Business
Stockfarm
Tackle mastitis in dairy COWS
Mastitis is one of the most significant challenges in the dairy industry, reducing milk yield and overall profitability.
5 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Ewe nutrition for a healthy lamb crop
Producers widely acknowledge that the success of any sheep enterprise depends heavily on the potential and management of the farm’s female animals.
4 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Does chop length really matter?
Chop length is a critical factor in producing successful silage. Mistakes made during this initial stage can have lasting, irreparable effects.
2 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Place these ticks on your autumn watch list
Heavy tick infestations and an increase in the incidence of tickborne diseases such as redwater, gallsickness, and heartwater remain a serious challenge for livestock producers in South Africa, particularly when environmental conditions favour these parasites. Effective control strategies and sound management practices are therefore essential.
2 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
The grazing paradox: Towards better data
Producers are often under pressure to reassess their grazing strategies and consider dramatic management changes aimed at sustainability.
5 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Shearer training for improved performance
Lungani Maqakalana has sheep shearing in his blood. Both his father and uncle were shearers, and from a young age he aspired to follow in their footsteps.
4 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Misuse of an employer's property
An employer's property is an integral part of the business infrastructure. Any loss, damage, accidental misuse, intentional misuse, or waste of this property constitutes serious misconduct, placing unnecessary strain on the employer to repair or replace it.
2 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
The dynamics of the South African lucerne hay industry: Grading and quality
In the January issue of Stockfarm, part one of this series explored the role of lucerne hay in South Africa's animal feed industry.
5 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Functional efficiency in small stock
Functional efficiency, the combination of structural soundness, adaptability, mobility, mothering ability, and reproductive capability, is as important as genetic merit for economically important, measurable traits.
3 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Managing breeding stock and unsold weaner calves
Persistent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) have dealt a severe blow to the South African cattle industry.
1 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Asiatic redwater: The role of vaccination and disease reporting
Redwater is an important disease in South Africa, and is responsible for significant losses and rapid onset of deaths among cattle. Its continual spread into new regions poses a serious threat to livestock health and productivity.
3 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Molatek phosphate supplementation in livestock
Phosphate supplementation is essential in maintaining optimal production and reproduction in your cattle and sheep, and especially when they are grazing on green pastures.
1 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Slow Cruisers and slower demerits
One month into what many predict will be a year of big geopolitical changes, we are happy to report that our little sheep farm is still peacefully following the instructions of Psalm 37.
3 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Profitability of niche meat markets: What producers need to know
South African livestock producers are often not adequately compensated for meat that meets the standards of organic, veld-finished, or free-range production. However, opportunities exist in foreign markets that can offer better returns, provided these markets are successfully accessed.
5 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Tax season: Strike a balance between the good and the bad
As the end of the tax year approaches, it is always prudent to ensure that your affairs are in order ahead of filing your tax returns later in the year. Equally important is staying informed about recent regulatory tax changes that may affect your farming business, whether positively or negatively.
5 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
From lease to livelihood: Land reform success
South Africa's land reform programme, launched in the 1990s, was designed to undo centuries of dispossession and create meaningful opportunities for black producers in commercial agriculture. Nearly three decades on, the programme has struggled to generate large numbers of successful, independent black commercial producers. Yet across the country, stories of perseverance and progress challenge the dominant narrative of failure.
4 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Dairy farm audits: Best practice for sustainability
During a recent webinar presented by the Dairy Standard Agency (DSA), the organisation's operations manager and food safety management system (FSMS) auditor, Tania Blignaut, outlined how the DSA’s audit programme continues to adapt in a changing environment.
2 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Boer goat management: Nutrition
Ensuring proper daily nutrition should be a top priority for anyone aiming to maintain a successful Boer goat flock. These animals remain in continuous production cycles and therefore require balanced nutrition throughout the year, tailored to each production phase. This will allow them to kid optimally.
3 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
From store to table: How long does meat stay fresh?
When meat shelf-life guidelines are followed diligently, they guarantee a safe and enjoyable eating experience. Ignoring them, however, can result in an unexpected trip to the hospital.
5 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Litigation:
The value of class action
2 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Ewe synchronisation ensures better management and genetic progress
“The building blocks of our flock are fertility, genetics, and maternal traits,” says Lodie van Reenen of the Nova Barletta Dormer Stud near Clocolan in the Eastern Free State. The stud takes its name from the farm on which it is based and is part of Zuikerkop Boerdery, which also houses a Hereford stud, a commercial cattle herd, Merino stud, grain division, and a mill in town.
5 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
Testing the limits with genetic progress
Koos and his wife, Nada, live on Misty Heights, a farm near the small town of Mooi River. Koos is the general manager of De Heus South Africa, while Nada is an industrial engineer. His journey with De Heus began when Nada accepted a position in the Netherlands, giving the family the opportunity to live in Europe for several years.
4 min |
February 2026
Stockfarm
World School Milk Day: A national celebration of dairy
The Department of Basic Education (DBE), in partnership with Milk SA's Consumer Education Project (CEP), marked the national celebration of World School Milk Day (WSMD) at Mandlomsobo Primary School in Bronkhorstspruit on 26 September.
2 min |
January 2026
Stockfarm
A breed that you like will work with you
Data can't fix what selection broke, and your grandpa knew it.
4 min |
January 2026
Stockfarm
2025 Santam Agriculture Silage Competition: Wet conditions, winning silage
Plaas Media's twelfth Santam Agriculture National Silage Competition once again showcased impressive expertise among its participants.
4 min |
January 2026
Stockfarm
Unravelling the regulations for dairy and imitation dairy products
Regulation R1510 of 22 November 2019, which governs dairy and imitation dairy products, recently took centre stage during a webinar hosted by the Dairy Standard Agency (DSA). Thabang Rampa, manager of regulatory affairs at the DSA, provided a technical interpretation of key sections of the regulation, aimed at improving industry's understanding of the prescribed minimum compositional and labelling requirements.
3 min |
January 2026
Stockfarm
2025 ARC National Master Dairyman Awards: Top dairy farmers honoured
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) announced the winners of its 2025 National Master Dairyman Awards during a ceremony held in November at Lanzerac Estate in Stellenbosch.
2 min |
January 2026
Stockfarm
Abattoirs: The hidden pulse of meat safety
In conversations regarding the meat supply chain, the first and final links tend to take prominence, while the work performed by the middlemen often goes unnoticed. Yet every link plays a vital role. The real question is: Do we truly understand the value each link adds? Or has ‘value addition’ become shorthand for 'price addition, leaving producers and consumers feeling the financial strain?
5 min |
January 2026
Stockfarm
Silage equipment you can't do without
Silage is an invaluable resource on many livestock farms but producing it is not always simple or cheap.
3 min |
January 2026
Stockfarm
The value of a vaccination programme for cattle
Vaccination is essential for any cattle operation, especially given the increasing risk of disease outbreaks. According to Dr Paul Reynolds, a veterinarian at the Warden and Vrede Animal Hospitals, vaccines are never developed arbitrarily. Each exists because a specific disease threat warranted it.
4 min |