

Riding with hounds

Training your dog and horse to accept each other is vitally important for them to co-exist and work together on the farm, says Dr Mac.

Growing onions: Part 10

Keep an eye on the potassium, nitrogen and zinc levels of your crop to ensure optimal yield, says Bill Kerr.

Chicken diseases: Part 2

Newcastle disease is very serious. However, you can prevent it by vaccinating your chickens and using good management practices.

A rooftop hops farm in the city

Hops are traditionally grown in the Western Cape, but on a rooftop in Johannesburg, Khaya Maloney has shown it is possible to grow hops in the city using a hydroponic system. Pieter Dempsey reports.

A Winning Combination Of Yellow Hybrids

Grant Pringle, product agronomist at Pannar Seed, says choosing the right cultivar is one of the most important decisions a farmer makes every year. That is why Pannar provides farmers with a variety of high-performing hybrid platforms to choose from.

Basics Of Hoof Health Management In Cattle

Hoof health is essential for a beef or dairy cattle herd to perform optimally, and nutrition and good hoof care should form part of any animal health programme. Pieter Dempsey spoke to animal health experts Gert van Zyl, Dr Klaas-Jan Leeuw and Dr Magdaleen Wepener about common problems faced in hoof health.

Invest wisely to weather wildlife industry storms

The local wildlife ranching industry has had its share of ups and downs over the past few years, and drought, a boom-bust cycle and COVID-19 have seen many farmers exit the sector. Lindi Botha spoke to Limpopo rancher Jaco Sullivan about the resilience and sound business decisions that have kept his family in the game.