Business
Farmer's Weekly
Extra Care Goes A Long Way In Wagyu Breeding
The Wagyu beef breed is growing in popularity among consumers and producers, and for good reason. It offers high-quality, marbled meat, and farmers can benefit from a good return on investment. Veterinarian and stud owner Dr Anja Steinberg spoke to Lindi Botha about producing this valuable breed.
6 min |
March 26, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
The Impact Of The New Poultry Import Tariff
An increase in South Africa’s poultry tariff appears to have reduced imports, opening up opportunities for local producers to increase output. However, it has also contributed to an increase in the retail prices of poultry products. Thabile Nkunjana, an agricultural economist at the National Agricultural Marketing Council, explains.
4 min |
March 26, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Bringing Transparency To Crop Insurance
The Fourth Industrial Revolution can aid crop insurance, although the technology still has a long way to go to reach its full potential, according to Schalk Schultz of Santam Agriculture. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel.
5 min |
March 19, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
A Leader In Value-Added Salad Vegetables
Dew Crisp started out as a hydroponic farming operation near Johannesburg in the early 1980s and has since grown to become one of South Africa's leading producers of value-added salad products. Glenneis Kriel spoke to one of the company’s co-founders, Michael Kaplan, about the business's journey to success.
7 min |
March 26, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
A Holistic Approach To Controlling Nematodes
Roughly a third of the world’s agricultural soils are already degraded, and if more farmers do not urgently adopt more sustainable farming practices, 90% of soils could be degraded by 2050, leading to greater yield losses. a holistic approach to the control of plant-parasitic nematodes provides a good example of the type of production practices that farmers need to adopt to halt further soil degradation. Denene Erasmus reports.
5 min |
March 26, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Soil sampling basics
A soil sample should represent a homogeneous area where there are no visible soil differences.
1 min |
March 26, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
NSPCA urged to rejoin livestock welfare body
South Africa’s red meat industry has urged the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) to reconsider its decision to withdraw its membership from the country’s Livestock Welfare Coordinating Committee (LWCC).
2 min |
March 26, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Accommodation at one of the world's best hotels now at affordable prices
To alleviate the effects of COVID-19 on its operations, boutique hotel La Residence in Franschhoek is offering its suites at hugely discounted prices, making it affordable for more South Africans. Brian Berkman writes.
4 min |
March 26, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Controlling the leaf miner: Part 1
Leaf miners can cause damage to a variety of crops. Unfortunately, the chemicals used to control these pests may also kill beneficial insects that prey on the miners naturally, and at no cost! Bill Kerr explains.
2 min |
March 26, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Getting A Silage Maize Crop Into The Bunker Chop-Chop
In terms of its cost-benefit ratio, silage maize is arguably the best-value stored green feed for milk production systems in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. However, to maximize the nutritional quality and quantity of this crop, it is important to harvest and handle it at the correct time and in the correct way. Lloyd Phillips reports.
6 min |
March 12, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
A Zero-Emissions Wine Grape Harvest For Italian Vineyard
Italian wine producer Fontanafredda and engine manufacturer FPT Industrial are partnering to produce one of the first zero-carbon-footprint wine grape harvests in the world.
2 min |
March 12, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Limpopo farmer gives indigenous okra a boost
Part-time farmer Tsakani Mhlongo is the founder and owner of SwaTsakani Farming in Tzaneen, Limpopo, which produces vegetables such as okra, tomatoes and spinach, as well as broilers. She is determined, however, to turn her part-time operation into a full-time career.
5 min |
March 19, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Regenerative farming for livestock farmers
Faced with increasing financial and ecological pressure, livestock farmers have no other option but to become more sustainable and resilient. Fortunately, explains independent agricultural consultant Dr Louis du Pisani, the solution can be found in well-managed veld, which also contributes directly to the health of the earth.
6 min |
March 19, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
How to irrigate during cold spells
To prevent water freezing on the crop, you need to time the irrigation with care, says Bill Kerr.
2 min |
March 19, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Growing litchis: Part 1
Litchis are well adapted to different soil types, but grow well in sandy soil in South Africa’s cooler subtropical areas. The key to success, however, lies in appropriate irrigation practices.
1 min |
March 19, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Steady growth for global organic farming
According to the 2021 statistics yearbook ‘The World of Organic Agriculture’, which presents the latest statistics and emerging trends in organic farming from 187 countries around the world, organic farmland increased by 1,1 million hectares in 2019, and organic retail sales continued to grow.
4 min |
March 19, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Consistent quality: key to Boerboel breeding
Beverli Katz, one of South Africa’s top Boerboel breeders, claimed the prestigious national award of SA Stud Book Stud Herd of the Year for other species in 2020. In addition, her stud has bred the two highest-appraised male Boerboels in the world. Jeandré van der Walt visited her at Klein Sandfontein Boerboels and Boarding Kennels on the outskirts of Caledon to learn about her breeding techniques.
6 min |
March 19, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Accurate machine guidance made affordable
The improved efficiency offered by machine guidance means that most of these systems ultimately pay for themselves. The question is, at what accuracy level and price should a farmer invest in such a system, particularly now that the market is becoming more competitive? Stehan Cloete explores these issues.
3 min |
March 19, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
BREEDING THE FINEST SA BOERPERD
The SA Boerperd is synonymous with versatility and hardiness; the breed excels in both English and Western riding disciplines, and can survive with little input on farms. Pieter Dempsey spoke to Frikkie Combrink, a top Boerperd breeder from Mpumalanga, about running a successful Boerperd stud.
4 min |
March 19, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
A rare vegetable
Okra could be useful to farmers in torrid areas with a good water supply, said Hennie Nel of Hoedspruit. However, he added, the market was prone to over-supply, which put downward pressure on prices.
3 min |
March 19, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Eggless Banana-And Pecan-Nut Loaf
This moreish loaf is quick and easy to make, and requires only a few ingredients, says Prenusha Moodley. If you don’t like pecans, you can replace them with walnuts or even hazelnuts.
1 min |
March 05, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Bigger, Better, Bester! Young Producer Wins With Precision Farming
As the TaU Sa Young Farmer of the Year 2020, Danie Bester epitomises the ideal modern farmer: energetic, curious, techsavvy and connected to his peers globally. While his precision farming techniques have yielded him a bumper soya crop, this ambitious producer plans to do even better. Lindi Botha reports.
9 min |
March 05, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
KNOW YOUR CATTLE TYPES
Bos indicus, B. taurus or Sanga cattle: which do you choose? Dr Michiel Scholtz and Prof Japie van der Westhuizen spoke to Glenneis Kriel about these breeds.
5 min |
March 12, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
‘Choose good-quality Beefmaster bulls for heavier weaners'
Hal Budler, who runs the Budler Beefmaster stud in the Eastern Cape, says that breeding with top-quality bulls is the most effective way to improve weaning weights. He also strictly selects for maternal traits to produce adaptable and hardy Beefmasters.
4 min |
March 12, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
It's time to plan for winter
Before we know it, winter will be upon us. Make sure you are properly prepared to help your crops withstand the first frost, says Bill Kerr.
3 min |
March 12, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Understanding thermal imaging
This non-invasive diagnostic tool can identify ‘hotspots’ that are linked to unsoundness, says Dr Mac.
3 min |
March 12, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
Succession planning: get expert help and understand your options
Even if succession seems straightforward, as when passing on operations to a single heir, several steps are needed to facilitate the transfer of the farm from one generation to the next, says Trevor Dickinson.
3 min |
March 12, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
A true escape to the countryside
Brian Berkman recently explored the dell in the Overberg that time forgot. Here he discovered warm hospitality, surprising luxury and spectacular scenery on a working protea farm.
4 min |
March 12, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
A strategy for bush encroachment control
When sweet thorn competes with grazing plants for light and water, it starts to suppress grass production. It is therefore important to implement control measures to manage this encroachment. Dr Louis du Pisani, an independent agricultural consultant, discusses some of the factors that should inform a farmer’s bush encroachment management strategy.
6 min |
March 12, 2021
Farmer's Weekly
A proven recipe for a successful family agri-processing business
When Ina Lessing started her home-made jams and preserves business 25 years ago, she had no idea that she would one day be supplying outlets across South Africa. Yvonne Fontyn reports.
6 min |