Table of contents for 3 March 2017 in Farmer's Weekly

I read an article a few weeks ago about one of Elon Musk’s – Tesla and SpaceX CEO – latest projects: the development of neural lace, an invention that would add ‘a digital layer of intelligence to our brain’. Musk first described neural lace as a “brain-computer system that would link human brains with a computer interface”. Google it – it’s a fascinating piece of science technology. What I found very interesting were the reactions of people I spoke to about this ‘neural lace’. Most were highly sceptical about this type of technology, which threatens to merge man and machine (as if we were not already attached to our smartphones anyway!) The future is a scary place, and if the past year has taught us anything, it is that we…

Cattle: Artificial Insemination 13-15 MARCH WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION PAID TO THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE HORMONAL CYCLE IN LIVESTOCK, OESTRUS OBSERVATION AND CONCEPTION. COURSES & TRAINING 6 TO 7 MARCH Poultry Breeding, George. Phone Di Rothman on 082 772 1208, or visit rltsafrica.com. 7 TO 10 MARCH Introductory Course in Beef Cattle Management, ARC Irene. Phone Annetjie Loubser on 012 672 9153, or email aloubser@arc.agric.za. 8 TO 9 MARCH Poultry Stockman and Animal Husbandry, George. Phone Di Rothman on 082 772 1208, or visit rltsafrica.com. 10 TO 11 MARCH Poultry Nutrition, George. Phone Di Rothman on 082 772 1208, or visit rltsafrica.com. 13 TO 15 MARCH Artifical Insemination – Cattle, Krugersdorp. Phone Di Rothman on 082 772 1208, or visit rltsafrica.com. 13 TO 15 MARCH Dairy Training, George. Phone Di Rothman…

AS THE AGRI SECTOR HAS GROWN, IT HAS EMPLOYED FEWER PEOPLE The 6th Chapter of the National Development Plan (NDP), which sets out a vision of creating an integrated and inclusive rural economy, suggests that the agricultural sector can create an additional one million jobs. While the ANC pontificates on how farming will become a key job-creating industry, questions remain about how this will be possible. Research by Dr Frikkie Liebenberg at the University of Pretoria shows that the sector is actually losing jobs, with regular and seasonal agricultural employment at a record low – 624 000 jobs at the time he wrote his article in 2011. This is not even a third of the sector’s employment figures in the 1960s. Against this background, the ‘one million more jobs’ narrative…

A German satellite is scheduled to be launched later this year to conduct plant growth experiments in lunar and Martian gravity. The Euglena and Combined Regenerative Organic-Food Production in Space (Eu:CROPIS) satellite was developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and the experiments will be conducted in preparation for future human settlement in space. The Eu:CROPIS would rotate around its own axis in a low Earth orbit, at an altitude of about 600km, and would initially produce the gravitational force of the moon in its interior for six months, and then replicate Martian gravity for another six months, according to Space.com. By this time, the microorganisms and tomato seeds in the satellite would have been exposed to cosmic radiation for six months, approximately the same period that it took to…

Local and overseas demand for South African avocados has grown substantially over the past five years, according to Subtrop CEO Derek Donkin, who spoke to Farmer’s Weekly during the South African Avocado Growers’ Association’s (SAAGA) recent research symposium held in Tzaneen. Even though local prices for avocados had increased from 2015 to 2016, demand had grown by 25% to 30%. At the same time, there was only a 10% growth in production volumes, Donkin said. It was expected that the establishment of the World Avocado Organisation in 2016, of which South Africa was a founding member, would result in demand for avocados in Europe growing even more. Peru and South Africa, the main members of the organisation, contributed €0,02/kg, or about R1,20/carton, to a fund that would be spent during…

Stock farmers should vaccinate their livestock against deadly Rift Valley fever (RVF) without delay, especially after the good rain in large parts of the country. No outbreaks of the disease had so far been reported, but the vaccine had to be administered before the start of an outbreak, as vaccination during an outbreak could cause further spread of the disease, said Makenesi Maroo, chief director: communication services, at the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). RVF, which is spread by mosquitoes, can cause abortions and death in cattle, sheep and goats. Humans can also be infected. The good recent rain would result in a higher than usual increase in the number of mosquitoes that might transmit RVF, said Francois du Toit, chairperson of the Eastern Cape Red Meat Producers’…

Agri Eastern Cape has called on its drought-hit farmers to review their business finances and brace themselves for the serious implications of the new national minimum wage. The new wage was announced by President Jacob Zuma during his latest State of the Nation address and will come into effect on 1 May next year. Agri Eastern Cape president, Douglas Stern, told Farmer’s Weekly that his organisation had a number of “serious concerns” regarding potential implications of the new R20 hourly wage on the agricultural sector. Among these concerns was potential unemployment. “As farmers, we want to create sustainable employment in our sector, which is already struggling due to the ongoing critical drought conditions in the Eastern Cape, with many farmers being unable to absorb the costs of two wage increases,…

While their figures for farm attacks and farm murders may not correspond, Agri SA and TAU SA agree that the statistics of incidents from 1 January this year are worrying. The unions have to rely on gathering their own figures from a variety of sources due to strict SAPS controls of national crime statistics. Agri SA said that the 8 500-plus farm attacks and 930 farm murders over the past 14 years, and the more than 30 farm attacks and “sky-high” farm murders figure since the beginning of this year, spoke volumes about the continued crime onslaught against farmers and farm workers. “The severity of the security threat to primary agriculture cannot be underestimated,” said Kobus Breytenbach, chairperson of Agri SA’s Policy Committee on Rural Safety. TAU SA’s records showed…

Zimbabwe requires US$50 million (R657 million) to repair its grain silos ahead of an expected bumper maize crop in the 2017/2018 season, a government spokesperson said recently. Approximately 1 200 000t of maize were expected to be delivered to Zimbabwe’s Grain Marketing Board (GMB) by the 36 000 farmers in government’s Command Agriculture programme launched in 2016. However, the state grain agency, with a network of 80 depots across the country, had only a few functional silos. Secretary for the ministry of agriculture, Ringson Chitsiko, told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture and Mechanisation that farmers had planted 240 000ha of maize under the government programme and would deliver 5t/ha of grain to the GMB. Of the 12 silos on the GMB’s premises in Harare, only three were intact,…

For intensive livestock farmers, 2015 and 2016 were very difficult indeed. Drought resulted in high grain and roughage prices and lower roughage availability. With stagnant and weaker meat and dairy prices, it was a struggle to make ends meet. Fortunately, conditions have generally improved since December. The 2017 Absa agricultural outlook is probably the most positive since the first issue was published in 2012. Absa’s agricultural economists expect higher wool, mohair, beef, lamb and mutton prices in 2017, with a positive trend in the years following. Maize prices are also expected to show a positive trend after a decrease from 2016 to 2017. The same applies to soya beans, the other main component of rations for intensive livestock production. The ratios between the prices of feed and producer prices are…

HERD REBUILDING AND LOWER MAIZE PRICES WILL LEAD TO INCREASED BEEF PRICES South African consumers have to brace themselves for higher meat prices this year. According to statistics from Red Meat Levy Admin, which administers levies on behalf of the Red Meat Industry Forum, 2% fewer cattle were slaughtered in 2016 compared with 2015. However, these figures do not include non-commercial beef slaughter numbers. It is estimated that total livestock slaughter numbers for both commercial and non-commercial cattle have declined by about 8% compared with 2015. This amounts to approximately 77 000 fewer cattle being slaughtered year-on-year for the four months ending December 2016 . As a result of the widespread drought across the country, more animals were culled in 2015, resulting in the upward trend for, beef prices .…

New Holland’s ingenuity and innovative approach recently received global recognition in the EuroTier 2016 Innovation Awards competition. The company carried off a coveted silver medal for its NHDrive concept autonomous tractor, which offers a glimpse into a future of farming that could feature fully autonomous machinery. The panel of judges also awarded a Special Mention to New Holland’s new design for a more efficient cooling system, the High Efficiency Heat Rejection System. Carlo Lambro, New Holland Agriculture brand president, stated: “We’re delighted with this recognition of our forward-looking approach. The innovations [that received awards] are the result of our strong focus on continuously raising the level of efficiency and profitability that our customers can reach with our equipment, and they support our overarching aim to help create a sustainable future…

Six years ago, Lindy Gordon-Brown was newly divorced with no income. She found herself in a position where she had to make a living off of her 11ha farm. “I’m an animal lover and had farmed chickens before, so I thought chicken farming would be a quick way to make cash,” she recalls. Lindy studied natural chicken farming methods taught by Herman Beck-Chenoweth, who is renowned for his free-range chicken farming practices, as well as learning from the Mormons. “I wanted to learn to farm the natural way and to give the chickens as happy a life as possible,” says Lindy, now fondly nicknamed The Fowl Woman. “We use small, compact houses for small groups of chickens, which all venture out every day. Chickens don’t like to be in large…

DUE TO ITS GREATER TRANSPIRATION, AN OLDER CROP SHOULD BE IRRIGATED MORE OFTEN THAN A YOUNGER CROP How often to irrigate depends on many factors, some of which are unique to each case. Some farmers irrigate in a fixed cycle, starting at one point. When the entire land has been irrigated, they immediately start the next cycle with all the sprinklers running for the same period irrespective of the conditions at the time. I don’t favour this approach. Instead, I recommend adjusting the frequency and timing according to the plants’ requirements as determined by weather conditions. For example, as mentioned in the previous issue, it is usually pointless to irrigate too far below the depth of the root system. However, the root depth is not fixed; it can vary due…

EASY!Force high-pressure gun from Kärcher A conventional high-pressure cleaning gun’s trigger is pulled manually towards the grip to activate water flow. This typically requires considerable strength in the finger and corresponding counter-pressure from the ball of the hand, which can cause fatigue or even strain during prolonged use. To counter this problem, Kärcher has developed the novel EASY!Force cleaning gun. “The function of this gun is based on a reversal of the conventional triggering principle, instead using the ball of the hand to push the EASY!Force gun’s trigger towards the grip to start water flow. Once the EASY!Force gun’s safety lever has been released, finger and hand strength is only required briefly to operate the gun,” a Kärcher statement explains. During extended use of the EASY!Force gun, minor counter-pressure applied…

THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR FERTILISATION OF THE OVUM IS LESS THAN 24 HOURS By March, the days are getting noticeably shorter and this affects the breeding cycle of mares. They stay on heat longer and it becomes difficult to judge when they are about to ovulate. Mating a mare that is not close to ovulating is unlikely to result in a foal. Horses are seasonal polyoestrous breeders: a mare comes into heat every 18 to 21 days from September to the end of March in the southern hemisphere. Like most grazers, they have evolved to give birth in summer when there is enough grazing for the mothers to produce milk and raise offspring. Mares start coming into heat in spring, when the days get longer; the heat cycles slow…

Dear Jonno Can you please design a house for me that is 8m x 7m in size with three bedrooms. The main bedroom must be en suite, and must be large enough for two beds. I would also like an additional bathroom. The kitchen must be modern, while the overall style of the house should be as discussed previously. Regards, Handsome Dear Handsome Thank you for submitting your home requirements. With the requested size and internal accommodation requirements, this home will be a tight squeeze. We all want a liveable home at the most affordable cost. While a smaller home does reduce building costs relative to the superstructure and certain finishes, the overall cost of service installations and fittings, such as windows, doors, and bathroom and kitchen fittings, remains constant.…

Oil pulling is a simple process. Use high-quality carrier oil such as organic coconut, olive or sesame oil. Coconut oil is best as it contains the unique germ-fighting lauric acid. Put a teaspoon of oil in your mouth and swish around for 10 to 15 minutes. Focus on slow pulling motions to get the oil to all parts of the mouth, especially between teeth. Dizziness during or after oil pulling may be due to too-rigorous swishing. Use a very small amount and let it sit in your mouth with little to no movement for five minutes; then slowly build up to where you can handle 10 to 15 minutes of gentle swishing. The oil will feel thinner and look milky when you’re done. Never swallow any of it, as it…

OUT OF BOUNDS by Val McDermid (Little, Brown, R310) McDermid’s 30th novel is the fourth to feature her series character, Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie, who runs a cold-case unit. Pirie is a feisty cop who butts heads with bosses and peers if she believes in what she’s doing, and they grudgingly acknowledge that her methods often get results. In this case, she tracks DNA evidence that links a dead teenage joyrider to a misfit’s apparent suicide and a decades-old celebrity plane crash. Ingeniously plotted, this is one of McDermid’s best, probably because it is set in her native Scotland, with the locations, characters and action gelling atmospherically. A LITTLE HORSE CALLED PANCAKES by Candice Noakes-Dobson (Two Pups, R120) Anna lavishes love on her pony Pancakes,…

Until recently, GPS systems for farm machinery have only been affordable for farmers with large operations. Now, British company, Agricision, has developed a reasonably priced, portable GPS guidance system for farm machinery. AWARD-WINNING The onTrak, which won a technological award certificate of merit at the LAMMA machinery show in the UK, is battery operated and housed in a waterproof case. It attaches to the bonnet of a tractor magnetically, allowing it to be easily swopped between farm machinery. The device is placed in direct line of sight of the operator. A receiver in the lightbar is powered by a battery that operates for 24 hours. Recharging requires nothing more than a standard USB cable. The device connects wirelessly via Bluetooth. When switching it between vehicles, a farmer simply inputs the…

POLICY CERTAINTY AND INVESTMENT COULD SEE GROWTH CONTINUING Agriculture plays a crucial role in the broader economy, constituting about 6% of South Africa’s total labour force. This is double that of mining, and almost on par with the transport industry. The recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey from Statistics South Africa revealed that employment in the agricultural sector grew 4% year-on-year (y/y), or 38 000 jobs, in the fourth quarter of 2016, placing the sector’s total labour force at 919 000. The industries that showed significant job growth were livestock (driven mainly by increased livestock slaughterings), horticulture, crop farming, game farming, and ocean and coastal fishing. Livestock, horticulture and crop farming were the largest contributors to the sector’s total labour force, at 64%. Collectively, livestock, horticulture and crop farming saw a…

President Jacob Zuma, Minister of Police, Nkosinathi Nhleko, and Acting National Police Commissioner, General Khomotso Phahlane, have all ignored letters from TAU SA highlighting concerns about threats of illegal land invasions. According to TAU SA president, Louis Meintjes, a letter was sent to Phahlane in December 2016, and another to Nhleko in early February 2017. After receiving no response, a letter was also sent to President Zuma on 10 February 2017. At the time of going to print, no reply had been received to this letter either. In the letters, Meintjes highlighted TAU SA’s concerns about threats made by “several groups to occupy land” and about illegal land invasions that had “already occurred in several localities”. Meintjes told Farmer’s Weekly that the EFF had repeatedly made such threats and had…

South African horse owners have been warned by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) to obtain contagious equine metritis (CEM) clearance certificates for all stallions prior to breeding. The directive followed a CEM outbreak earlier this year in Gauteng. In a statement, DAFF said that surveillance measures prescribed in May 2016 remained in place. According to these, existing CEM clearance certificates were valid for two years from the date of issue, while stallions required an annual CEM clearance certificate for semen donation. In its statement, the department described CEM as a highly contagious venereal disease in horses and zebras, caused by Taylorella equigenitalis bacteria. It usually affected mares’ reproductive tracts, causing temporary infertility. Transmission was mainly through direct contact during mating and indirectly through shared grooming equipment, halters…

The World Bank has approved US$93 million (R1 billion) in long-term financing for the Land Bank to assist local emerging farmers. The line of credit will enable the Land Bank to focus on wholesale lending and its new initiative to help integrate emerging farmers into established value chains in a sustainable and financially viable manner, according to a statement by the World Bank. “The objective of the Land Bank Financial Intermediation Project is to back the Land Bank to sustainably scale up its agriculture financing, specifically to benefit historically disadvantaged members of the population who are starting out in commercial farming, by providing medium- to long-term loans,” the statement said. World Bank spokesperson, Zandile Ratshitanga, told Farmer’s Weekly that the Land Bank would lend to both emerging and commercial farmers…

Hydroponics is not a new concept. It preceded the earliest tillage practices on farms, and plants have been grown in lakes and oceans from time immemorial. The origins of today’s hydroponics can be dated back to the 15th century, when Leonardo da Vinci, born in 1452, deduced the following: “To develop, plants need mineral elements that they absorb from the soil by means of water. Without water, the plants do not survive, even if the soil has the mineral elements they need. Water is as if it were the soul of plants, as minerals are as if they were the soul of soil. If we could transmit to the soul of plants [the water], the strength of the soul of soil [the minerals], perhaps we would not need it [the…

GIVE CONTROL OF THE MONEY TO THOSE WHO EARN IT Eight residents of Scranton City in Pennsylvania in the US recently took the city to court over tax rate increases that they maintain are illegal. Scranton imposes a ‘local services tax’ on residents who work in the city. The tax is subject to a cap, but this has been ignored by city officials who have tripled the tax in just two years to help the city pay off its numerous debts. As a result, businesses have moved their offices to other municipalities. Economists argue that reducing the tax would reverse this trend and attract new businesses. Any increase must be approved by the court. The lawyer representing the residents alleges that this requirement was not adhered to for the latest…

A UNITED FRONT WOULD INCREASE LEVERAGE AND BARGAINING POWER Is there still room for two separate organisations to represent red meat producers in South Africa, so many years after the advent of democracy? The National Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) was instrumental in establishing the National Emerging Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (Nerpo). A legitimate process was followed and the RPO funded the founding of Nerpo. Aggrey Mahanjana [Nerpo managing director] was employed and given the responsibility and freedom to organise the organisation according to emerging producers’ needs and how they saw fit. Nerpo has now reached maturity and needs to take the next step towards unity. In my opinion, a federal cooperative agreement is not enough anymore, and we have to put organisational structures in place to represent all red…

I won’t mention names, but I recently went into a leading supermarket and stopped to admire a display of mangoes. They were all from the same producer, whose brand I recognised from the market and whose quality was good. However, in the supermarket, the fruit had obviously come out of cold storage and was showing signs of ageing. It had lost what you might call its ‘quality impact’. Here was a producer who had gone to a great deal of trouble and expense to supply a top quality product, and the supermarket had promptly undone all his good work. And these mangoes were but one example of many I’ve seen on supermarket shelves countrywide. Yet it is the supermarkets who shout the loudest about quality fruit and vegetables! THE WRONG…

THE CAR ROLLED 100M DOWN THE HILL, CRASHING INTO A TREE The owner’s manuals of modern cars contain much useful advice, as well as many warnings. If you ignore these, or don’t know about them, you can damage your car in a matter of minutes. Some of the following warnings will be found in manuals; others will not. WRONG FUEL Filling a fuel tank with the incorrect fuel type (petrol for a diesel-engined car or vice versa) is a far more common error than one would think. Statistics are not available in South Africa, but in the UK it has been calculated that this mistake takes place on average every three-and-a-half minutes! If petrol gets into a diesel tank, the amount of damage will depend on how long the engine…

SINCE 2009, THERE HAS BEEN A STEADY INCREASE IN OUTPUT The letter by Charles Tawazadza (FW, 20 January) refers. I am a youthful farmer and an avid reader of Farmer’s Weekly. My main reason for buying the magazine is that I find inspiring stories told by real farmers, who most of the time would have experimented with a number of things and discovered unconventional ways of achieving good yields in these harsh SADC region conditions. Zimbabwe has communal farmers who reside and farm in areas with poor soils and poor rainfall where they were forced to settle by the colonial government of the past. The country also has small-scale commercial farms ranging from 50ha to 200ha, a scheme which the colonial government introduced. In addition, there are small-to large-scale commercial…

Wool traded 2,3% lower this week and the Cape Wools Merino Indicator decreased by 368 points to close at R158,28 (clean), while the Australian market declined only 0,4%. The market performed well, with a stronger rand offset by better demand and higher value in the market when measured in US dollar terms, according to Cape Wools. Finer wool again delivered excellent returns. Competition among buyers was fierce, with Standard Wool purchasing the lion’s share of the bales on offer. “Wool of 18,7 microns [µ] and finer gained as much as 5%, while 19µ to 20µ wool traded at unchanged prices from the previous auction,” said James de Jager, OVK/CMW Group’s manager of fibre. Wool of 20µ shed 3% and 19µ to 20µ traded 1% down. CMW’s highest price of R150,60/kg…

The recent discoveries of the highly destructive tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta) in both Botswana and the Seychelles islands were causing problems for fresh produce exports to these countries from South Africa. Since 13 February, the Seychelles had banned the import of fresh tomatoes from South Africa and other countries, SA’s Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) told Farmer’s Weekly. DAFF spokesperson, Bomikazi Molapo, said that the Seychelles had formally notified its trading partners of this self-imposed emergency temporary ban via the World Trade Organisation Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, and that it would not be importing fresh tomatoes until further notice. For the period 1 October 2015 to 30 September 2016, South Africa reportedly exported tomatoes to the value of R208 000 to the Seychelles. However, this…

The DA has called on government to declare the fall armyworm (FAW) invasion a national disaster. “If the worm begins to spread rapidly throughout South Africa, it could have a detrimental effect on our agricultural sectors, particularly on communal and small-scale farmers,” said Annette Steyn, DA’s member of parliament for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Currently, South Africa meets all the requirements of Section 23(6) of the National Disaster Management Act, which allows for a national disaster to be declared if more than one province is affected, according to a statement by the DA. Recent reports have confirmed that the FAW has now spread to nine provinces, after sightings in the Eastern Cape. Commercial farmers have pointed out that it costs about R1 000/ha to combat the FAW, according to Steyn.…

Yara International, a Norwegian chemicals company that manufactures nitrogen fertiliser, has recently invested R30 million in a new liquid fertiliser plant in Malmesbury. The facility will enable Yara to serve farmers within a radius of more than 300km in several markets, including dryland grains, vegetables, fruit and grapes. “With this latest investment, we confirm our belief in the agricultural potential of the country,” said Terje Knutsen, Yara’s executive vice-president: crop nutrition. It took Yara just over a year to build the plant. “With the increased capacity of this investment, we once again illustrate our commitment to the Western and Southern Cape farmers and their needs,” said Ig Ferreira, general manager of Yara Cape.…

The South African Macadamia Growers’ Association (SAMAC) has decided to split from Subtrop, the umbrella organisation that also includes the South African avocado, mango and litchi growers’ associations. The new stand-alone SAMAC would become effective in March 2018. “There is no animosity about this decision. Everybody knew it was bound to happen sooner or later,” said SAMAC chairperson, Walter Giuricich. Over 80% of 181 growers had voted on a proposal to secede from Subtrop and become a standalone association. There were about 650 SAMAC members. “These growers felt that SAMAC has reached the size and capacity where, falling under Subtrop, they were not getting the economy of scale the industry needed,” Giuricich said. He added that becoming a stand-alone entity would give SAMAC greater authority and capacity to meet the…

Feeding silage to livestock at the correct stage of the silage-making process could result in production gains for dairy and beef producers. The nutritional value of silage increased as it aged, with digestibility at optimal levels after about 10 months, according to Barnlab consultant, Kenneth Botha. He was speaking at the recent Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO) silage day held in Lichtenburg, North West. Converting to high silage content in feed could have a positive outcome for production, Botha said. Farmers had to ensure that they monitored the moisture content of silage at every stage, as a fluctuation could mean a variation in nutritional value. Tests showed that switching to silage from a new load could lead to a 40g/day drop in daily gain in beef cattle, or 4,6l/cow/day loss in…

A new report by the World Bank projects an increase in global food supply this year. Released by World Bank Botswana’s office, it states that the January 2017 assessment by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that the combined global supply of wheat, maize, and rice is projected to reach 2,84 billion tons during the 2016/2017 season, nearly 5% higher than last season’s supply. According to Xinshen Diao, a World Bank analyst who contributed to the report, global production of wheat was expected to reach a new record of 753 million tons, as conditions for the global wheat crop were generally favourable in most key producing and exporting areas, including Australia, the EU, Russia and the US. As a result of the favourable crop conditions, the stock-to-use ratio (a…

Most plants produce natural chemicals that control flowering, plant development, fruit formation, and other traits. Horticulturalists continue to search for improved application methods and new natural or chemical regulators. Bio-regulators for ornamentals include: • Gibberellins These natural plant hormones enhance flowering, elongate stems and extend life in cut flowers, promote flowering in long-day species, and initiate flowering in plants that require a cold spell (vernalisation). However, they may also increase abortion and dropping of fruit (abscission) for markets requiring fewer flowers or fruit on a plant. To maintain shortness in potted plants, chemical growth retardants such as paclobutrazol, unicanozole or silver-thio-sulphate (STS) are applied. In woody ornamentals, these two chemicals are also used to promote flowering. STS may have undesirable effects on the environment, but several alternatives are available to overcome…

DETERMINE IF THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO PROVE A CASE BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH A DISCIPLINARY HEARING Complying with legislation can be intimidating, especially for those without a legal background. Labour legislation is non-negotiable, and compliance requires specialist knowledge, posing a business risk to the employer. A crucial rule is that, regardless of the circumstances, an employer cannot dismiss an employee without holding a disciplinary hearing to ensure that fair procedure is followed and that there is a substantive, proven reason for the employee to be dismissed. Employers must thus ensure that they have basic knowledge of the rules relating to the law of evidence. These include the definition of evidence, what evidence is admissible, and what type of evidence carries the most weight in proving a case, thereby limiting liability.…

Neil Dodds uses a herd of buffalo to rejuvenate old lands and overgrown thorn veld along the Sundays River. “Simply by moving the feeding area around, I get these large animals to concentrate on spots where I want them to clear the bush and fertilise the soil to create good conditions for grass seedlings,” he explains. According to Rob Hobson, it is unnecessary to pull down all internal fences to establish a game farm. He moves small herds from camp to camp by enticing them towards and through the gates with feed. He has established several smaller camps around his homestead for breeding and for young animals. He then ‘cleans up’ the camps with Meatmaster sheep before resting the camps for up to two years. Interestingly, he has reduced his…

Avant’s new e-series loaders are available in two models: the Avant e5 and Avant e6. These have almost identical operating specifications: a working speed of up to 10km/h, a lifting height of 2 790mm and tipping load of 900kg. Both use a hydrostatic transmission and are fitted with 23x10.50-12 tyres. The e6 is about 100kg lighter and 80mm longer, and comes with a lithium ion battery. The quick-attach system and the multi-connector for the attachment of hydraulics are the same as on other Avant models, so the manufacturer’s full range of attachments can be used on the e-series. LEAD ACID UNIT The Avant e5 is fitted with a 240Ah lead acid battery unit of the type found on most electric fork-lifts. It has two electric motors: 6kW for driving the…

TAKE SWIFT ACTION IF YOUR DOG’S TEMPERATURE EXCEEDS 40,6°C – CELL DAMAGE OR DEATH COULD ENSUE Hyperthermia occurs when a dog’s body temperature exceeds 39,7°C. However, unlike fever, which is caused by internal health problems such as an infection, hyperthermia is brought about by external factors. The four main causes of hypothermia in dogs are: • Panting problems While dogs can sweat to a certain degree, panting is the main way in which they regulate body temperature. Flat-faced breeds such as the bulldog, pug, Boston terrier and boxer are more prone to hereditary breathing problems, so may be more at risk of developing hyperthermia. • Predisposition Obesity, a very furry coat, inappropriate exercise and a dark-coloured fur can all make a dog more prone to heat stroke or hyperthermia. • Exposure to toxins…

To make this flavour combination for six enthusiastic diners, you will need: 350g spaghetti 2 large eggs ½ cup grated pecorino cheese 250g bacon bits 30ml olive oil 1 punnet small mushrooms 4 garlic cloves Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley Start with the spaghetti. Bring 2l or so of lightly salted water to the boil, add the spaghetti to the pot, and cook the pasta for the time suggested on the packet. Picking up the pace and watching the second-hand of your watch, chop the mushrooms, and peel and crush the garlic. Then heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the bacon. Fry until crispy. Lower the heat, and add the garlic and mushrooms. Sweat these until they are soft and fragrant.…

‘HE WHO DOUBTS IS LIKE A WAVE OF THE SEA DRIVEN AND TOSSED BY THE WIND’ A wealthy businessman rushes up to the check-in counter at an airport and asks the assistant for a ticket to Johannesburg. “I’m sorry, sir, all the seats are full and the booking is closed for that flight,” says the young woman. The businessman reddens. “Do you know who I am?” he asks pompously. “One moment, please, sir,” says the assistant. Turning on the intercom, she says: “There’s a gentleman here at counter number five who does not know who he is. Could somebody help us, please?” Moses was called ‘The Man of God’ because he acknowledged that the Lord God was the creator of heaven and earth (Psalm 90). He believed that before the…

Johannesburg-based motivational speaker and writer, Douglas Kruger, is a role model for breaking the career mould successfully. He outlines how to do this, and why it can create innovators such as Tesla’s South African-born, Elon Musk, in THEY’RE YOUR RULES, BREAK THEM! (Penguin, R220). The book builds on the philosophy of his previous titles, which include, How to Make Your Point without Powerpoint and Is Your Thinking Keeping You Poor? 1. Barriers South African society is quite traditional and authoritarian, but rules aren’t the safe way to go; they stifle creativity and entrepreneurship. 2. Slashing Reassess the rules you live and work by and keep only those that enable you to be more productive and competitive. 3. Enabling Rules can stroke your ego but stand in the way of your…

‘THE BOOK YOU DON’T READ WON’T HELP’ – JIM ROHN (1930-2009) Plentiful (Jacana, R280), the third cookery book from the renowned Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo, builds on the previous theme of ‘quiet food’ to exemplify the satisfaction of using simple ingredients well. Anecdotes from this decades-long journey are used to season mouthwatering recipes, from chilli non carne to North African peanut butter curry, watermelon, ginger and mint salad, and a tempting array of sweet treats, including nectarine and almond tart and gluten-free chocolate orange brownies. Centre founders, Chrisi and Louis van Loon, chef, Paul Atkinson, and photographer, Angela Shaw, have created a lovely gift for the vegetarian in your life, as well as tempting fare for all foodies.…