Table of contents for 2 June 2017 in Farmer's Weekly

If you are a farmer of a certain age and have started to nervously anticipate the day when you will have to take a step back from the business, take comfort from the knowledge that you are not alone in your anxiety. According to Agri SA, the average age of farmers in South Africa is 62, which means that a large number of farmers are close to or past retirement age. Speaking at one of the recent panel discussions during this year’s Nation in Conversation series hosted at Nampo in Bothaville, Marelize Venter of Nedbank said that farmers were very poor at planning for retirement, and only 41% of South African farmers were in a position to retire independently from their businesses. “This means that after retirement, 59% of farmers…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 5 TO 7 JUNE SA Large Herds Conference, Champagne Sports Resort, Central Drakensberg. Email Julie McLachlan at julie@mpo.co.za. 14 TO 16 JUNE 4th Edition Agritec Africa 2017, International Inaugural Exhibition, Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi, Kenya. For more information, visit agritechafrica.com. 18 TO 21 JUNE International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA) 2017 World Conference, Miami, Florida, US. For more information, visit agribusiness.purdue.edu/ seminars-and-events/ifama-2017. 20 TO 22 JUNE AVI Africa 2017, Emperors Palace, Gauteng. Phone 011 795 9920, or visit sapoultry.co.za. 26 TO 30 JUNE World Aquaculture 2017 Conference, CTICC, Cape Town. For more information, visit was.org. 28 JUNE Bioinformatics and Wheat Genomics Workshop, Worcester. For more information, visit yellowrust.com/?page_id=488. COURSES & TRAINING 29 MAY TO 9 JUNE Pig Production and Management, Baynesfield Academy, KZN. Phone…

Wandile Sihlobo is head of economic and agribusiness intelligence at the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz). Email him at wandile@agbiz.co.za. People in their mid-20s, such as myself, probably associate peanut butter with nostalgic childhood memories. Because of these warm memories, I always make sure there is a jar of peanut butter in my cupboard. In fact, one might even assume that those of us who favour this indulgence have kept the demand for peanut butter and peanuts strong, thereby stimulating domestic peanut production. However, a closer look at the South African peanut (groundnut) industry reveals that it has not performed well in the recent past. The consumption of edible peanuts in South Africa has been declining over time due to consumers’ price sensitivity, which is the degree to which consumer behaviour…

South Africa’s dairy industry is set to reap the rewards of the Dairy Genomic Programme (DGP) initiated in April 2016, which had cost in excess of R10 million. According to DGP spokesperson, Robyn Joubert, genomic selection was widely used in the global dairy industry, and was an important tool in helping to ensure that South Africa’s dairy industry remained competitive by having access to the latest technologies for genetic progress in dairy cattle. Joubert added that this technology was considered the “most important advancement in genetic progress since the successful freezing of semen and establishment of the global AI [artificial insemination] industry”. SA’s DGP would ultimately establish a national framework for the application of genomic information in dairy cattle. This could then be used to improve the reliability of genetic…

Edible paper and other biological materials are becoming an increasingly popular ecological alternative to traditional packaging in Europe. While some edible packaging ranges have already been marketed successfully, others are being refined in laboratories, according to FreshPlaza.com. Spanish company, Proinec, for example, is producing an edible film made from natural ingredients, such as starch and proteins, for coating fresh, cut and peeled fruit. The film could extend the shelf life of fresh fruit, and prevent the superficial discolouration of apples, pears, peaches and mangoes. An example of a range of edible packaging already on the market is from Belgian company, Do Eat, which has been manufacturing edible paper since 2013. Made from water and potato starch, Do Eat’s edible paper range includes hamburger and sandwich wrappers, skewers and biscuit sachets.…

Eskom’s Operation Khanyisa recovered R618 million in revenue for the electricity supplier between 2013 and 2016. In the agriculture sector, energy losses were cut by nearly 25% over the same period. The operation had netted more than 830 electricity theft suspects, resulting in more than 520 court cases, said Eugene Myburgh, Eskom’s Energy Trading manager. Speaking at Nampo held recently in Bothaville, Myburgh said that electricity theft cost South Africa approximately R20 billion every year, with municipalities incurring threequarters of all the losses. “Eskom therefore remains resolute in its fight against electricity theft and will continue to take all necessary steps to eradicate this crime,” Myburgh said. Since its inception, Operation Khanyisa had received more than 17 000 tip-offs regarding suspected electricity theft, from both the public and agricultural sectors.…

The role of land ownership, and its use as collateral to unlock investment capital, featured prominently at the recent Nation in Conversation panel discussion on financing, held at Nampo in Bothaville in the Free State. Panellist Jannie de Villiers, CEO of Grain?SA, said that from a commercial point of view, the best way to bring about radical economic transformation was to provide black farmers, who were farming government land, with title deeds to the land. “Then we will be able to start progressing economically,” he said. The panel was facilitated by Theo Vorster of Galileo Capital, and comprised De Villiers, Pieter Swart of Senwes, Johan Geel of Afgri and Marelize Venter of Nedbank. It dealt with issues ranging from labour, minimum wage, taxes and trusts, to diversification, financial planning, and…

Although South Africa is doing very well when it comes to the availability of food, it is estimated that more than 20% of the population cannot afford to buy that food. This was according to Agbiz CEO, Dr John Purchase, who was speaking to a group of executives from Old Mutual Insure. The group was visiting the recent Nampo Harvest Day with Farmer’s Weekly. TWENTY PERCENT OF SOUTH AFRICANS CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY FOOD As defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization’s World Food Summit in 1996, food security relies on four factors: it must be consistently available, affordabe, safe and nutritious, Purchase said. He added that food affordability remained the key issue across the globe, and South Africa had a transparent pricing system that resulted in staple food products…

Studying the principles of farming and the commodity market is usually a demanding and expensive exercise. But with Farm Wars, an online, multi-player Android game, anyone can learn about agriculture for free. In Farm Wars, players compete against other participants in real time to sow, grow and harvest crops, and sell them on the open market for the most profit. Each game lasts for one week, beginning on a Monday at 9am (SAST) and ending on the following Sunday at 9pm (SAST). Every week, players start from scratch with fallow lands. The game is set in one shared market with nine crops, and the market is influenced by players’ buying and selling, as well as random events. Players can also form partnerships to manipulate the market. REALISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL Farm…

Advocate Peter O’Halloran is a tax specialist. Email him at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Tax. A reader was concerned that SARS is not required by any statutes to pay outstanding refunds and rebates to a deserving taxpayer within a stipulated period. This gave rise to a series of articles in this column on the potential remedies open to a disgruntled taxpayer. The declaratory order, the mandamus, and the common-law remedies relating to unjustified enrichment were all discussed. A final potential remedy remains: the judicial review of administrative action. THE ROLE OF THE HIGH COURTS Under the common law of South Africa, the High Courts can review the administrative actions taken by government officials and agencies that affect the lives of people. This is in order to prevent abuses of power by…

How has the industry evolved since you started out? Much has changed! Firstly, the industry moved from a onechannel marketing system and the days of voorskotte, agterskotte and even middelskotte [advances, final deferred payments and intermediate payments], to the free market system. I remember wool production peaking at 109?million kilograms and wool sales taking place at four ports: Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban. There were sheep and wool advisers in just about every town. I was unfortunately involved in the closure of the East London and Durban wool export ports, which had lost their competitiveness because of economies of scale. The annual Spring Merino ram sales were a highlight on the calendar. It was spectacular to see all the best Merino rams in the country in one…

Contacts: Dirk and Ben du Plessis: 082 404 7428 | Piet and Johan Smith: 073 626 6984…

Black tea is usually graded according to four scales of quality. Whole-leaf teas are the highest quality, followed by broken leaves, fannings and dusts. Whole-leaf teas are produced with little or no change to the tea leaf, yielding an end-product with a coarser texture than that of bagged teas. Whole-leaf teas are considered the most valuable, especially when they contain leaf tips. Broken leaves are commonly sold as medium-grade loose teas. Smaller broken varieties may be included in tea bags. Fannings are usually small particles of tea leaves left over from the production of larger tea size grades, but they are occasionally processed specifically for use in bagged teas. Dusts are the finest particles of tea left over from production of the other grades and are often used in tea…

When I speak to my insurance broker, I expect him to give me sound advice underpinned by a solid understanding of the subject. Surely this principle applies to a market agent as well? Most farmers would expect their agent to be both a competent salesperson and an expert who can offer sensible advice based on in-depth industry knowledge. I saw this principle in action recently on the Joburg Market when I popped in to see my friend, Jannie Potgieter, who heads up the non-ZZ2 tomato section. Numerous brands of tomato were on display, and although Jannie’s space was considerably smaller than the giant ZZ2 display, it was by no means overwhelmed. Jannie led me to a particular farmer’s batch of tomatoes. When I commented on their fine quality, he grinned…

Heat the oven to 100°C. Cut the unsmoked bacon or pancetta into small cubes. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan or cast-iron skillet on a medium heat. Add the cubed bacon or pancetta and stir from time to time for five minutes or until the meat is crisp. Remove and set aside the cooked meat, retaining the fragran rendered fat and olive oil. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Drag them through a bowl of plain flour, then knock off the excess. Bring the original frying pan and its mix of rendered fat and olive oil to a medium heat and cook the seasoned pork chops for six minutes on each side, taking…

Eczema – Part 5 Try the following to prevent, or even beat, eczema: •Reduce stressful activities and enjoy more peace and calm. A good night’s sleep of eight to nine hours will help reduce inflammation. •Improve your posture and try to optimise your breathing patterns to reduce stress and inflammation. •To obtain more zinc and selenium, eat free-range meat and wild-caught fish, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts and green vegetables. •Vitamins A and E promote skin health and also reduce inflammation. The fat-soluble retinol version of Vitamin A is more active than water-soluble beta-carotene found in carrots. The best sources of retinol and vitamin E include butter from grass-fed cows, avocados, cod liver oil, and organ meat from free-range animals. •Add turmeric, ginger, oregano, garlic, basil, thyme and rosemary to your…

Food memoirs remind us that there was plenty of quiet devotion to great food in the decades before the foodie phenomenon swept through the media. Tony Jackman’s FOODSTUFF (Human & Rousseau, R320) shows that his own provenance has suited him well in his role as a foodie elder statesman. From Yorkshire parents, he developed the plain speaking and hearty appetite of a typical 'trencherman' of that English county. From cardamom to chilli, from grief to caricature, the book is in turns heartfelt and irreverent. Some might say that Jackman fetching up in Grahamstown, city of saints, scholars and satirists, and the Eastern Cape’s foodie central, is the perfect fit. THREE COPIES OF HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU SAY HELLO? to give away TO ENTER: SMS the word HELLO, your name,…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly. For more information, email Buyambo Mantashe of MM Agrivestment at mmagrivestment@gmail.com or buyambomantashe@gmail.com. An increase in the number of high and middle income earners in China has fuelled the desire for ‘exclusivity’. This trend has been dubbed the ‘premiumisation of Chinese consumerism’ – the increasing demand for products that are expensive and fashionable. This has included an increase in the consumption of wine, which is relatively new to this market. In 2015, China’s per capita annual consumption of wine was estimated at 1,2?, which is relatively low compared with Portugal’s estimated 42,6? per capita, the highest in the world. Despite being in its infancy, the Chinese wine market is experiencing dramatic growepresented a 19,1%…

Tinashe Kapuya is head of international trade and investment intelligence at Agbiz. Email him at tinashe@agbiz.co.za. The Border Management Authority (BMA) Bill was introduced towards the end of 2016 by the Department of Home Affairs, and is still under scrutiny. The Bill seeks to tighten border controls and prevent illegal immigration. To this end, the BMA calls for the creation of an agency that deals specifically with cross-border issues. Currently, these are handled by different government departments. In addition, the BMA would have jurisdiction over a 10km radius of ports and points of entry, with enforcement functions undertaken by the authority’s border and coastal guard security teams. EFFECTS ON CURRENT LEGISLATION The proposed Bill is important to agriculture and agroprocessing for the following reasons: •All border-related functions carried out by…

Government and the private sector were determined to work together to permanently retain South Africa’s net beef exporter status, which the country achieved for the first time last year. Brazil, India, Australia and the US were the world’s largest net beef exporters for 2016. South Africa ranked 15th among some 30 countries for the same year. The Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) agreed with government that this status would, in the long term, earn valuable foreign income for South Africa, and increase the number and quality of local jobs. According to the RPO, South Africa’s formal meat production for 2016 had totalled 792 095t, of which 38?173t had been exported, while beef imports last year totalled 24 744t. This had improved the balance of trade in that market, the RPO…

A voluntary pollination services’ charter to protect bees from harmful chemicals was launched at Nampo, which was recently held in Bothaville in the Free State. Dirk Uys, convener of Croplife?SA, said the main goal of the charter is to coordinate the efforts of the chemical industry, crop producers and bee farmers providing pollination services. He cited cases of bee farmers placing hives on land without farmers’ knowledge, leading to many hives being lost due to pesticide spraying. Craig Campbell, board member of the South African Bee Industry Organisation, told Farmer’s Weekly that should crop producers continue to use pesticides irresponsibly, further expansion of, for example, the blueberry industry – which had increased production by 800% over the past few years – would be impossible due to a shortage of bees…

Speaking at a news conference at Nampo, US-based South African businessperson and philanthropist, Francois Baird, founder of the FairPlay movement, said he aimed to put an immediate stop to the dumping of frozen chicken portions in South Africa at below production costs. EU chicken being dumped in South Africa was “causing material damage to a key agricultural industry,” Baird said. “It is both illegal and immoral. FairPlay wants to make chicken dumping a toxic topic. We want to establish it as an undesirable practice in the international arena.” Jannie de Villiers, CEO of Grain SA, said that it was vital that the local poultry and grain markets developed in such a way as to ensure mutual beneficiation. The poultry industry was one of the major consumers in the local grain…

In keeping with one of Nampo’s goals of showcasing what agriculture is all about, Grain?SA CEO, Jannie de Villiers, presented what he termed ‘Grain economics 101’. “I showed it to the Minister [Senzeni Zokwana] and I showed it to the Land Bank, and to everybody who arrives here [at the Nampo VIP section] just to give them a feeling of what we are trying to do as a country and why it is so important,” he said. In his presentation, De?Villiers showed that South Africa was becoming drier, and that the country was losing thousands of hectares of valuable agricultural land as coal mining in Mpumalanga was expanded. In order to meet food demand and ensure continued food security in the next five to 10?years, South Africa needed to replace…

Africa has been slow to adopt genetically modified (GM) crops, but now 12 African countries, namely Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa, are conducting research into them. This includes biosafety assessments and establishing a biosafety regulatory framework, and encompasses imports, field testing, processing, and the use of GM crops as food and feed. New GM crops must also be evaluated for adaptation to local climate, soil, rainfall, as well as diseases and pests, before being commercialised. Recent events such as recurring droughts, which caused a white maize shortage, the high cost of maize imports, and the recent infestation of the fall armyworm, have encouraged farmers and governments to consider adopting GM technology. Moreover, the International Society of African Scientists has stated…

Maryna Theron is an admitted attorney of the High Court and a legal advisor at the LWO Employers’ Organisation. For all labour-related issues, phone the LWO Employers’ Organisation on 0861 101 828. Email the LWO at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Labour Matters. Many employers and employees are uncertain about the procedures that are involved in an employee’s resignation, and the consequences that may arise from it. Both parties are, nonetheless, obliged to adhere to the relevant laws, policies and procedures when an employee resigns. REPLACING SKILLS When an employee with a scarce skill resigns, the employer should immediately start looking for a replacement to avoid any stress on operational requirements. If it is possible to train an existing employee for the position, the employer should identify the candidate as soon as…

Diagnosing a louse infestation requires close inspection in good light. To do this, restrain the animal properly, part its hair and examine its skin in several places on the body. Biting lice on cattle, sheep and horses have rounded heads and are light brown in colour. They are highly active and will move away from the inspection site. Their eggs may be difficult to spot in dark-haired cattle or horses. Sucking lice are grey or bluegrey with pointed heads. They usually remain fixed to the skin. Cattle with white faces and necks may have a dark, greasy appearance when the louse population is heavy. TREATING INFESTATIONS A high louse population coincides with cold periods and vitamin, mineral or other nutritional deficiencies. Control measures should therefore be initiated in the winter…

Case IH recently celebrated 175 years in the agricultural machinery business with an impressive product launch at Kyalami in Gauteng. The line-up of tractors and combine harvesters from the extensive Case IH range attracted more than 900 visitors from all over South Africa. AXIAL FLOW COMBINE HARVESTERS NOW CARRY A THREE-YEAR WARRANTY Top of the tractor range was the Quadtrac 600, the latest incarnation in the 20-year history of the Quadtrac concept. A Quadtrac broke the world ploughing record in 2012, with an STX500 turning over more than 321ha in 24 hours. The 12,9-litre engine of the current Quadtrac 600, incorporating an engine management system, pumps out up to 492kW. A criticism of the Quadtracs was that the lubrication level of the bearings on the idlers and rollers was difficult…

Jonno Smith is a registered architect. He can be contacted at Hillbilly Homes: tel 036 352 3178, fax 088 036 352 3178, cell 082 412 4459 or email hillbilly@eca.co.za. Please provide details of the proposed development. Visit hillbillyhomes.co.za. Dear Jonno My wife and I want to build a retirement castle on the 2 500m2 plot we bought in a mountainous area in the bushveld. It must be a British castle-style home. We are currently living in a single-storey house where space is restricted. Now we have an opportunity to build a big family home, and need your help to make the best use of this space. This is a north-facing property, about 1km from the main road, which is to the south. It has a beautiful view of the Olifants…

The DJI Agras MG-1 drone sprays liquid pesticides, fertilisers and herbicides. It is dustproof, waterresistant, made of anti-corrosive materials, and can be rinsed clean and folded up for easy transport and storage after use. The drone measures 1 471mm x 1 471mm x 482mm (arms unfolded, without propellers). With the arms folded, the dimensions are a neat 780mm x 780mm x 482mm, which is remarkably compact when you consider that the average boom sprayer is so large and heavy that it has to be coupled to a tractor by means of lift arms. An eight-rotor drone, the MG-1 can carry more than 10kg of liquid for crop-spraying, and can cover about 4ha/h. The MG-1 flies at up to 8m/s and adjusts spraying intensity to flying speed, ensuring even coverage. It…

Researchers at trade and investment promotion agency, Wesgro, have discovered that potential trade opportunities could be right under the noses of Western Cape farmers. Speaking at an Africa Trade Talks event in Cape Town, Wesgro’s chief research officer, Cornelis Van der Waal, said that there was significant potential for Western Cape producers to expand trade into Africa, and in particular, the northern regions of Africa. “For some reason, we tend to forget about North Africa, and it seems as if we’re afraid of approaching this area. But I assure you, this is a vibrant place with significant potential,” Van der Waal said. He identified Egypt, Algeria and Morocco as the three African countries with the greatest trade opportunities. “After these three North African countries, it seems as if East and…

Poultry producer, Sovereign Foods, recently released its financial results for the 2017 financial year. The company reported a 25% increase in revenue to R2,2 billion for the period under review. However, while the company’s revenue was better than expected, a number of factors had affected it. “Although the group has achieved a compound annual growth rate of 17% in revenue over the past 10?years and delivered solid investment returns, this year we are reporting a loss,” said Chris Coombes, CEO of Sovereign Foods. He said that three factors had affected the results this year, including the once-off corporate activity costs of R30,7 million; “the EU dumping bone-in chicken portions in South Africa”; and high feed costs as a result of the 2015/2016 drought and its ripple effect on soft commodity…

Expropriating land from white farmers without compensation is not ANC policy, said Minister Gugile Nkwinti of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, at a recent media briefing held prior to the delivery of his 2017/2018 budget vote speech. The minister assured the media that ANC policy was based on the Constitution, which speaks of just and equitable compensation. “I have categorised these calls [expropriation without compensation] as being aspirational,” said Nkwinti. Nkwinti further said that there was no ANC policy that mentioned land expropriation without compensation at any ANC conferences. “We are going to a policy conference in June, and we have seen the discussion documents of the ANC. I have not seen it talking about this matter.” ‘NO ANC POLICY MENTIONS LAND EXPROPRIATION WITHOUT COMPENSATION’ According to…

Although yields had been exceptionally low, rooibos farmers had good reason to celebrate this year. Rooibos prices had increased from R4,50/kg in 2010 to R47,50/kg in 2016, and had reached an average of R50/kg for all grades and fractions this season, said Johan Brand, technical manager at Rooibos Ltd. Production over the past two years had drastically declined as a result of the drought. According to Brand, the long-term lifetime production average of a rooibos plantation had declined from 2t/ha to between 1,3t/ha and 1,4t/ha. Producers in very dry areas, such as Nardouwsberg, Vanrhynsdorp and Agter-Pakhuis, had been the worst affected by the drought, with the plantation production average in the region declining from 1,7t/ha to 800kg/ha. Brand said that the industry did not look at production averages per year,…

Nampo week this year was marked by an added extra – a special tour presented by Farmer’s Weekly. The tour comprised participants from South Africa and Swaziland and included entrepreneurs, small-scale farmers and Swazi government officials. Aside from enjoying the Nampo experience, the Farmer’s Weekly tour also sought to showcase various agricultural industries, as well as the grain and fresh produce value chain. Included in the group was a delegation from the National Agricultural Marketing Board of Swaziland (Namboard), which included Namboard officials, Gcina Ginindza and Sipho Nxumalo, and small-scale farmers, Gcinaphi Malinga, Sonnyboy Simelane and Shaka Maphalala. These farmers are part of the Namboard development programme and farm vegetables such as tomatoes, cabbage and carrots on lands ranging from 0,5ha to 5ha. Also present were Dr Johann Kotze and…

Many South Africans now realised that there needed to be an ongoing dialogue about transformation post-1994, said Roelf Meyer, chairperson of the In Transformation Initiative, at a Nation in Conversation discussion recently held at Nampo Harvest Day in Bothaville. “We should have done things differently. We should [also] look at urban transformation [for example]. There is no reason a shack dweller cannot be given a title deed for the piece of land he is on,” he said. “We need to give value to those who never had value. If we empower South Africans, there will be opportunities that flow from it.” Chris Venter, CEO of agricultural services company, AFGRI, called for a cohesive approach involving all transformation role players, as current efforts were disjointed. “I have never come across a…

Dr Koos Coetzee is an agricultural economist at the MPO. All opinions expressed are his own and do not reflect MPO policy. Email him at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Global Farming. The South African consumer is under pressure. Although debt as a percentage of disposable income decreased from 85,7% in 2008, to 76,9% in 2015, and to 73,4% in the fourth quarter of 2016, consumers’ real per capita disposable income decreased by 0,2% in 2016, while debt-service cost increased to 9,6% of disposable income. Some 24% of total expenditure is spent on food and beverages. Services make up the largest component at 43,8%, followed by non-durable goods at 37,6%. Recently published figures for basic foodstuffs show that maize meal sales decreased by 1,8%, while the price increased by 40%; bread sales…

Karabo Takadi is an agricultural economist at Absa Agribusiness. Email her at Karabo.Takadi@ absa. co. za, or senior agricultural economist, Wessel Lemmer, at wessel. lemmer@absa.co.za. South African weaner calf prices have continued to see substantial gains in recent weeks due to improved demand and low supply. This strong demand is also welcome news for Namibian producers, with price support spilling over into that market. Strong demand for Namibian weaners from South African feedlots has lent support to this upward trend in weaner prices in that country. Namibian weaner prices increased 20% from N$17,59/kg in February to a high of N$21,08/kg in March. The demand has been created by South African producers rebuilding their cattle herds, and thus holding back many of their weaners. This has created a gap in the…

The commercial Sussex herd on the farm, Skietlaagte, near Viljoenkroon in the Free State, maintains a 95% conception rate in both wet and dry years. So says Dallas Phillips, who has managed the herd for four decades. The herd forms part of the Rhys Evans Group. The herd has been free of brucellosis (contagious abortion) since its inception, and bull calves are weaned at seven months at between 285kg and 295kg, and heifers at about 265kg. HEALTH AND FERTILITY To achieve these excellent results, certain basic management principles must be in place, says Dallas. “The most important thing in any beef breeding enterprise is fertility. If one expects high reproduction rates, herd health has to be outstanding.” The Skietlaagte herd is inoculated annually against all relevant diseases, such as congenital…

It can take two to three years from germination for a tea plant to mature fully and its leaves to be ready for harvesting. Camellia sinensis will usually produce an abundant crop twice a year: once in spring, and again in summer. During these periods, the shoots with two to three new leaves are harvested every eight to 10 days. These shoots with leaves are called ‘flushes’. During the growing season, a tea plant will produce a new flush every seven to 15 days. HAND-PICKING: A SUPERIOR METHOD Tea leaves are best picked by hand. Machine picking is less selective, but the quality of the end-product can be improved by making adjustments to the processing plant and planting more suitable cultivars. After picking, spread the leaves out in a thin…

Email your motoring question to farmersweekly@caxton.co.za Subject line: Technical query. Q How do I know when to replace my brake pads? A Modern brake designs are fitted with steel fingers that touch the disc when the pads have to be replaced. They make a light scraping noise that should not be ignored. Alternatively, the pad thickness, visible when the wheels have been removed, should be checked from time to time. If the pads are less than about 2,5mm thick, or show signs of uneven wear, replace them. A heavy scraping noise will eventually be heard if the pads have worn down to the metal. This means the pads are eating into the discs. Q What are the advantages of disc brakes? A They have a more linear response than drum…

Expect miracles! The word ‘miracle’ comes from the Latin miraculum and means ‘object of wonder’. Miracles happen in our midst every day. As farmers, we possibly see more of them than anyone else. Many of us are proud when we harvest good crops, and even dare to believe for a moment that it was all our doing. But of course, if we’re honest with ourselves, we know that it’s a miracle from God. We put a bull among some cows, and are rewarded nine months later with beautifully formed calves, without a spot or blemish. Another miracle from God! TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD AND BELIEVE IN HIM FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE Parents hold their newly born children, and later, if they are fortunate, their grandchildren in their arms. These births,…

English is a global language, acknowledges Refiloe Moahloli, but whether one’s mother tongue is Xhosa, Afrikaans or any one of the other languages in South Africa, it should be a source of pride. To reinforce this, Moahloli has written a lively adventure in rhyme for four- to six-yearolds to answer the question, HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU SAY HELLO? (Penguin, R140). The printed version comes with a free CD audiobook. 1. Sadness When my nieces and nephews started school, I realised they were losing their mother tongue to the language of the institution, English. 2. Celebrate I wanted to help children celebrate sharing our languages through a story. 3. Respect When we value and respect ourselves, we extend that respect to others rather than disparaging them. 4. Love We should…

HIGHEST: (BULL) R240 000 Klerksdorp – The Stefmar Total Dispersal Sale and the JacMar Production Sale were held on 2 May. Stefmar Simbra Stud sold the highest-priced bull (FM?14 194) to JacMar Simbra Stud, Klerksdorp, for R240 000. The sale was conducted by SHM Auctions and Karoo Ochse Vryburg, with Johan van der Nest as the auctioneer.…