Business
Stockfarm
Veld testing sets new benchmarks
The veld testing concept, as practiced in veld bull and veld ram tests under the auspices of Veld Bull and Ram Southern Africa (VBRSA), is gaining momentum and popularity, according to Dr Hannes Dreyer. He is generally regarded as the father of the veld testing concept in South Africa.
5 min |
April 2021
Stockfarm
Feedlot + silage = a formidable combination
As in most industries, it is becoming increasingly difficult for an agricultural enterprise to remain profitable. Therefore producers need to be resourceful when adding value to their products. Ian Brown and his son Gordon are cattle producers in the Tlhakgameng region north of Vryburg, and are not ones to shy away from challenges. In fact, they see a challenge as an opportunity to expand their farming enterprise.
4 min |
April 2021
Stockfarm
The What, How And Why Of Nitrite Poisoning
Although the atmosphere is made up of 79% nitrogen (N2), living organisms cannot utilise this form of nitrogen due to the inactive property of the gas. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil convert nitrogen into ammonia, which in turn is converted to nitrite and then nitrate by the same bacteria.
4 min |
February 2021
Stockfarm
Shane Simpson: No Silver Bullet To Success
In 2020 Simpson & Son Farming was crowned the overall winner and national silage king in Plaas Media’s Santam Agriculture National Silage Competition.
5 min |
February 2021
Stockfarm
Focus On Hoof Care (Part 2): Genetics And Conformation
In part 1 of this series, I explained why we often see cattle with long claws and I touched on the principles that must be kept in mind whenever the subject of feet comes up.
3 min |
February 2021
Stockfarm
Free-Range Pig Farming: From Pig To Pork
Free-range pork, poultry, and other livestock products have gained popularity in recent years.
5 min |
February 2021
Stockfarm
Rotational Grazing For Animal Productivity
The term ‘rotational grazing’ is very often misinterpreted and has become closely aligned with a very rigid system where decisions based on actual veld condition are rarely considered.
5 min |
February 2021
Stockfarm
The production of good-quality hay
Good-quality hay is known for several properties.
5 min |
February 2021
Stockfarm
Keeping Game Safe From Mineral Deficiencies And Poisoning
Game kept in intensive systems and that are moved to larger camps or open farms, can suffer from mineral deficiencies.
5 min |
January 2021
Stockfarm
Piet Mothepu: Creating A Legacy
Piet Mothepu and his wife, Maria, have been farming on Kirkdale in the Koppies area of the Free State for three years.
5 min |
January 2021
Stockfarm
Artificial Intelligence: Paving The Way For Traceability
It may be a weighty term, but artificial intelligence (AI) will play a significant role in the intensive beef cattle industry in future. This is according to Dr Andy Hentzen, senior lecturer at the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Onderstepoort’s Production Animal Science Department, and clinical manager of the Production Animal Clinic at Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital.
5 min |
January 2021
Stockfarm
Low Stress Methods For Moving And Herding Cattle On Pastures
In order to lower stress and improve productivity, calm, quiet handling of cattle in all aspects of management is very important. There are three steps in the process of moving cattle on large pastures:
4 min |
January 2021
Stockfarm
Stringent hygiene protocols can keep abscesses at bay
Sheep and goat abscesses are not only painful to the animals they affect, but can have a devastating effect on a producer’s pocket.
5 min |
January 2021
Stockfarm
The Mukota: Saving the breed from extinction
The Mukota is an indigenous, domestic pig found primarily in Zimbabwe with smaller populations found in Mozambique and Zambia.
5 min |
January 2021
Stockfarm
The hidden role of water on earth
Water is the most precious substance on earth, a fact which has been undisputed throughout history. Water has unique properties that are required for life. This article focuses on the importance of water in stabilising the earth’s climate.
6 min |
January 2021
Stockfarm
Smallholder farmers can make it big
Smallholder farmers are usually defined as farmers who own or have access to a small plot of land on which they produce food for their own use and the market.
5 min |
January 2021
Stockfarm
Rural safety: Legislation and resources
This is the second in a series of three articles focusing on different aspects of rural safety.
6 min |
January 2021
Stockfarm
Protect your silage from mycotoxin mayhem
Some filamentous fungi are able to grow in food and produce toxic secondary metabolites known as mycotoxins.
3 min |
January 2021
Stockfarm
A Look At Silage Quality
Silage is an important source of feed for the dairy and beef cattle finishing industry.
3 min |
December 2020
Stockfarm
The Ins And Outs Of On-Farm Lambing Pens
There are two prominent schools of thought in sheep farming: One is in favour of the use of lambing pens and the other believes that ewes must lamb in the veld without human intervention.
5 min |
December 2020
Stockfarm
The Building Blocks Of A New Life: Little By Little Goes A Long Way
Eighteen years in jail for armed robbery taught Solomon Molefe one thing: Life is precious and short, and it should never be wasted.
5 min |
December 2020
Stockfarm
The 2020 Silage King: Simpson & Son Farming
The winners in the seventh Plaas Media Santam Agriculture National Silage Competition were announced during a virtual presentation in Centurion, Gauteng.
5 min |
December 2020
Stockfarm
Patrick Sekwatlakwatla: Unsung Agri Hero
Patrick Sekwatlakwatla, head of transformation at the Sernick Group outside Edenville in the Free State, can hold an audience in the palm of his hand, creating an atmosphere of lighthearted goodwill and unity. I realised this when I first saw him in action at a Sernick emerging farmers’ day. He is witty, authoritative and hugely compassionate while directing proceedings, and he makes everybody feel welcome and special.
2 min |
December 2020
Stockfarm
The Do's And Don'ts Of Tail Docking
Tail docking is usually performed in sheep and involves both surgical and non-surgical methods to shorten or remove the tail.
6 min |
December 2020
Stockfarm
Sarah Green: A Young Female Farmer's View On Livestock Farming
After qualifying as an occupational therapist at the University of Pretoria and practicing in Johannesburg for six years, 29-year-old Sarah Green moved back to the family farm, Harmony, near Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal earlier this year.
4 min |
December 2020
Stockfarm
Keeping Your Livestock Cool During Summer
The summer months are usually the period during which producers must devise plans to keep their livestock cool.
5 min |
December 2020
Stockfarm
Condition Assessment: A Useful Management Tool
The production potential of sheep is highly dependent on the availability of energy and protein in particular.
2 min |
December 2020
Stockfarm
Trends in the 2020 silage competition: Maize raises the bar
As was the case in previous years, the 2020 Plaas Media and Santam Agriculture National Silage Competition once again saw good participation nationwide. This despite the setbacks brought on by COVID-19 that brought many companies and industries to their knees. According to Prof Robin Meeske, chairperson of the competition’s protocol committee, the competition received a total of 64 maize, seven sorghum and 13 oats silage entries.
5 min |
December 2020
Stockfarm
A Merino Stud With Its Feet Firmly On The Ground
Earlier this year Stockfarm visited the dry winter landscape of Dordrecht where Peter Cloete and his son, David, manage the Pine Grove Merino Stud.
4 min |
November 2020
Stockfarm
The How And Why Of Dehorning Cattle
Cattle are dehorned to keep them from hurting one another, to reduce the risk to workers, simplify transportation, free up trough space, and to give both dominant and subordinate animals an equal chance to feed.
2 min |