Category: POULTRY AND LIVESTOCK

The Valsrivier Bonsmara Breeders Group, which comprises two stud and three commercial breeders, was started in 2005 by Cornay Botma (Hentacor Bonsmaras) of Bothaville and WH van Zyl (Thuso Bonsmaras) of Wesselsbron. The latter has, in the meantime, been taken over by WH’s son, Thabo. The three commercial breeders are Danie Minnaar of Kroonstad, and…

The subject of methane emissions from dairy cattle has received increasing attention from environmental activists concerned about climate change. This has spilled over to consumers, many of whom are seeking milk alternatives to reduce their carbon footprints. To maintain market share and increase their sustainability, farmers will thus have to focus on reducing methane emissions…

For years, the inclusion of zinc oxide in pigs’ diets has been considered crucial in controlling harmful organisms such as E. coli. While this inorganic compound’s effectiveness at eliminating diseases is undisputed, there are downsides to using it. Dr Jules Taylor-Pickard, a nutritionist at Alltech, notes that zinc also ends up eliminating beneficial bacteria that…

CP Kriek and his wife Gerda swapped their industrial engineering careers for farm life in 2012 with the purchase of Bloubank Estates, the holding company for Taaibosch Piggery. “As engineers, we love challenges and taking things that aren’t working optimally and making them better,” says Kriek, who grew up on a farm. The Krieks have…

Over the past decade, the use of genomics in pig breeding has helped to accelerate genetic improvement and on-farm performance. “Genetics companies in general have made great strides over the years by making use of performance testing to govern breeding decisions,” says Jurgens Reynders, managing director at DanBred Africa, based in Pretoria. “The combination of…

Buti Malinga, together with his sister, Cathy, started Vukani Piggery in 2008 with nine sows after they acquired the 154ha farm, Bronkhorstfontein, near Vanderbijlpark through the state’s land reform programme. The pair had, in fact, grown up on the same farm. Today, thanks to their hard work and persistence, as well as assistance from government,…

Anybody who believes in the motto ‘go big or go home’ has clearly never met 28-year-old Clive Tigere. He is going big in his own home town of Louis Trichardt, Limpopo. Tigere and his mother, Dr Caroline Tigere, started a broiler operation back in 2011, when he was still in high school. “Things have changed…

The term ‘small-scale poultry farmer’ covers micro-, small- and medium-sized broiler and egg production units. The South African Poultry Association classifies a small-scale broiler unit as one that delivers fewer than 4 000 birds per cycle. In contrast, small-scale egg production, according to South African agriculturalist Dr Gavin MacGregor, can start with nine point-of-lay pullets.…

As more and more producers realise the benefits of using large populations of micro-organisms on their farms, so the number of different ways to apply these micro-organisms grows. With the development of effective micro-organisms (EM) in the form of inoculants, these organisms are moving beyond crop farms and being used in livestock concerns, where they…

Eggs are the fourth-largest animal production industry in South Africa after poultry meat, beef and milk. With the country’s per capita consumption at about 140 eggs per annum, it can be profitable to own a layer operation, provided you can supply fresh, safe, top-quality eggs. Dr Naudé Rossouw, director of Rossgro Eggs, points out that…