Table of contents for 06-Nov 2015 in Farmer's Weekly

The agendas of Afasa and Agri SA’s recent conferences, held a week apart at the same venue in Pretoria, had striking similarities. At both events land reform took centre stage, supported by presentations on the availability and cost of food, with socioeconomic transformation as the underlying focus. Farmers were frustrated with the slow pace of land reform, seeing it as creating uncertainty and keeping them from the job at hand: farming. Granted, the two groups had different ideas on how land reform would play out, but I’m not sure if anyone has a clear vision of the agricultural sector’s future. It is certain that everyone – from government to commercial banks – has a vision of how they would like it to be, and for the most part no one…

We as law-abiding citizens of South Africa, would like to stand up for our fellow citizens who have suffered due to farm attacks around the country. We cannot stand on the sidelines and witness the cruelty with which these attacks are carried out. The attackers have no respect for human life. Government should impose harsher sentences on these criminals. Every farmer who is murdered means another producer is lost to the food production value chain. I trust our country’s leadership will wake up and take strong action to address this problem.…

Hardened police officers tend to develop tough ideas about crime. They insist that most criminals are born, not made, and that it’s a waste of time and money trying to rehabilitate crooks. However, in civilised societies, criminals often enjoy more freedom than their victims. They even have the luxury of spending their days conjuring up new ways to rob law-abiding citizens after dark. That’s probably what those gentlemen in the strange car at the bottom of your street are doing right now. Social workers and psychologists might take a softer view and could well be right in doing so. There seems to be no cure to crime. Jails certainly don’t help much to combat criminal behaviour. However, everyone would feel better if more was done to recognise the suffering and…

Water charges were increased at the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) agricultural sector’s specific and national water tariff consultation, held recently. The 2015/2016 charges for catchment management areas for irrigation purposes were 2,44c/m3 in Limpopo, 2,22c/m3 in the Olifants area, Inkomati 1,48c/m3 , Pongola-Mzimkulu 1,48c/m3 , Vaal 1,45c/m3 , Orange 0,53c/m3 , Mzimvubu-Tsitsikama 1,96c/m3 , Breede-Gouritz 1,91c/m3 and 1,94c/m3 in Berg-Olifants. Domestic and industrial costs stood at 3,80c/m3 in Limpopo, 3,90c/m3 in Olifants, 1,89c/m3 Inkomati, Pongola-Mzimkulu at 1,69c/m3 , Vaal 2,50c/m3 , Orange 0,99c/m3 , Mzimvubu-Tsitsikama 1,96c/m3 , Breede-Gouritz 3,95c/m3 and 3,85c/m3 in Berg-Olifants. The recent increases in the water resource management charges will not exceed the producer price index (PPI) of 3% except for the Orange River Proto-CMA, where a 13% increase will take place due to under-recovery…

Government must recognise the efforts made by farmers to ensure that the world was a better place to live in, according to Dr Evelyn Nguleka, president of the World Farmers’ Organisation. She was speaking at the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa’s (Afasa) conference held recently in Pretoria. The statement was directed at Senzeni Zokwana, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Nguleka asked him to ensure that the state improved infrastructure, roads and access to finance for local farmers. “We need farmers to walk in any bank and be able to borrow money at an affordable rate,” she said. Access to land was equally important because without land there would be no agricultural production, she added. Government could not farm on behalf of the farmers, but was responsible for creating…

Moldovan farmers are facing a desperate situation after Russia implemented a ban on imports of its apples, plums, peaches and canned fruit. Russia has also scrapped duty-free exemptions for 19 categories of Moldovan products. According to a report in The Guardian newspaper, Russia accounted for 90,6% of fruit exported from Moldova in 2012. In 2013, Russia bought 43% of all Moldova’s agricultural exports. Reasons for the ban include Moldova’s signing of a free-trade deal and association agreement with the EU in 2014, which Russia views as encroaching on its sphere of influence over former Soviet countries. Moldova signed the agreement as it hopes to achieve full EU membership and diversify away from its reliance on the Russian market.…

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the World Food Programme (WFP) are making contingency plans to contain the El Niño crisis in Malawi, where 2,8 million people are reportedly food-insecure. Coco Ushiyama, WFP Malawi country director, said 2,4 million Malawians would need support for the next six months. “We’re very concerned with the outlook ahead. Inflation is high and food stocks are also a concern. It’s a first national deficit in 10 years,” she said. “In the aftermath of the largest flood disaster in at least 50 years – compounded by prolonged dry spells – Malawi is facing an over 30% decrease in maize production compared with last year, and its worst food crisis in a decade,” the WFP said in a statement. Ushiyama said in Johannesburg recently that…

National power utility Eskom has said that it is currently engaging with all relevant stakeholders in the Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme to resolve its temporary halt of budget quotes to independent power producers (IPPs). An Eskom statement said that the decision to temporarily halt the issuing of budget quotes had been taken to protect the financial sustainability of Eskom. “[This is] due to the fact that no capital allocation was accommodated for in the current multi-year pricing regime for IPPs beyond Bid Window 3. In essence, Eskom’s current financial plan cannot support any new IPP connections as well as energy purchases.” As of 31 March 2015, 1 795MW of independently produced renewable energy generation capacity had already been connected to the national grid, the…

The Eastern Cape is set to become South Africa’s leading hub of maritime economic activity, according to Kevin Hustler, Nelson Mandela Bay’s Business Chamber director. Speaking at a media briefing on the Eastern Cape Maritime Summit due to be held in Port Elizabeth on 13 November, he said the summit’s theme was the promotion of business opportunities in the maritime sector. “The province’s three ports are among the fastest-growing terminals in the world,” he said. Although Operation Phakisa had effectively placed the maritime economy on the development agenda, business lacked the knowledge and resources to enter the sector, according to him. He said the summit would address real opportunities at a practical level as well as the manner in which businesses and entrepreneurs could access them through case studies and…

Stock theft has become an economic disaster in the Free State and the problem is more serious than illustrated by official statistics, according to WA Lombard, a researcher at the University of the Free State (UFS). Lombard’s research showed that livestock to the value of R247 million was lost to theft in the province from October 2014 to September 2015. While official statistics showed that 19 772 sheep were lost during this period, the study found the number to be closer to 85 000. It was estimated that 9 622 cattle were stolen in this one-year period, compared with the 6 490 shown in official statistics, as well as 1 155 goats rather than the 827 stated. The direct financial impact of sheep theft in the province was estimated at…

Yeast has been used for thousands of years in making bread, beer and wine. Conventional selection of yeast strains for improved performance is also an old technique. Modern genetic knowledge has been used to synthesise industrial chemicals, insulin, human serum albumin and vaccines against hepatitis virus and human papilloma virus in yeast cells. Being larger than bacterial cells, these can accommodate larger molecules. Metabolic pathways in synthesis require dedicated enzymes to drive the steps in this process. These enzymes are proteins made up of specific sequences of amino acids. Such sequences are determined by DNA code sequences in genes that control enzyme synthesis. Getting yeast cells to produce chemicals normally produced in plants requires genetic modification: plant genes are inserted into yeast in such a way that they can link…

The Employment Equity Act was introduced to eliminate unfair discrimination in the workplace by promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment. Affirmative action is aimed at redressing previous disadvantages in employment experienced by designated groups (South African citizens who are black, women, or have disabilities). This act specifies the grounds on which unfair discrimination can take place as “race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, family responsibility, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, HIV status, conscience, belief, political opinion, culture, language, birth, or any other arbitrary ground”. Amendments to this Act, dated 1 August 2014, mainly affect the definition of a ‘designated employer’ and how often reports must be submitted to the Department of Labour. The Employment Equity Act applies to ‘designated employers’ with: • 50 or more…

Meat MEAT PRICES LOWER International: New Zealand steers traded lower at NZ$561/head and cows traded lower at NZ$361/head.US beef traded mostly lower: topside traded higher at US$233,93/cwt, rump traded lower at US$314,67/cwt, strip loin traded lower at US$472,64/cwt, chuck traded higher at US$268,17/cwt, brisket traded slightly higher at US$212,55/cwt, and the carcass price was 4,50% higher at US$287,64/cwt. Domestic: Local prices were lower. The different meat classes were as follows: Class A prices increased 0,25% to R34,84/kg, Class B traded higher at R30,41/kg, and Class C increased to R28,99/kg. Slaughtering numbers decreased from the previous week. Weaner prices decreased to R20,21/kg. Hide prices were slightly lower at R12,23/kg. Outlook: US prices are expected to remain under pressure due to improved supplies in the market. Local forecasts for rain could have…

MASCARPONE • 1l cream • 1g citric acid in a little water Utensils: stainless steel pot, wooden spoon, thermometer, cheesecloth and colander Instructions 1. Pour cream into the pot and put on stove at low heat. 2. Heat to 92°C, stirring constantly. 3. Remove from heat and add citric acid diluted in water. Stir for two minutes. 4. Line colander with cheesecloth and gently pour the contents of the pot into the colander 5. Mix slowly so that drainage occurs evenly while it cools down. 6. Leave overnight in the fridge. The cheese is now ready for use, mainly for tiramisu, sauces and fillings, sweet and savoury.…

BOSVELD KALAHARI RED CHAMPIONS BOSVELD BOER GOAT CHAMPIONS CONTACTS: Anton Bothma: 071 969 1680 | Joubert Fourie: 082 494 3532 or Johan Boshoff: 082 377 0290…

If root growth is unrestricted, the root system of a mature maize plant will extend about 1,5m laterally and 2m or more downwards. Adventitious roots originate from the stem, branches or leaves of some plants. In maize, they develop in a crown of roots from nodes below the soil surface. Normally four to six adventitious roots are formed per band. After tasselling, prop roots develop from the first two to three aerial nodes. These roots are comparatively thick, pigmented and covered with a waxy layer. They support the plant and take up nutrients. Numerous root hairs occur on young plants. These increase the root surface area exposed to the soil and play an important role in the absorption of water and nutrients. • Leaves The eight to 20 leaves that may…

The agricultural press is unanimous that the tractor market has declined substantially since the record year of 2013, when the last Agritechnica Expo was held. Nevertheless, tractor manufacturers continue to launch bigger, more powerful models. Some, like Kubota, are even opening new factories to better compete in the European and American markets. Here are some of the models that will be introduced at Agritechnica: • Massey Ferguson 8700 series With Power Management generating up to 300kW, this new range features the most powerful tractors ever built by the company. • Case IH Optum CVX The range consists of two models with compact 6,7-litre NEF engines from FPT Industrial. These develop 202kW or 225kW at a rated speed of 2 100rpm, and maximum power of 235kW at 1 800rpm for the larger of…

Like petrol, diesel fuel is a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds. However, it is formulated to combust at a high temperature in atmospheric air without a spark. A diesel engine produces more unburnt carbon particles and nitrogen oxides under heavy load, but less carbon monoxide than a petrol engine because at least 20% of excess air is always present in the system. FUEL INJECTION To optimise combustion, the fuel droplets should be as small as possible. In modern common-rail fuel injection systems, fuel is pumped into a common container (essentially a pipe) and an electric pump keeps the pressure at 1 500 bar to 2 000 bar. This allows the size of the injector’s orifice to be reduced, producing smaller droplets than those in older engines. Every injector body is kept…

I am a single 45-year-old gentleman. I am ready to find my lady and settle down and start a family. I am a young-at-heart, born-again Christian. I am a youth leader and very involved in God’s ministry in various ways. I enjoy tennis, walking on the beach and going to the movies when I’m able to. I am looking for a lady in her late 20s or early 30s. Put a smile on my dial by replying. SMILEY, KZN I am a 40-year-old white female looking for that someone special: a man with a kind heart and good morals. Looks are not important, whereas loyalty, honesty and respect are. But if you have a beard you stand a good chance! I am only interested in nonsmokers and Christians. I love…

God spoke to King Solomon in a dream, when Solomon was still a young man: “Ask! What shall I give you?” In 1 Kings 3:9 it is written that Solomon answered: “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” God was happy to comply because Solomon was unselfish and asked for a heart of wisdom, a listening heart, so that he could govern God’s people well. God blessed Solomon abundantly: “So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. Now all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart” (1 Kings 10:23-24).…

Currently, testing water is a relatively tedious process which involves collecting samples, sending them to a laboratory and waiting for several days for the results to be released. While this is happening, you remain in the dark on whether the water is safe to use, which can be frustrating and also worrying. HI-TECH SENSOR The scenario may change in a short while, however. Gustav Skands, co-founder and CEO of SBT Aqua, and a group of students from the Technical University of Denmark have created a sensor that they claim can instantly detect bacteria in water. The sensor uses impedance flow cytometry. Simply put, a liquid sample is continuously injected into a microfluidic channel lined with electrodes through which a multi-frequency signal is applied. As bacteria and water particles move across…

My phone rang. The caller said he was from Standard Bank. I bank with Standard so was immediately attentive. “We’ve received a request for payment on your credit card for an Ebay purchase of around R800. Do you want the bank to honour it?” he asked. As I’ve never bought anything on Ebay, my suspicions went into overdrive. “No,” I answered. “To cancel the transaction, I’ll need your credit card number,” he said. Aha! Convinced it was a phishing scam, I tried to end the call, telling him to drown in the nearest lake. Persistently, he said he couldn’t cancel the transaction unless he had my credit card number. “Get lost,” I retorted angrily, slamming the phone back on its cradle. Still fuming, I reported the call to the bank’s…

"I am pleased to report that our members have faced up to their problems with a positive and constructive solution-seeking resolution. I wish to highlight some of these challenges, as it has been recorded that the 2014/2015 rainfall season has resulted in drought conditions considered the worst in 40 years. The negative impact on our agricultural sector has been widespread – crop failure in the maize triangle, the failure of the mahango crop in the Northern Communal Area and the absence of sufficient grazing in our livestock-producing areas. This is not a good scenario in terms of financial and social stability for our Namibian nation. The financial stress on the agricultural sector could have a devastating effect on the stated government policy of supporting ‘food and nutritional security’ for the…

The news report “ANC officially now wants farm workers to own shares in farms” (FW, 23 October) refers. I wish to complain about my statement on the 50:50 land policy debate being misrepresented. In the article, the journalist quoted me as saying “It [the 50:50 land reform policy] is completely disconnected with the needs and economic realities we are facing today”, a statement I vehemently deny. The article goes on to say, “Mahanjana said that he wanted the ANC to allow farmers room to be creative and empower their workers, but without decimating their farming operations”. Here is what I stated to the journalist during our interview: Firstly, people misinterpret the 50:50 policy, hence we prefer the term ‘strengthening relative rights of people working on farms’. This emphasises bringing human…

In April 2005, vervet monkeys and baboons were declassified as vermin and today they are protected wildlife. This is according to Silke von Eynern, owner of the Bambelela Wildlife Care and Guest Farm near Bela-Bela in Limpopo. Von Eynern and Rodney Williams established Bambelela in December 2003.to rehabilitate wildlife in need. “One needs a permit to kill them [vervets],” Von Eynern said. “Every year we receive between 25 and 35 orphans. We have eight rehabilitation troops and almost 300 monkeys.” The farm has two grouping and three permanent camps for old or handicapped vervet monkeys, a kindergarten, a nursery and a quarantine facility. Farmers do not realise the ecological importance of vervets in the environment, Von Eynern said. “The value of free-roaming vervet monkeys is priceless. They play an important…

Fraud, cronyism and incompetence were hampering the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform’s (DRDLR) efforts to assist black farmers, according to delegates at the African Farmer’s Association of South Africa’s (Afasa) annual conference. Delegates also questioned why money budgeted for Recapitalisation (Recap) was not paid over to beneficiaries, and accused the DRDLR of not spending its budget. In response, the department’s director general, Mdu Shabana, said the DRDLR had spent 99% of its budget in the previous financial year, but the money was not necessarily spent wisely. “Officials know they have to spend the money, otherwise they’ll be taken to task,” he said. This led to hasty spending and inputs reaching farmers too late. A clampdown on fraud was one of the reasons Recap contracts were not renewed in…

Researchers are helping farmers in Nepal to adjust their farming methods in response to concerns about how climate change is affecting their farming operations, according to online publication, Eco-business. The project forms part of the Nepal-based NGO, Centre for Environmental Policy, Research and Development, to establish ‘climatesmart’ villages in that country. It is tradition for Nepalese farmers to mix dung and urine from their buffaloes, cows and goats with vegetable compost to make soil manure. With the help of agricultural scientists, farmers are now making liquid variants of this traditional organic fertiliser. Special mixes of dung, urine, water and additives, including leaves from trees in local woods, have been developed over the past two years to help fix nitrogen and other plant nutrients in the soil. The biofertilisers are known…

The current drought has resulted in the marked deterioration of livestock conditions in South Africa, according to the September 2015 report of the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa (RuVASA). Dr Danie Odendaal, CEO of RuVASA, said that apart from the coastal belts of the southern and Eastern Cape, the entire country was suffering from drought. It was vital that the most critically affected animals received additional feed including production licks and roughage. Protein and energy deficiencies were widely reported. “We did not receive reports of any animals succumbing to drought in the commercial farming sector. We had numerous reports of animals that have become so weakened that they are unable to get up,” he said. He cautioned producers to be on the lookout for toxic plants such as poison…

The Private Sector Energy Efficiency programme of the National Business Initiative has identified nearly 12 000 gigawatt hours of energy-saving opportunities from among more than 750 companies. A total of 30% of these are in the agriculture sector. This was according to Rosalind dos Santos of the National Business Initiative, a nonprofit organisation launched by Nelson Mandela in 1995 and focused on environmental sustainability and human skills development. Dos Santos said the organisation was working with some 44 wine farms in the Western Cape that had implemented energy saving plans. “We are also working with fruit farms and hatcheries,” she told Farmer’s Weekly at the Poultry Buzz seminar held at St George’s Hotel, Irene, in Pretoria recently. “By assuming an average consumption profile, we are able to estimate that should…

The time for investing in Africa’s niche agricultural market is ripe, according to Ernst Janovsky, head of Absa Agribusiness. He was speaking on resource availability for dryland crop production at the Poultry Buzz seminar held recently in Pretoria. “Don’t underestimate Africa, because it’s growing at a phenomenal rate. It’s the right time to move into Africa,” he said, identifying Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Malawi in particular as having agricultural investment opportunities. He said that the rest of the world would look at African investment in the near future as 1,36 billion hectares would be available for crop production by 2050. This was compared with Asia’s 772 million hectares, South America’s 661 million hectares and North America’s 189 million hectares. Good investment policies were needed, and the SA government was…

The Zimbabwean government has approved a proposal by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) to switch off the country’s sole ammonium nitrate manufacturer, Sable Chemicals, over an unpaid US$150 million (R1,95 billion) electricity debt. The fertiliser manufacturer had failed to pay for the electricity it had used, Minister of Energy and Power Development, Samuel Undenge, told Parliament. This made it Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company’s (ZETDC) – a ZESA subsidiary – largest debtor. “The 40MW currently being availed to Sable Chemicals will be diverted to residential areas in order to reduce the quantum of power loads being shed,” Undenge said. “This alone will reduce Harare’s load-shedding to about six hours. [The debt] is a burden which ZETDC is currently carrying on its own, at a time when [its] revenues…

There are four key aspects to sustainable farming. It must be profitable, it must take care of the environment, it must produce safe and nutritious products from non-stressed animals, and it must ensure decent livelihoods for all participants. A profitable farm produces enough income for the farmer and his family to pay the farm workers for their labour and enable the farm to grow and increase efficiency. Farmers who farm at a loss will stop farming. A key reason for the failure of many empowerment projects is that even the gross income before cost of these projects is too low to refund all the beneficiaries. That is why, in most cases, the capital equipment is also sold. It is not easy to increase profitability, especially in an environment where both…

Spring means more light, longer days, and a rise in temperature, and all this produces a surge in sward growth. At the same time, the milking herd heads towards peak milk production and cows shift onto a rising plane of nutrition. Quality pasture must be available to milking cows for as long as possible because it prolongs the peak and assists with conception. At the outset, it should be noted that differences between farms, regions, climatic zones, topography and management styles make it difficult to prescribe a hard-and-fast rule for pasture management. Here, experience and intuitive wisdom are as important as training and knowledge. ACHIEVING BALANCE Although kg DM/ha will increase, post-grazing residuals should not change. According to DairyNZ, they should be kept at a height of about the second…

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is making a clarion call to all fresh vegetable producers, packers and importers in South Africa to comply with the regulations relating to the grading, packing and marking of fresh vegetables intended for sale in South Africa. Compliance with the requirements of the defined regulations is quite instrumental to the participation of smallholder farmers in the formal market of which the majority are still struggling to act in accordance with relevant regulations, and that has led to their skewed participation in the formal market. The sale of fresh vegetables in South Africa is regulated in terms of the Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990), Regulation No. R.364 of 24 May 2013 which prescribes vegetables shall comply with the key…

MPUMALANGA BRAHMAN CHAMPIONS BRAUNVIEH CHAMPIONS CONTACTS James and Helena Prinsloo 082 781 4135 Rina Prinsloo 082 785 7491 Johan and Jannes Drotsky 082 926 5328 CJ and WJ Roode 082 701 1121 Hans Bester 083 469 1258…

To get your grazing management right, first determine the carrying capacity of your farm. This is how many animals can sustainably graze on a given area of land for one year. For example, 1:6 means that one mature stock unit (MSU) requires 6ha of grazing. As 1 MSU is equal to 6 SSU (smallstock units), this translates into 1ha/SSU. Determine the carrying capacity for your farm and stay within this parameter. If carrying capacity is exceeded, grazing will be degraded. The vegetation must be protected from continual grazing so that it can grow, produce seed and establish root systems. Good veld management can significantly increase the carrying capacity of a farm. Managing veld well and keeping it in good condition also reduces rainwater runoff and retains groundwater. In turn, the…

I’m well aware that no-till is not practical for everyone and is more suited to the small-scale organic farmer. Neither is it compatible with mechanised farming. Nevertheless, some of its practices and principles can be applied to a number of farming systems. We know that tillage is seldom good for the soil, but it is often a necessary evil. Thus, when we do till, we should always be careful to disturb the soil as little as possible. I know of vegetable farmers who do deep ripping on occasion. When I ask them why, they cannot give me a good explanation other than that they feel it’s good to loosen the deeper layer for water and root penetration. They may well be right, but this will depend on whether a hard…

A dead-blow hammer is a specialised tool that controls the striking force with minimal rebound from the struck surface. This reduces damage or deformation to the surface in precision work, especially in tight locations. It conveys less peak force, spread over a longer interval, than that of a conventional hammer of similar weight. The head is usually hollow and partially filled with sand, lead or steel shot that distributes the energy of the strike over a longer period. Some dead-blow hammers have solid heads of rubber or resilient ultra-high molecular weight plastic (UHMW) to absorb shock and reduce rebound. Others are made of solid polymer. Replaceable screw-on striking face inserts are available for some hammers; these allow the user to select the appropriate hardness of the striking face to optimise…

The Labrador retriever, or ‘Lab’, is one of the most popular dog breeds in the world today. This has much to do with the fact that it is an animal with a very good temperament when kept as a family pet. Labs were originally bred on the island of Newfoundland off the coast of Canada to assist deep-sea fishermen in the Labrador Sea to retrieve fish that had escaped from their nets. Due to prohibitive taxation on the island during the mid-1800s and laws allowing the ownership of only one dog per family, bitch pups were usually culled from litters. This led to the near-extinction of the breed. Then bird hunters started to import bloodstock into England and the US in the early 1900s, and established the Lab as a…

To make roasted vegetables for four diners, you will need: • Extra virgin olive oil• Coarse salt• Freshly ground black pepper• 1,5kg red skinned potatoes, carrots, butternut, sweet potatoes, madumbe• 10 cherry tomatoes• Fresh basil Preheat the oven to 220°C and wash the vegetables to remove all traces of Mother Earth. Scrape the carrots, then peel and deseed the butternut. Feel free to leave the potatoes, sweet potatoes and madumbe unpeeled. If you do so, scrub them with a stiff nylon brush prior to the final rinsing. Cut all the vegetables into chunks of the same size. This will help to ensure even cooking. Tip the chunks into a roasting pan large enough to contain them all in one layer. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, season with coarsely ground black pepper and uncrushed coarse salt. Mix…

Derived from fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids are universally accepted as being vital for good health. Most people who know they don’t eat enough fish take them in the form of capsules. Fish oil contains two types of Omega-3 fatty acid – eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). If the balance between arachidonic acid (AA), an omega-6 fatty acid (pro-inflammatory) and DHA and EPA (anti-inflammatory) is out, we can get chronic inflammation, a precursor to degenerative disease. EPA inhibits the enzyme that produces AA. So the more EPA you have in the diet, the less AA you’ll have. With less AA available, much less of the pro-inflammatory eicosanoids (prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes, for example), will be produced. OTHER BENEFITS In addition, EPA suppresses the enzyme needed to activate AA.…

George Nicholas (97), one of the oldest working journalists in the world, has reluctantly decided to lay down his pen. His final contribution to Farmer’s Weekly was the ‘Archive’ article of 30 October 2015. The column will in future be managed by the editorial team. Until 25 September 2015, George also assembled and wrote our much-read ‘Farm Sales’ column. Fittingly, he has passed on the baton to his grandson, Warren Nicholas. We wish Warren a long and happy association with Farmer’s Weekly. George, who lives in Stutterheim in the Eastern Cape, has been formally associated with Farmer’s Weekly for 70 years in various capacities, from cub reporter and regional correspondent to assistant editor. Since formally retiring some 27 years ago, he has remained a dedicated and enthusiastic specialist contributor and…

The Cape Wools Merino indicator gained 1,3% to close at R123,23 (clean) while the Australian indicator increased by 0,2%. Traders were impressed with the strong demand from Chinese buyers, who were still hampered by a declining growth rate. The wool on offer was mostly good, which helped to move prices upwards. “The local wool market reacted well to the positive market in Australia. The price of 16,5-micron to 20-micron wool gained 2,5%, while the 20,5-micron to 23-micron group improved by 1,5%,” said James de Jager of CMW. “Local processors and grease wool exporters competed vigorously, seeing just about 99% of the offering of 7 900 bales sold.” CMW’s highest price of R106,10 was achieved by DF Erasmus of Somerset East for an AMY lot of 17,6 microns, purchased by Modiano.…

The European Union and other parts of the world have been working to ban the preventative or metaphylactic use of antibiotics in livestock production and restrict the use of certain curative antibiotics ostensibly as a means to safeguard human health. But the SA livestock production industry believes that its future would be in jeopardy should such measures be implemented here. Separate responses from various SA animal production organisations agreed that while antibiotic use as both preventative and curative measures was necessary for animal health, productivity and well-being, it was essential that farmers used them strictly according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Kevin Lovell, CEO of the SA Poultry Association, said his industry used ionophores to prevent coccidiosis in poultry, and animal-specific antibiotics as well as antibiotics intended for both animal and…

The drought in the Northern Cape is becoming desperate, according to a survey by Agri Northern Cape. The entire province is affected by the lack of rain and extreme temperatures. Termites were adding to the problem and the little grazing left in some parts is being consumed by the insects. Douglas livestock producer Gellie Geldenhuys said that little grazing was left in the district and termites were causing problems. Livestock and game deaths had been reported. “Water levels in boreholes are very low and in some cases, the boreholes are drying up. One can’t help but wonder how much longer farmers will be able to endure,” he said. The situation in Prieska was also becoming increasingly dire. The district received about 140mm in 2014 and only 51mm in 2015 so…

The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) is disputing allegations by the US government that South Africa was unfairly prohibiting imports of US poultry products. Following these allegations, the US government said it would be reviewing the benefits that South Africa was receiving in terms of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). South Africa had “missed the first of several benchmarks that [the US and South Africa] jointly agreed to in order to resolve certain long-standing barriers to trade and investment in the agriculture sector”, Deputy US Trade representative, Trevor Kinkaid, said recently. “We have to complete a review of South Africa’s compliance and, if it’s not meeting the eligibility requirements under AGOA, we must take action.” The US had been frustrated since South Africa instituted a still-standing ban on…

Stock theft police units in KwaZulu-Natal recovered 395 stolen livestock and arrested 80 alleged suspects following a week-long exercise in October. The livestock recoveries and arrests were made predominantly in the Nongoma, Babanango, Ceza, Mondlo and Bergville areas. According to KZN SAPS spokesperson Major Thulani Zwane, the stolen livestock included cattle, goats, sheep and horses. Zwane said the operation had also seen 35 livestock owners being fined for not marking their animals with a registered brand as required by the Animal Identification Act of 2002. KZN’s police commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, stressed the need for farmers to brand their animals. “We would like to reiterate to all stock owners to ensure that their livestock is properly marked as per [the] Animal Identification Act as this will ensure a swift…

African horse sickness, which affects all equines, but to a different extent, occurs in most countries south of the Sahara. It is not contagious but is caused by an orbivirus, and there are nine different virus serotypes that cause the disease. Small bloodsucking midges (Culicoides spp.) transmit the virus from one horse to another, with the most important species being C. imicola. In 1944, Dr RM du Toit of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (OVI), showed that this species was responsible for transmitting horse sickness as well as bluetongue viruses. Horses are highly susceptible to the disease and the mortality rate among susceptible animals that have not been immunised can be as high as 95%. Mules are more resistant and usually show less severe symptoms. A dog eating the meat of…

Assessments indicate the amount due to SARS or the refund to the taxpayer. But they are also important for other reasons. Most crucially, the period allowed for lodging an objection or an appeal is measured from the date of issue of the assessment. The Tax Administration Act (TAA) has consolidated the way the various taxes are administered and serves to regulate the procedure that taxpayers must follow in dealing with SARS. However, it has not radically changed the principles involved. A taxpayer should still be mindful of the fact that an assessment should not be ignored. It must be compared to the tax return submitted and the financial history of the taxpayer for the year in question. This should be done as soon as possible after the receipt of the…

How will the Land Bank enhance its operations through collaboration with other development finance institutions (DFIs)? As a rule, we work in partnership with other DFIs and relevant institutions to address the challenges faced by our farmers. We’ve enhanced the benefits of these relationships in our recent strategy; they are a critical part of extending our reach to the customer base. On infrastructure development, we will work with institutions such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa to look at areas such as expanding bulk water and irrigation schemes. In agro-processing, we’ll work in collaboration with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), which has a mandate to drive an increase in export growth capacity. On BEE, we will work with the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and other broader government stakeholders to…

Six years ago, Carla Bryan attended a cheese-making course in Durbanville, Western Cape. She gained both knowledge and inspiration from it, and the result was the launch of her business: Udderly Delicious Cheese. Today, Carla hand-makes six different cheese types and cannot keep up with demand. “To make good cheese, patience and passion are key ingredients,” she explains. “It combines cookery and science. The same recipe made by different people will always taste different.” Udderly Delicious currently occupies the floor space of a single garage, using age-old cheese-making techniques. Yet Carla’s cheeses have attracted the attention of gourmet restaurants. THE BUSINESS Initially, Carla sold her cheese at local markets. In 2011, she received her health compliance certificate and officially launched Udderly Delicious Cheese in Darling. Her capital outlay, in addition…

JoJo Tanks provides reliable, high-quality and cost-effective, storage solutions. The company has been developing its expertise in the agricultural sector for over 35 years and understands the sector’s demanding requirements and evolving needs. This has resulted in a wide range of proven, popular products that have stood the test of time on thousands of farm. Alternatively, it has the technical knowhow and flexibility to partner with farmers and produce optimally customised solutions. A PRODUCT FOR EVERY FARMER JoJo Tanks’ product range includes tanks for water storage and silos for grain, feed and liquid fertiliser storage, as well as tank and silo stands. In addition, the company manufactures septic tanks, a range of drinking troughs, animal feeders and dog kennels. There is even an owl house for eco-friendly rodent control. GLOBALGAP…

Communal land in Suurbraak in the Southern Cape has been underutilised for generations. Since 2011, however, a co-operative comprising five farmers from the community has succeeded in making large parts of this land productive with the help of commercial farmer Dirk van Papendorp. The co-op is made up of farmers Andy Harmse, Wilmar Adams, Chris Louw, Dirkie Willemse and Alan Jeftha, who ascribe their success to the ‘Farming for the Future’ production model developed by Boet Pretorius. (Farmer’s Weekly reported on the production systems of the co-op in ‘Co-op with a dynamic funding model’, in the issue of 29 May 2015.) FARMING FOR THE FUTURE Boet is one of many commercial farmers who lost their farms in the Zimbabwean land takeovers. One day, passing one of his old farms, he…

Growth rations * Used for rounding off show animals, animals to be sold and rapid growth of young animals. Keep feed troughs filled and ensure access to clean water. Feed 60% hominy chop or broken maize, 20% milled hay and 20% growth concentrate. Pregnant doe ration * Fed to pregnant does from six weeks before kidding to four weeks after kidding. Feed +-250g-300g/day/animal: 30% Voermol Maxiwol or Molatek Woolsheep Lick, 40% crushed maize, 10% salt and 20% milled hay. Creep feed ration for kids * Fed to kids from about two weeks of age to help increase average daily weight gain. Feed ad lib: 20% Voermol SS200 or similar, 15% HPK36, 10% molasses and 55% crushed maize. Lick supplements * Green summer pasture generally has a phosphate deficiency. Feed phosphate…

I heard a new proposal recently from a distinguished ‘market man’ whose opinion I rate highly. He started by saying that South Africa’s markets are destined to follow the pattern of businesses all over the world – the big get bigger and the small either get swallowed up or vanish. I’m inclined to agree, as many of our markets under the current municipal dispensation are already teetering on the brink. But, said my friend, the way to save our markets lay in divorcing them completely from any political or municipal control and establishing an independent organisation that would take over the function of paying the farmers. In other words, market agencies would no longer have trust accounts and all payments to farmers would be done via a single trust account…

The humble handsaw, which has been around for millenia, is still one of the most useful and versatile tools we use. Amongst the best modern examples are those made by Japanese company Silky: their tools are highly regarded among forestry, arboriculture and garden maintenance professionals worldwide. The Silky Saw range contains fixed-blade and folding models of every size, shape, description and use. The fixed-blade model comes with a custom-designed scabbard, while the folding models protect the blade when folded. Several larger folding saws come in convenient carrying cases. A rubber elastomer compound, inserted or vulcanised to ABS plastic or steel, makes the handle comfortable to hold, reduces vibration and offers a superior grip for wet, cold or gloved hands. This high-tech compound never gets slippery, providing an additional safety factor.…

There are few things more beautiful or satisfying to us as humans than a beautiful flower garden in full bloom. Horses may beg to differ! Several ordinary garden flowers are toxic – even deadly – to equines. Here are a few common plants that can cause problems. LARKSPUR A horse will seldom die from eating larkspur, but if it consumes a large quantity, it could be in trouble. The plant (Delphinium spp) is highly poisonous during early growth, with the toxicity usually declining thereafter. The poison is the delphinine alkaloid, and concentrations vary from plant to plant and from one location to another. The toxicity of the various larkspur species also varies. Signs of poisoning include nervousness, weakness, a staggering gait, salivation, twitching muscles, bloating and colic, and a rapid,…

Estelle and Barry would like to build a retirement home on their son’s farm in the eastern Free State. They produced a rough sketch that showed an interesting feature copied from a venue they had stayed at. Essentially, the layout had cut-off corners, a feature that would suit a thatch-roof home. However, the couple wanted a substitute for thatch because of the latter’s upkeep and high insurance cost (a request I often receive). Eventually, they decided on a higher-pitched roof with a thatch underlay and a mock-thatch metal-tile overlay. These tiles are available today in a range of colours other than the usual dark grey, old-thatch look. In the sketch, I’ve shown a new-thatch colour. With a higher-pitched roof, there is a distinct ability for a further attic bedroom over…

Lindsay Gray has teamed up with butterfly fundi Steve Woodhall to publish the practical and informative GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES (Struik Nature, R230) , an SA first covering 95 common butterflies and moths. Here are Lindsay’s thoughts on these and other issues: • Butterfly beauty Just the other day, I saw my Crassula capitella bush completely smothered in mother-of-pearl butterflies – a magnificent sight! • Indigenous gardening I was intrigued by the whole indigenous gardening movement and found it exciting learning by trial and error. • Inspiration I try to excite other people into using indigenous plants – you can’t bully them because no adult likes being told what to do. • Conservation Gardening for butterflies is just the beginning of caring for the circle of life – butterfly plants are generally good for bees…

Free State 5 November • Kerneels Steyn Cease Sheep Farming, Parys. On offer: 264 SAMMtype sheep, 228 feedlot cattle and 14 young Santa Gertrudis cattle. Phone Frik van der Merwe on 082 262 4394 or Jan Mostert on 083 306 8408. 12 November • 7th Production Sale of Evenwyd Bonsmaras, Memel. On offer: 40 SP bulls, 50 SP females, and 80 commercial females. Phone Philip and Ilze Dreyer on 072 444 7135 or 082 921 2300. Mpumalanga 10 November • Breeding Sale, Ermelo. On offer: 250 + 250 Beefmaster and Bonsmaratype cows with calves, and 10 Beefmaster and Bonsmara-type bulls. Phone Paul Botha on 082 807 5511 or Herman Bester on 082 492 0571. 14 November • 2nd Production Sale of Byrne Valley Borane, Ermelo. On offer: 25 SP Boran bulls and 35 SP…