Business
Stockfarm
Recovery And Regeneration Of A Livestock Farm After The Drought
Drought, especially when prolonged, causes a drastic decline in available veld, livestock numbers and the finances of a livestock farm. Once the drought has been broken, livestock farmers are left with the question as to which practices will be best to repair drought damage and restore the farm to its former glory.
5 min |
May 2020
Stockfarm
Mineral And Vitamin Supplementation In The Dry Season
Although vitamins and minerals play a critical role in maintaining the health of production animals through their diet, this role encompasses much more.
5 min |
May 2020
Stockfarm
How To Control Parthenium On Game And Livestock Farms
It has been said that parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus), a serious weed indigenous to Central and South America, is a scourge that brings famine and desolation to the land. While there may be substance to this illusion, the fact is that parthenium is just a plant that has a few traits enabling it to dominate under certain conditions, particularly if land is not suitably managed.
4 min |
May 2020
Stockfarm
How To Combat Iron Bacteria In Boreholes
Strange-looking borehole water has led to many a perplexing moment for landowners; in many cases this phenomenon can be attributed to iron bacteria.
3 min |
May 2020
Stockfarm
Livestock theft: The short end of the stick
Three elements are necessary for a crime to be committed: a willing criminal, a suitable target (property) and the absence of a competent guardian (owner). The current depopulation of rural areas in South Africa is also increasing the opportunity for crime.
4 min |
May 2020
Stockfarm
The role of particle length in feed rations
Livestock producers who are serious about meeting specific production goals, know that particle length in the feed ration is directly linked to animal health.
5 min |
May 2020
Stockfarm
A formidable team and an intuitive approach: A recipe for success
“I think Esté has a God-given instinct when it comes to cattle. Combine this with her passion, and you have one formidable cattle farmer.” This is how Bismarck Fick described his wife, Esté, when asked to unpack their individual strengths and how they, as a team, combine these to make their farming enterprise a success.
5 min |
May 2020
Stockfarm
A Hardy Savanna Stud That Meets Challenges Head-On
Tattie Scholtz breeds Savanna goats in the Griekwastad area and is chairperson of the Savanna Club of South Africa.
4 min |
April 2020
Stockfarm
Forum And Farmers Must Drive Biosecurity
The ban on livestock auctions across the country due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Limpopo has been lifted.
5 min |
April 2020
Stockfarm
The Role Of Input Costs In Determining Feed Prices
South Africa has an established animal feed industry that is around 90 years old. The industry came into being after the drought and depression in the 1930s. These days most of the animal feed in South Africa is produced by members of the Animal Feed Manufacturers’ Association (AFMA) – they produced approximately 75% of all animal feed in the 2016/17 production year.
4 min |
April 2020
Stockfarm
Nutrition For The Overwintering Of Small Stock: A Three-Phase Approach
The principles of overwintering large and small stock are the same.
5 min |
April 2020
Stockfarm
Choosing The Right Feed Mixer For Your Farm
Providing a healthy and balanced ration for your livestock is certainly one of the key goals of every livestock producer. In order to facilitate this task, the right equipment must be on hand. And this is where a good feed mixer plays an indispensable role.
5 min |
April 2020
Stockfarm
Part 11: Buffalo Disease Risk Management
African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) are iconic animals and part of the so-called Big Five.
4 min |
April 2020
Stockfarm
The Value Of Good Equipment Maintenance
The saying that prevention is better than cure, rings true for all circumstances. It is especially apt where the maintenance of farm equipment is concerned.
4 min |
April 2020
Stockfarm
The advantages of silage over hay
A variety of crops can be made into hay or silage for later use.
3 min |
April 2020
Stockfarm
Maize silage: Small adjustments can make a big difference
Maize silage is a key source of roughage in many dairy and beef cattle enterprises. Livestock producers are aware of the basic principles of ensiling and that they must plant the cultivar most suited to their environment.
3 min |
April 2020
Stockfarm
From super ox to mega ox
Each industry has symbols that denote its origin, serve as motivation and embody the industry’s unique values and way of doing. For the livestock industry this symbol is an ox.
5 min |
April 2020
Stockfarm
Wool Quality: A Century Of Positive Change
South Africa’s wool industry has undergone some radical changes over the past 100 years, one of which is the increasing focus on rigorous selection and the correct breeding policy by producers in a bid to increase the financial sustainability of farming enterprises. This has led to the industry breeding well-balanced sheep with a good wool to meat ratio.
5 min |
January 2020
Stockfarm
Functionally Efficient Animals Must Also Be Beautiful
Louis Greeff is partial to a beautiful Brahman, but to him science is just as important. For this reason, his genetically superior red Brahmans must also be beautiful. While other people are watching television, Louis usually sits at his computer where he carefully studies each animal. He uses advanced computer programs to plan the best matings with the greatest chance of success.
5 min |
March 2020
Stockfarm
Winter crops for the cold months
The summer months have so far been mostly dry and the prospects for late summer rainfall remain uncertain. If conditions were to improve, greenfeed can be planted from February onwards. Many producers who have water available will be planting greenfeed to see their animals through the winter months.
4 min |
March 2020
Stockfarm
The Animal Diseases Act: What farmers should know
Part 10: Controlled diseases in equines
4 min |
March 2020
Stockfarm
Soil conservation and erosion
Soil plays a central role in our life on earth and its importance should never be underestimated.
2 min |
March 2020
Stockfarm
Prepare your ewes for the mating season
A sheep farmer has three chances to ensure an optimal lamb harvest and to guarantee profitability. The first is to have as many ewes as possible conceive.
5 min |
March 2020
Stockfarm
Make drought part of your water plan
It is said that drought conditions will become a normal feature of the landscape in future. If this is indeed going to be the case, it means that producers will have to incorporate this aspect into their normal on-farm planning.
4 min |
March 2020
Stockfarm
Diversification and value addition: A perfect combination
The first factor to consider when you want to diversify your farming enterprise and add as much value to your farm as possible, is your natural resources. This applies to both your farm’s natural resources and that which the environment offers.
8 min |
March 2020
Stockfarm
Creep feed pens: Clever thinking goes a long way
There are several existing patents for creep feed pens and nutritionists, engineers and designers have been ‘borrowing’ from each other’s designs in a bid to create smart, workable gates that can partition creep feed for lambs and calves. These designs are usually cost-effective and can quite often be used elsewhere on the farm. Stockfarm spoke to Nadia van Staden of Hekkies, a company that manufactures such systems.
2 min |
March 2020
Stockfarm
Creep feed 101: The basic principles
The saying that you must first learn to crawl before you can walk, applies to many facets of life.
3 min |
March 2020
Stockfarm
Be spot-on when sinking a borehole
Water is a scarce resource in South Africa and identifying the right place to drill for it, is often difficult. Several factors must be considered, as the cost of a borehole is extremely high.
3 min |
March 2020
Stockfarm
The Correct Way To Manage And Utilise Groundwater
Around fifty years ago, a large-scale effort was made in South Africa to teach people about water conservation.
4 min |
January 2020
Stockfarm
The Animal Diseases Act: What Farmers Should Know
Part 8: Control of African swine fever
3 min |