Table of contents for 15 April 2016 in Farmer's Weekly

The scope and impact of the El Niño-fuelled drought, which is resulting in a food crisis across Southern Africa, has been well-documented by this publication and others. However, what is perhaps not being asked often and urgently enough is: how will we survive the next drought, and the one after that? The chilling piece by Prof Anthony Turton, of the University of the Free State’s Centre for Environmental Management (see story on page 6), provides a thorough examination of South Africa’s dire freshwater situation. The local and global truth is clear: we are running out of water. About 70% of our planet is covered in water, but only 3% of this water is freshwater – suitable for human consumption and irrigation. Furthermore, two-thirds of freshwater resources are held frozen in…

@FarmersWeeklySA Holomo Lebona, a Free State livestock farmer, was quoted in the 4 March 2016 issue of Farmer’s Weekly as saying, “The younger generation should be motivated to farm. To achieve this, industry has to work together to change the perception that agriculture is a dirty job.” FW’s Facebook followers responded: Magasha Monyepao: I conducted a study on the youth’s perception of the agricultural sector, and I disagree that South Africa’s youth perceive farming as a ‘dirty job’. In rural areas, farming has always been subsistence-based and the younger generation has never seen it as [a viable] business. Just promote farming for the market amongst the youth, and you’ll grab their interest. Lehlohonolo Nkosi: We young black people want to be involved in farming, but under the current government and…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 14 APRIL Pasture Management Symposium, Farm Inn, Pretoria. Email info@grassSA.co.za or visit www.grasssa.co.za. 21 APRIL Crop Estimates Liaison Committee Seminar, Centurion. Phone Lizbé Esterhuizen on 012 807 3002 or email lizbe@agbizgrain.co.za. 21 APRIL Free State Agriculture – Young Farmer Conference and Young Farmer of the Year, Bloemfontein. Visit www.vrystaatlandbou.co.za. COURSES & TRAINING 12 APRIL Embryo Transfer in Cattle, Krugersdorp. Visit www.rltsafrica.com. 12 TO 14 APRIL One-Day Practical Home Gardening, Beula Park, Meadowdale. Phone Neill Jackson on 082 407 6774 or email neill@foundationsforfarming.org. 15 APRIL Calf Rearing, Krugersdorp. Phone Di Rothman on 082 772 1208 or visit www.rltsafrica.com. 18 TO 20 APRIL Artificial Insemination, Bloemfontein. Phone Di Rothman on 082 772 1208 or visit www.rltsafrica.com. 18 TO 22 APRIL Veld Management (accredited), Pretoria National Botanical Garden. Email…

An Eastern Cape co-op is supplying galvanised jackal-proof fencing at a reduced price as part of an initiative by the Predation Management Forum (PMF). Leon de Beer, general manager of the National Woolgrowers’ Association (NWGA), told Farmer’s Weekly that the Humansdorp co-operative would supply fencing to stock and game farmers countrywide at a discount. “This follows the Predation Management Forum’s (PMF) initiative to approach all local agricultural co-operatives to make fencing available at reduced prices,” he said. He added that predation caused greater annual losses than stock theft, and replacing older fencing was the most efficient way to fight predation. According to De Beer, figures from the 35 NWGA monitor farms revealed that farmers who did not employ predator control experienced an average livestock loss of 25%. Where farmers used…

The continued drought in the western and central Free State, and the western and northern North West, has resulted in the CEC (Crop Estimates Committee) reducing its expected crop yields for the 2015/16 summer season, estimating decreases in all major crop yields except sunflower seed. The following lists the crop, the estimated percentage of reduction, and the adjusted yield weight expected, according to the CEC’s third production forecast: white maize reduced by 3,92% to 3 070 675t; yellow maize reduced by 1,61% to 3 994 600t; total national maize crop reduced by 2,63%, from 7 255 750t to 7 065 275t; soya beans reduced by 4,53% to 691 750t; groundnuts reduced by 1,67% to 33 550t; sorghum reduced by 0,75% to 92 700t, and dry beans reduced by 13,38% to…

Rising concern over animal welfare has seen some developed countries reverting to new, slower-growing breeds. The Netherlands, for one, has indicated interest in three such breeds, including the Kip van Morgen, or Chicken of Tomorrow, according to Prof Rob Gous, emeritus professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It has also introduced certain production restrictions that producers would have to meet by 2020. The Kip van Morgen has a lower growth rate of up to 50g/day and has to be kept at a 10% lower production density than the norm of 21 to 19 chickens/m2 . The birds need to receive at least six consecutive hours of darkness, so that they have a natural day and night rhythm, and antibiotics are only allowed in severe cases. The birds must also be…

To counter the escalating cost of farming, investment into agricultural research and training should be directed towards improving productivity, and stimulating innovation. Speaking at the National Agricultural Marketing Council Research Symposium, Agbiz CEO Dr John Purchase said the agriculture sector should broaden its focus when it came to training. “South Africa has a shortage of artisans such as diesel mechanics, and skills are needed in sectors such as processing and animal production,” he said. Dr Konanani Liphadzi, CEO of Fruit South Africa, said that South Africa should review the role of agricultural colleges and internships. According to the US Department of Agriculture’s statistics, the US would need 60 000 agricultural graduates to ensure that its agro-food sector was competitive by 2050. “South Africa needs to do a similar calculation [to…

Eskom welcomed the decision by the Gauteng High Court to dismiss – with costs – the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse’s (Outa) urgent interdict application, which aimed to prevent the power utility from implementing a tariff increase of 9,4%. The increase had been approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa). The court’s decision meant that Eskom’s electricity tariff increase came into effect on 1 April for its direct customers, and from 1 July for its municipal customers. In a statement, Eskom CFO Anoj Singh said that the utility was pleased with the decision because it allowed them to begin recovering the R11,2 billion in revenue, as approved by Nersa. “We have cooperated with the legal process and we will continue to do so, while also defending the process…

As farmers in the Western Cape await government’s decision on whether it will supply the province with drought relief, the provincial Department of Agriculture has allocated R23 million towards this goal. This is in addition to the R11 million emergency funding it has already made available to support emerging farmers. During his budget speech, Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde, said the WC Department of Agriculture had requested R88 million from government for provincial drought relief. “While [government] considers our request, farmers have very real obligations that cannot wait on onerous government processes. That’s why we have granted emerging farmers R11 million in emergency funding. The R23 million [will] be released immediately, and will be used as a subsistence allowance to assist farmers in areas of the greatest…

A total of 2 232 black-backed jackal and 362 caracal were shot by 39 professional hunters in the Free State in 2015, according to a statement by the Free State’s department of Agriculture and Rural Development (FSA). However, according to HO de Waal, an associate professor at the University of the Free State’s Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences, this has had a minimal effect on the total jackal population in the province. “These predators’ populations [have] increased to such an extent that we won’t be able to bring the numbers down to a manageable level in our lifetime,” he said. Annually, predation damage to South Africa’s wildlife and livestock industries amounted to several billion rands, according to De Waal. He said that the situation called for a long-overdue,…

Movement of genes between plant species occurs in nature, through plant breeding or via genetic modification. Fungal resistance is an example. The DNA code of functional genes that control expression of traits is conveyed naturally to microscopic organs in cells, which use it to start production of enzymes or products. For a gene to be conveyed from one species to another, the species must be compatible. The gene must be stably inserted into the genetic code of the recipient species, remain stable in following generations, and be sufficiently expressed by the recipient. In seed-propagated plants, the seed must be able to grow into a viable seedling that will develop into a normal plant, which expresses the trait. Modern wheat originated from natural crossing between three ancient wild species and now…

How did your business develop? I started farming on Blaauwkrantz in 1963 and in 1970 enclosed 3 000ha for roughly 500 animals and five species, mainly to protect the dwindling kudu population during a severe drought. Today 43 000ha are game-fenced and home to 40 species and sub-species, totalling 10 000 head. Along with the wildlife, we run 10 000 Angora goats, 3 000 Boer goats and 2 000 Dorpers at an average stocking rate of 1,5ha/animal. No green feed is planted – the animals depend solely on the veld. In line with our belief that the hunter will ultimately determine the market, we’ve integrated the livestock with game management strategies to allow the game to thrive sustainably in an extensive natural environment. Our clients prefer to hunt over a…

When fodder becomes scarce, sheep and cattle do graze grasses lower than they were cut in the trial. Normally, however, they tend to eat only parts of a tuft, not the entire tuft all at once, although some tufts are grazed shorter than others. Those that are grazed very short re-grow slowly, forcing the animals to prune other tufts. Sometimes cattle can graze just as selectively as sheep, cutting plants very short. The chances are good that in a standard four-camp system with grazing periods of 30 days/camp and normal stocking rates, any specific tuft of rooigras would be grazed every 14 days.…

A third of all cats and dogs go missing, and, if not properly identifiable, will never be returned to their owners. A collar with a name tag is not a reliable identification system, as it fades over time, falls off or may be deliberately removed. An implanted microchip, while invisible, provides permanent identification that cannot be deleted, falsified or become impossible to read. Microchipping is a simple procedure, and causes the animal minimal discomfort. A veterinarian simply injects the microchip, about the size of a grain of rice, under the skin between the shoulder blades, and no anaesthetic is needed. The process is similar to a routine inoculation, and takes only a few seconds. IDENTIPET Identipet is the only microchip endorsed and used by the National Council of SPCAs, and…

IT IS ONLY JESUS WHO CAN CALM THE STORM IN YOUR LIFE In the book Halftime, author Bob Buford discusses the challenges we face in life, and compares them to rogue waves. Imagine heading out for a cruise. It’s a sunny day, and you’re enjoying the peace and quiet. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge rogue wave appears that threatens to capsize your boat. Maybe your rogue wave is called ‘drought’, or maybe it’s a sudden death in the family. DRAWING ON A BITTER EXPERIENCE Buford speaks of his only son. He brought him into the family business and by the age of 24 the young man was showing every sign of becoming a successful entrepreneur in his own right. He was a God-fearing man who had many friends…

WeChat is a mobile text and voice messaging service released in China in 2011. It currently has 650 million active users. The app can be downloaded for free at wechat.co.za. One of the features enables a group of friends or colleagues to have a conversation, although only one person can talk at a time. There is also a video call mode that allows you to talk face to face. You can toggle between video and audio, as with Skype. Such calls are relatively cheap – you pay for the data used, not the actual airtime. Users can be blacklisted to prevent them contacting you and messages can be sent to multiple contacts simultaneously. Built-in photo editing software allows you to ‘tweak’ an image in various ways. HANDLING MONEY WITH EASE…

ONLY ONE SIXTH OF SA’S SEWAGE IS TREATED TO SAFE DISCHARGE STANDARDS “Facts are facts, and we definitely have a water crisis in our country. Nobody can say otherwise. I am firmly of the view that the South African water sector is entering the early phase of what I term a ‘perfect storm’. This is being driven by the convergence of at least five significant factors over which no individual has any direct control. The first is that the country is transitioning to a fundamentally water-constrained economy. The second is the deterioration of water data management systems in our country. The third is the infrastructural collapse of South Africa’s sewage management plants. The fourth is the overloading of our country’s potable water plants. And the fifth is the impact of…

Desalination technology? Q It is quite obvious that South Africa has a water shortage problem. An article in Jewish Life (Issue no. 92, February 2016) titled “The coming war over water,” discusses future water problems, and provides a solution. According to the article, desalinated water is now the mainstay of the Israeli water supply, and IDE Technologies has just completed the construction of a $1 billion ocean-water desalination plant in California. Why is SA agriculture not using desalination, if the technology exists? Regards Brian A: Desalination requires lots of energy and a safe place where hazardous brine can be disposed of. While the factors involved in desalination are therefore not numerous, they are limiting in a SA context when one considers South Africa’s severe energy constraints, and the fact that…

If prices of poultry products that can be imported from the US under the African Growth Opportunity Act (Agoa) agreement are too expensive for importers, local buyers will source meat elsewhere. This was according to Craig Dorfling, a buyer from Durban-based importer Federated Meats. He told Farmer’s Weekly that the Agoa agreement simply gave importers another market option. Poultry was often imported from Brazil and the EU, he said. “If US prices rise, there could be a situation where the 65 000t quota isn’t filled.” The Agoa agreement allows for an annual quota of 65 000t of bone-in poultry portions to enter SA free of anti-dumping duties. SARS statistics show that two consignments of chicken arrived in SA from the US in January. At the time of going to print,…

Legislation reclassifying dairy products and the introduction of a new medium-fat class have come into effect. Regulation 260, which governs dairy and imitation dairy products, was gazetted on 28 March by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). The revisions seek to bring local dairy legislation into line with international standards and provides revised definitions for product composition and labelling, as well as restrictions on the sale of dairy and imitation dairy products. “It gives consumers more choice when buying dairy products,” said Jompie Burger, managing director of the Dairy Standard Agency. “For consumers, a label is one of the primary means of differentiating products and brands and making informed purchasing choices.” The new labelling and classification would also create more marketing opportunities for dairy companies. “For milk processors,…

The European Commission (EC) recently announced measures to help its farming sector, which has been struggling due to poor economic growth, rising production costs, the abolishment of dairy quotas and the closure of the Russian market. According to an EC press release, over the past two years more than €1 billion (R17 billion) had been mobilised to help the industry. Since September 2015, more than €5 million (R85,5 million), in the form of support packages, had been made available. The newly announced support measures would include a temporary increase in state aid to a maximum of €15 000 (R257 000) per farmer per year, as well as the development of new markets, amongst others. The plan was primarily focused on the dairy, pork, fruit and vegetable sectors. According to Kevin…

The recent fuel price increase of 88c/l for petrol and between 95c/l and 97c/l for diesel, depending on type, could mean an increase of up to 3% in farmers’ production costs. The increase and its impact would depend on various factors, according to Dr Flippie Cloete, agricultural economist at the North-West University. “Things such as the type of equipment, and age and state of equipment, will play a role, as well as a producer’s farming methods. For most conventional farmers, however, it will mean an increase in production costs of up to 3%,” he said. A conventional farmer’s use of fuel was about 10% of his total production costs, depending on production methods, and the increase would have a direct impact on food inflation, according to him. “I expect that…

The recent discovery of approximately 49 Cape vulture carcasses along Eskom powerlines in the town of Elliot in the Eastern Cape was “devastating”, according to the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT). The discovery was reportedly made by Walter Neser, CEO of the African Vultures organisation. The vultures had died of electrocution. EWT, in partnership with Eskom, aims to reduce wildlife electrocutions on the national power distribution network, and the organisation said in a statement that efforts were already underway to make Elliot’s “problem powerlines” safer for vultures and other animals. To prevent the problem recurring, the EWT said that information on wildlife electrocutions on Eskom’s infrastructure was being used to develop recommendations for solutions, which would be implemented by Eskom. “Most powerlines built before the 1990s were not subject to environmental…

On the evening of 1 April, 2016, the Pineapple Growers’ Association held an awards ceremony at the Bathurst Agricultural Show. Producers received awards for various categories, including the best fruit for processing, the heaviest fruit and the most points accumulated across all categories.…

BIG RETAILERS WILL BUY DIRECTLY FROM A PRODUCER, ESPECIALLY IF AN EMPOWERMENT PROJECT IS INVOLVED Most farmers operate in a difficult environment and only those with skills and entrepreneurial spirit survive. Farm debt has risen steadily and producer prices have increased at a slower rate than the price of farm requisites, forcing farmers to use strategies to increase production while keeping costs down. An obvious way to survive the cost-price squeeze is to increase the size of the operation. Economies of scale are present in most types of farming, but higher total production does not always lead to greater margins. Farmers frequently face U-shaped long-term cost curves: as production expands, per-unit cost initially decreases; however, once a specific level of production is exceeded, costs rise again. Larger farms offer several…

DEMAND FOR AVOCADO IS ON THE INCREASE BOTH LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY AVOCADOS (South African Avocado Growers’ Association – SAAGA) South Africa’s 2016 avocado season officially started in March, with early season supplies coming from the Levubu area. The season was launched with an “Add an avo to your family” broadcast at the Alzu N4 Petroport on 24 March, in association with TRAC (Trans African Concessions). Easter holidaymakers on the N4 were encouraged to pick up an ‘Add an avo’ car sticker for their rear windows, take ‘selfies’ alongside the stickers and upload their photographs to the iloveavocadoSA Facebook page. Those who did so were eligible to win one of four R1 000 prizes. SAAGA is planning a number of marketing activities during the avocado season to ensure that awareness and…

If brucellosis is detected in a herd of cattle, affected animals are branded and earmarked for either immediate slaughtering or, under exceptional circumstances, postponed slaughtering. Should slaughter be undertaken at an abattoir, a Red Cross permit from the state vet is needed before transportation can take place. You also need to inform the abattoir involved so that it can take adequate biosecurity precautions. Meat is not affected by brucellosis, as the bacteria target the uterus, udder and testicles (these organs are condemned). Some bacteria may be found in lymph nodes, but these are removed during normal meat inspection processes. Postponement of slaughtering will only be considered when: • Animals of good quality such as high milk producers are involved; • The percentage of animals infected is high (20% to 30%);…

I hammer on about the importance of farmers visiting the market whenever there is an opportunity. And I’m not alone: many market agents encourage their producers to visit them. After all, if a farmer is going to entrust his produce to somebody in a distant market, he should make the effort to meet that person and see the set-up there. Many farmers travel to the bigger centres for business or even recreation, such as a rugby match, so why not include a market visit at the same time? Here, in a nutshell, is why it’s so important to visit a market as frequently as possible: • You meet your market agent This person sells your produce and plays a significant part in your financial well-being! You also get to meet members…

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is spread by contact with infected urine or faeces, and can survive for a year or more in the environment. It can even cling to the shoes or clothing of people who walk on surfaces where infected animals have been – and then be passed on to unvaccinated pets. The virus is not always lethal in older dogs. Instead, without showing any symptoms, these animals can become carriers of the disease. This presents a danger to puppies younger than six months that come into contact, even indirectly, with older, infected dogs. CPV starts in the tonsils or lymph nodes. Within four to six days it spreads to the gut, where it starts destroying intestine epithelial cells. This leads to severe diarrhoea and internal bleeding. Bitches must be…

To make Vietnamese fillet of beef plus a revolutionary cucumber salad for four, you will need: 1kg beef fillet in onegiant piece1 large red chilli3 limes110ml fish sauce3 cloves garlic30g brown sugar1 bunch mint1 English cucumber12 radishes6 large spring onions100g roasted peanuts2 cups basmati rice First, the meat: buy a whole fillet and cut a single 1kg piece from the middle to ensure a uniform width. Freeze the remainder for another meal, another day. Collect the zest from the three limes, noting that a lime is a lime and never a lemon. Squeeze the juice from all three limes. Crush, peel and mince the garlic. Finely slice the white bulbs of the spring onions and chop the green tops. Chop the chilli and discard the pips. Measuring carefully (too much…

This week, we look at a few more herbs that have medicinal uses: • Sage The leaves cleanse and stimulate the lungs and liver and aid the digestion of fatty meals. Sage tea is good for fevers and night sweats. • Thyme This is helpful for high cholesterol and weakened immunity. Add to omelettes, soups and stews; inhale thyme infusions to clear a congested chest or sinuses. • Nasturtiums and watercress Both have antibiotic properties that can help shake off colds, chest infections and sore throats. Nasturtium leaves and flowers give a tang to salad; watercress leaves liven up sandwich fillings. • Flaxseeds/linseeds These provide omega-3 fatty acids. They can even be used to help expel tapeworm. • Liquorice Liquorice contains the hormone aldosterone. This helps to balance sodium and potassium in the body and…

The Cederberg Mountains are located roughly 250km north of Cape Town near Clanwilliam. The area is known for rooibos tea and citrus production. Stretching from Pakhuis Pass in the north to Grootrivier in the south, the region covers 182 000ha of rocky mountain terrain, consisting almost entirely of sedimentary rock, sandstone and shale. The Cederberg’s geologic make-up comprises what is known as the Cape Supergroup, which consists of the Table Mountain, Bokkeveld and Witteberg groups. The Cape Supergroup was formed 600 million to 700 million years ago by a succession of sedimentation of sandstone (silt, mud and sand). Its rocks’ distinctive reddish colour is a result of minerals such as iron and manganese. • Flora conservation The Cederberg Conservancy is the custodian of the Clanwillian cedar tree (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis), which gives…

Zimbabwe’s poultry producers fear that South Africa’s meat trade deal with the US under the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) might fuel grey chicken imports from their wealthier neighbour. In 2012, Zimbabwe imposed a duty of US$1,50/kg (about R24/kg) on imported chicken in an effort to protect local producers. However, the tax has failed to discourage imports, particularly from South Africa and Brazil. While some of the chicken was imported legally, significant volumes were smuggled into the country as well, said Solomon Zawe of the Zimbabwe Poultry Association. Zimbabwe, he said, imported about 1,5 million kilograms of chicken valued at US$800 000 (R12,8 million) from South Africa between January and September last year. “As the Zimbabwe Poultry Association, we are worried that South Africa’s [AGOA] agreement with the US that…

The price of milk will increase as a result of supply shortages and drought. Dr Koos Coetzee, chief economist at the Milk Producers’ Organisation, said that while this would put more pressure on consumers, dairy farmers have welcomed the increase. He warned, however, that the price increase may be “too little, too late for some [dairy farmers]”. The consumer price for milk had only increased 0,6% year-on-year, which was much lower than fresh produce price hikes. According to Paul Makube, senior agricultural economist at FNB, dairy farmers were currently facing production shortages and would run into supply shortages in the coming months. As a result, some dairy processors were already paying farmers 60c/l more to ensure a consistent winter supply.…

The long-standing distribution agreement between Bayer South Africa (Pty) Ltd and Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) has come to an end. Tasniem Patel, head of communications for Bayer Southern Africa, said the distribution agreement had not been terminated. “It should be clarified that the period for our distribution agreement came to an end on 31 March 2016, and was not renewed following the re-tender[ing] process undertaken by OBP. The reason for the non-renewal of the tender is not known by Bayer,” she said. Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation of South Africa (RPO), told Farmer’s Weekly that members of the RPO were highly dependent on vaccines produced by OBP, and that OBP was a “strategic partner” with whom the RPO had a “good relationship.” “Producer organisations can’t be…

The FF Plus has come out strongly against Eskom’s recent announcement of imminent power cuts in the Northern Cape’s Renosterberg, and called for efficient solar power utilisation. According to Eskom, towns in the local municipalities of Thembelihle, Dikgatlong and Magareng faced disconnection for defaulting on payment plans. The Northern Cape leader of the FF Plus, Dr Wynand Boshoff, said the looming disconnection was equivalent to dying of thirst while standing in a dam of freshwater, as the province should already have been producing electricity from its significant solar energy resources. “Northern Capers should be making money from electricity instead of having to pay for it. The province abounds in sunshine, and [producing] energy from [the sun] has for a long time already been cheaper than Eskom power,” he said. Boshoff…

Global scientific literature on holistic planned grazing (HPG) reveals that the practice results in an increase in forage utilisation. In theory, this equates to additional hectares on a farm. However, it does not, on average, result in increased plant or animal production. Presently the Conservation SA research group is interpreting this data with caution. There is large variability between studies, and most have not taken multiple factors of climate and management into account. A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH The research group is part of a multi-stakeholder platform that includes private and communal farmers, as well as conservation organisations and government. This collaboration, which includes members of the uMzimvubu Catchment Partnership Programme (UCPP), has resulted in a group that makes use of soil, plant and animal science, remote sensing and social expertise. Research…

ESTATE DUTIES WOULD STILL APPLY, BUT DOUBLE TAX IS AVOIDED When company debt is cancelled, a capital gain is brought about by the provisions of Paragraph 12A. A gain occurs if a corresponding reduction in the base cost of the asset is brought about under Paragraph 12A and the reduction represents the loan account to the extent that the loan account exceeds any consideration paid for the reduction. Where no such asset exists, the reduction is the assessed capital loss for the year, to the same amount as the reduction in debt. Thus, if the debt is reduced, the asset base cost is reduced. When the asset is disposed of, because the base cost is much lower, the gain and the tax generated will be higher. But in tax law…

The old question of how intensively and frequently grass veld should be grazed has yet to be settled. And no wonder, because it’s not only the interaction between these two actions that comes into play, but veld type and rainfall. Most of South Africa’s veld receives less than 500mm rain a year, making drought the rule rather than the exception. A stock farmer therefore has to ensure that rain is used effectively, by the grazing plants with the most potential rather than wasting scarce moisture on unpalatable grasses. For this reason, it is essential to have grazing systems in place that improve veld. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ROOT SYSTEM Traditionally, farmers judge veld mostly on what they see above the ground. But that’s not enough. Focusing on what happens below…

Key principles to fighting brucellosis: • Vaccinate your heifer calves between the ages of four to eight months with Strain 19, or RB51; • Do not buy in cattle from herds of unknown health status (Brucella-infected cattle do not look sick); • Avoid buying in unvaccinated cattle; • Do not share pastures; • Test your cattle on a regular basis; • Avoid buying or selling cattle from an infected herd; • Do not allow infected heifers or cows to calve down on your farm; • Don’t think “It’ll never happen to my herd” – it can happen to any livestock farmer.…

Pieter Beukes of De Doorns in the Western Cape was convinced that he could replace his fleet of normal-sized tractors with smaller, more fuel-efficient ones. He asked Kubota, amongst others, for a demonstration, and was soon watching the B2420 at work in his vineyards. The first thing that struck him was its power, despite its diminutive size. “I hitched it to my heaviest grape trailer and towed the loaded trailer from the river at the bottom of the farm to the shed at the top. I had to change down only when we got to the last hill before the shed,” he recalls. Two more tests were carried out, the first of which was tackling powdery mildew with a sulphur duster. Here the small size of the B2420 proved its…

The diesel engine was invented by Dr Rudolf Diesel (1858 – 1913). Diesel studied engineering in Germany and became fascinated by thermodynamics, the study of heat and temperature and their relation to energy and work. His first job was at the Sulzer engineering works in Switzerland, where he focused on ways to make engines more efficient. It was here that he conceived the related ideas that introducing fuel to the combustion process slowly would keep the pressure high in spite of the piston moving downwards, and that using a high compression ratio (and therefore a high expansion ratio) would lead to a lower exhaust temperature. This would simultaneously eliminate two causes of low engine efficiency. THE COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINE Diesel calculated that a 20:1 compression ratio would raise the temperature of…

DISCOURAGE BIRDS FROM NESTING NEAR YOUR STABLES The West Nile virus (WNV) is hosted by birds and spread by mosquitoes. When an infected mosquito bites a horse, the virus enters the bloodstream and spreads to the spinal cord and brain, causing widespread inflammation. WNV can also be transmitted from mare to foal. Clinical signs of the disease typically develop three to 15 days after initial exposure. These include fever, a wobbly gait, stumbling and aimless wandering, weakness in the hind limbs, lethargy, an unwillingness to eat, an inability to get up, teeth grinding and excessive sweating. Contact your vet as soon as you spot any of these symptoms, especially those that are neurological such as a wobbly gait or muscle trembling. A blood test will be needed to rule out…

Recently I received two requests for cottages to be built on private game farms in Limpopo and North West. These cottages are meant to be dual-purpose, so hunters could occupy them during the hunting season, and eco-tourists could occupy them during the off-season. I should mention that due to legal requirements, such cottages can cater only to hunters, in keeping with the farm’s productive purpose. If used alternatively as a holiday resort, special local authority approval is required, and this may take years. The sketch shows a cottage that could serve either purpose. The main building, which could be used either as a bedroom or as a sitting room, has a 60° pitched roof. This allows for a more spacious attic bedroom area. I have also indicated a braai porch;…

STORIES FROM THE TOUCHLINE by Theuns Stofberg (Zebra, R220) Stofberg’s slices of memory are a charming mixture of great rugby moments and personal anecdotes such as a tribute to his mother. Warm, witty and open, with short chapters, this is an enjoyable and relaxed read. THE GOSHAWK by TH White (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, R310) A modern classic reissued to mark its 65th anniversary this year. White is best known for his Arthurian quartet, collected as The Once And Future King. The novels created a demand for White’s writing and his agent persuaded him to publish this non-fiction, personal record of trying to train a goshawk – a task made even more difficult by using traditional rather than modern falconry techniques. As White reflects towards the end:…