Table of contents for 26 January 2018 in Farmer's Weekly

Try to think back, and ask yourself if two years ago you would have believed that a global first-class city would run out of water, or that a US president would openly make jokes about nuclear warfare or be overtly racist, and not only get away with it, but embolden his millions of supporters in doing so. I would not have believed it! In the words of Lebanese-born singer and songwriter, Mika, “Say goodbye to the world you thought you lived in”. When I think about the future, I find that my thoughts fluctuate between scenarios in which we rediscover our humanity and redirect all resources to arresting the inevitable decline of natural resources that make life on Earth possible, to full-blown mass human extinction. Perhaps the most frightening thing…

The worst drought to grip the Western Cape in recent times has raised concerns about the way in which agriculture extracts water from available resources. According to mayoral committee member for informal settlements, water and waste services in the City of Cape Town, councillor Xanthea Limberg, the agriculture sector would reach its summer allocation of water within a very short space of time if farmers did not drastically reduce water consumption. According to the latest data on dam levels in the province, storage levels had dropped to an average of 26,5% across the Western Cape. Anton Bredell, MEC of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, said that this meant that the province had an effective 16% of usable surface water left. In an effort to…

Although no new outbreaks of avian influenza (AI) have been reported in South Africa since October last year, the egg industry has been seriously affected by the disease and over four million birds have been culled. This has had a seriously adverse effect on egg production, which had led to the increase in prices, according to the SA Poultry Association’s (SAPA) Market Signals in the Egg Industry report for the third quarter of 2017. Acting CEO of SAPA, Dr Charlotte Nkuna, said that despite no incidences of AI being reported since October, there was still a need for farmers to invest in infrastructure to improve the biosecurity on their farms, as AI could remain a significant threat going into winter this year. Favourable market conditions were expected to assist those…

A decline in the exports of processed peach purée to Russia may have resulted in SA producers receiving lower prices than in the previous two seasons. A producer from Ladismith in the Western Cape, who produces yellow clingstone peaches for pulp and canning, and spoke to Farmer’s Weekly on condition of anonymity, said that due to an oversupply, he had initially been told by the processing company that he would receive only R700/t; however, the price was recently even further reduced to R500/t. “We are now selling directly to consumers in surrounding towns and getting R35 a carton or about R5 000/t,” he said. Due to the ongoing drought in the area and the poor prices received for their fruit, many farmers were considering planting alternative crops in future, and…

Two groups calling for a ban on the use of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) have reported that further testing has uncovered arsenic and heavy metals in the formulants used in their manufacture. But Monsanto, the original GBH developer, has questioned the veracity of the study on which the report was based. According to the Committee for Independent Research and Information on Genetic Engineering (CRIIGEN) and the Moms Across America (MAA) organisation, the University of Caen Normandy in France had used mass spectrometry to analyse the contents of the formulants used in GBHs. In a paper titled ‘Toxicity of formulants and heavy metals in glyphosate-based herbicides and other pesticides’, the scientists who conducted the study said previous toxicology studies of GBHs had focused only on glyphosate, the active ingredient in GBHs. “GBHs…

THE MORE TIME YOU SPEND IN THE BUSH, THE MORE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCEOF PREDATOR HABITS YOU WILL GAIN Predators cause major problems for stock farmers in many areas, and control is therefore crucial. However, it is vitally important to Southern Africa’s wildlife heritage that this control be ethical and target-specific. This series aims to teach ethical skills for predation control, as an alternative to producers relying on the use of poison, gin traps and other cruel, and often ineffective, methods. WHY VARIED CONTROL METHODS ARE NECESSARY Predators are often cunning, elusive and smart, and it is a real challenge to beat a predator in its own environment. They mostly approach a call sound at night out of curiosity rather than actual hunger, and you never know what a night hunt…

COMMUNAL FARMING GROUPS SHOULD INCORPORATE ENTHUSIASTIC YOUNG STAKEHOLDERS INTO MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES As described in the previous article, decision-making and management practices are comparatively easy to achieve on a commercial farm, as there is either a single owner or a team adhering to stipulated methods and targets. In the communal farming sector, by contrast, things are considerably more complicated. Here, many people tend to go their own way, each with little thought as to how his or her actions (or inaction) might affect the other farmers sharing the land. As noted previously, in order to help communal farmers realise the full potential of South Africa’s commonage and boost their incomes, you need to begin by launching a ‘cohesion initiative’. This requires patience and diplomacy, and is neither a short nor an…

‘ANYBODY OR ANYTHING THAT ENTERS THE PREMISES HAS TO BE DISINFECTED’ FAST FACTS • Chalala Farms produces about 275 000 piglets per year. • Stringent controls ensure that biosecurity is maintained at all times. • Keeping pigs stress-free aids production and profitability. Studies have proved that stress can have a negative impact on reproduction, growth and health in livestock. At Chalala Farms, situated in the Swartland, which forms part of Number Two Piggeries, great care is therefore taken to keep pigs as stress-free as possible, according to manager Jeff van Zyl. This approach also helps to satisfy consumers, who are becoming increasingly concerned about animal welfare and the origins of their food, he says. To this end, pigs at Chalala Farms are kept in a comfortable environment. According to Jeff, mature pigs do…

BECAUSE TRUCKS ARE SO HEAVY, THEIR BRAKES ARE RELATIVELY INEFFICIENT When you brake a vehicle, the front suspension dips and the rear rises. The braking force is applied at the road surface, but the inertia of the car acts at the centre of gravity, some distance above the road. This apparent weight transfer gets worse the harder you brake, and explains why many cars become unstable and skid during emergency stopping. ABS brakes were developed to prevent wheels from locking, and as a result usually shorten braking distances. Most ABS-equipped cars can be brought to a halt from 100km/h in 2,8 seconds, an average deceleration of 1g, but the average sedan takes about 10 seconds (0,3g) to accelerate from zero to this speed. This demonstrates that converting heat energy into…

PLANTING DATA TO BE RELEASED LATER THIS MONTH WILL PROVIDE A CLEARER PICTURE The 2018 outlook for South Africa’s agricultural sector is somewhat mixed. The eastern parts of the country, including Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern Free State and the northern parts of the Eastern Cape, received good rainfall during the festive season, and crops are generally in a fair condition, despite some areas suffering hail damage. Meanwhile, the central and western parts of South Africa received very little rainfall during the last weeks of 2017, and have also had a drier start to 2018. The most recent report from World Weather Inc indicated that subsoil moisture levels were extremely low in these regions of South Africa. This led to delays in summer crop planting activity, particularly in North West and…

Following widespread confusion about whether a proposed drought charge to be levied by the City of Cape Town would affect farmers, it has been revealed that if the charge is enforced, farms within the municipal boundaries would indeed be affected, even if only borehole water was used. Farmer’s Weekly previously reported that the City of Cape Town had stated that due to the drought, which resulted in Cape Town residents’ having restricted water use, the municipality was not receiving enough income to maintain water augmentation schemes and carry out adequate service delivery. A drought charge would therefore be levied on private residences and businesses, based on property values and not water consumption. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, councillor Johan van der Merwe, the City of Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for…

Australian police report that thieves are cashing in on the record high prices being realised for livestock in that country. During the first 10 months of last year, 2 650 cattle to the value of A$2 806 000 (R27 million) and 15 097 sheep worth $1 479 000 (R14 million) were stolen from fields in New South Wales (NSW) alone. The thefts ranged from opportunistic, with one or two animals taken, to organised crime involving large numbers. “We don’t recover huge numbers, as stock is moved large distances and across borders. The numbers are, [however], stable because of the increased level of vigilance,” the commander of the NSW police in the western region, assistant commissioner Geoff McKechnie, told The Land newspaper. “Out here in western New South Wales, there has…

Nationwide sales of agricultural machinery ended in positive territory for 2017. The South African Agricultural Machinery Association (SAAMA) reported that the tractor sales of 6 362 units were 8,7% up on the 5 854 units sold during 2016, while at 195 units, 5,4% more combine harvesters were sold compared with the corresponding period last year. According to SAAMA chairperson Lucas Groenewald, the 19,8% increase, or 417 units, in tractors sold during December 2017 was “significantly up” on the 348 units sold during December 2016. “The better than average December tractor sales indicate that the market is still positive. This [is] despite the late and patchy rain, particularly in the western and north-western parts of the summer cropping regions. The late rain may mean that some farmers will have changed to…

While the final results of South Africa’s 2017/2018 sugar cane harvest were only due for release at the end of March this year, preliminary data revealed that there were significant improvements in crop quality and quantity compared with the previous season. According to Richard Nicholson, economic research manager at SA Canegrowers, between March and December 2017 an estimated 1 200 large-scale and 10 600 small-scale sugar cane farmers delivered approximately 17,3 million tons of sugar cane to the 14 sugar mills across KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. “Overall, there was a 15% improvement in sugar cane production compared with the 2016/2017 season. This was driven mainly by the dryland growers in KwaZulu-Natal, where the summer rainfall in 2016/2017 was crucial to this recovery,” Nicholson said. He added that South Africa’s dryland sugar…

WHEN PRICES COLLAPSED IN THE GLOBAL RECESSION, SUBSIDY LEVELS INCREASED AGAIN Producer subsidies enable countries to sell agricultural products at prices below production cost. Support to agriculture is measured by the Producer Subsidy Estimate (PSE) and quoted as a percentage of gross farm receipts. The latest figures from the Organisation for Economic Development (OECD) show that in 2016, 16% of gross farm receipts in the 50 countries surveyed were due to policies that support farmers. This is down from the 30%+ recorded between 1995 and 1997. In developing countries, by contrast, support increased from very low levels to 14% between 2014 and 2016. This was due mainly to the huge support offered to farmers in China and Indonesia. After agriculture was included in the World Trade Organization (WTO) process in…

GLOBAL WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT SUNFLOWER SEED PRODUCTION Global palm oil production and ending stock levels have recovered since the drought of 2015/2016. However, rising production and slowing demand from top importers are expected to place a damper on palm oil prices, which is likely to support vegetable oil prices. The seasonal decline in vegetable oil production will also support prices until March. In 2017, global sunflower seed oil prices were subdued compared with other vegetable oil prices, but are expected to improve this year (see Table 1). LOCAL OUTLOOK Due to drier than expected weather conditions during December 2017, initial estimates indicate that maize producers were not able to plant the projected hectares to maize. As a result, farmers are likely to increase sunflower plantings. This increase…

Bitter aloe (Aloe ferox) can be propagated either by seed or vegetatively by offsets or cuttings. Using seed is relatively easy and results in good growth. This method deserves wider use, especially to conserve rare species. It is also highly rewarding to grow aloes this way. Due to its simplicity and convenience, however, propagation by cuttings is the most popular method. Here, you remove the side branches or basal sprouts, give the cut surfaces a few days to dry off, and plant. A. ferox should be planted 1,5m to 2m apart in the nursery during spring. When the plants have three or four leaves, or are about 3cm tall, transplant them into 1kg nursery bags containing a well-drained mixture of sand and compost. After two years, they can be planted…

I remain fascinated by the ever-changing world of growing fruit and vegetables. It’s one of many reasons I’m addicted to the fresh produce business. For example, while doing some informal research recently, I read that Peru’s grape season was severely compromised by rain and floods in 2017, cutting its normal grape harvest by up to 50%. This reduced its grape exports, in turn pushing up prices. Enter Namibia’s grape farmers, who offered top quality this past season and made good profits from those high prices. Nature always finds a balance, doesn’t it? As one country’s crop is diminished, another country comes along to fill the gap. Fortunately for us, South Africa’s grape industry is spread across five main production regions: the northern provinces, the Orange River, the Olifants River, the…

THIS INTELLIGENT, AGILE AND WILLING BREED IS IDEAL FOR DRESSAGE The Lusitano is believed to be the oldest saddle horse in the world; it has been ridden for well over 5 000 years. Genetic studies show that the modern Lusitano shares genes with the horses that inhabited the Iberian Peninsula (now Spain and Portugal) in the late Bronze Age. During the Middle Ages, Iberian horses were found in virtually every royal stable in Europe. They were the first choice of famous warrior kings such as William the Conqueror and Richard the Lionheart. The art of training this strong, brave and lively breed for war became a hobby for the nobility, and this is where the art of dressage was born. To ‘dance with a horse’ became a passion in itself.…

Dear Jonno, I found your name in an article you wrote for Farmer’s Weekly a while ago. That led me to your website and onto your designs. I am about five years away from retirement and am starting to set myself up for the final rush to ‘you know where’. I have a piece of land near Nelspruit, which I plan to start developing soon. I am single and have one child. I love the solitude and independence and plan to keep it that way. I have never had a house built, so with that in mind, I will need your architectural input. I have sent you my rough layout of the house, and pictures of the general aesthetics. Could you answer a couple of questions for me? • If…

If you’re one of those people who seem to catch every bug that goes around, you’ll be relieved to know that a long-term immune booster is available. Called EpiCor, this product has been clinically proven to reduce susceptibility to infection, and strengthens your immune system in three main ways: • Mucosal barrier It toughens your mucosal barrier’s ‘armour’ by significantly increasing secretory immunoglobulin A antibodies. Found in the eyes, mouth, nose and other mucous membranes throughout the body, these antibodies trap and kill pathogens before they can cause harm. • Beneficial killers EpiCor increases the activity of the body’s white blood cells, which circulate in the blood and organs, seeking out and destroying pathogens on contact. • Antioxidants EpiCor boosts the antioxidants circulating in blood and tissues. These help protect the body from…

The ACR app (available for download for Android phones on Google Play) enables you to record your cellphone conversations. “I had a truck that delivered a load of sand to a nearby location and the person who ordered the product told the driver the order was incorrect,” explains Gavin Swart, a farmer and owner of an agri plant hire company in East London. “So I whatsapped [sic] my last recording of the conversation with my client to my driver who played him the voice clip, and the problem was solved. It’s simple to use, too.” According to business technology website ITWeb, this was “just one example among dozens where recording your mobile calls makes sense”. After the app has been downloaded, it allows you to listen to the first minute…

THE FEEDLOT INDUSTRY IS AN IMPORTANT PRODUCTION SYSTEM The letter submitted by Johann Zietsman and titled ‘Scientific breeding ignores stocking rates and hands-on management’ (FW, 27 October 2017) refers. The letter states that “Phase C has a negative influence on inherent body condition and, consequently, cow fertility”. However, the Phase C growth test of young bulls is an evaluation process that cannot influence body condition, which is genetically determined. Phase C evaluates the genetic variation present. PHASE C Growth tests were introduced in 1963 due to the emergence of feedlots in South Africa. Feedlots remove young animals from grazing so that more cows may be kept to produce sufficient numbers for the next calf crop. It is thus important to embrace the total production system. The variation in the post-weaning…

18 MARCH 1981 Pigs and maize go together 37 YEARS AGO According to Mike Benson, a pig farmer in KwaZulu-Natal, by growing a large portion of his feed and mixing his own rations, he could save at least 25% on feed costs. “Mr Benson, of the farm Connemara, Karkloof, is running a 300-sow unit and pig stud. His commercial herd is producing in excess of 6 000 baconers a year. “As maize constitutes 70 per cent of the ration, Mr Benson decided to try and become self-sufficient in this. He buys in the other ingredients of his farm-mixed ration. At present he is able to produce enough maize on about 53ha to last him more than four months, which means he is achieving unusually high yields of maize for his…

THE DA’S LARGELY BLACK LEADERSHIP IS NOT COMING TO DE LILLE’S RESCUE I kick off the year by looking at the goings-on in three of South Africa’s most important political parties. First, the EFF. This party has thus far distinguished itself this year by ransacking H&M stores in Pretoria and Johannesburg, and calling for any and all who want to go to university to claim free education. With this, the EFF reclaims its true constituency, which is young black people who do not relate to the political or economic system as we know it, because they are not part of either. This group consists of young adults, half of which cannot find employment, and provides the EFF with its mandate. The actions of the party can be termed as ‘extra-systemical’,…

The current outbreak of listeria (listeriosis) in South Africa, is believed to be the largest-ever outbreak of this bacterial disease around the world, according to the United Nations’ health agency, the World Health Organization (WHO). By 12 January, 67 people had been confirmed to have died as a result of listeria, with 748 confirmed cases across the country over the past year, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier recently said in an interview with the UN News Service that to the organisation’s knowledge, this was the biggest outbreak ever reported in the world. The next largest outbreaks had been in the US in 2011, and Italy in 1997. According to local health authorities, finding the source of the outbreak had been hampered by…

Multinational healthcare and agriculture life sciences company Bayer is reportedly working to appease concerns in the EU about its acquisition of Monsanto, the global agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation. Bayer hopes to formalise the US$66 billion (R820 billion) transaction early this year. In a statement released by the European Commission last year, it was indicated that there were concerns that the acquisition could “reduce competition in areas such as pesticides, seeds and [plant] traits”. According to EU commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who is in charge of competition policy, “seeds and pesticide products are essential for farmers and, ultimately, consumers. We need to ensure effective competition so that farmers can have access to innovative products, better quality, and also purchase products at competitive prices, and at the same time maintain an environment…

Despite the fact that South Africa is expected to have sufficient maize stocks this season, there is no guarantee that farmers in the western maize-producing region, in particular, would be able to realise sufficient yields. Grain SA CEO Jannie de Villiers said the organisation’s latest data indicated that only about 75% of the area that was expected to be planted to maize in the western parts of the summer maize region had been planted by 8 January, with the optimal maize planting window now closed. Maize already planted there had also suffered heat and wind damage and was in desperate need of rain. “I don’t think those farmers in the west can handle another drought. Even if it rains [at the] end of January or February, I think they’re still…

DNA identification and collection is one of the most valuable tools in the fight against rhino poaching, enabling authorities to detect poaching syndicates and their members, according to Dr Cindy Harper, director of the Rhino DNA Index System (RhoDIS). She explained how empty bags that had been suspected of containing poached rhino horn, and contained what looked like dust, had been examined by RhoDIS officials, who discovered minuscule DNA samples by sifting through the residue in the bags. These DNA samples were ultimately linked to two dead rhinos found in the Kruger National Park. DNA tracking made it possible to track the movements of poachers over virtually the entire African continent. “We’ve traced rhino horn that was found in Zambia back to Namibia [and] horns found in Uganda back to…

Soweto residents’ efforts to make a living from small-scale farming were being negatively affected by toxins in the water and soil emanating from the mine dumps in the area, according to David van Wyk, lead researcher at the Bench Marks Foundation, an independent organisation monitoring corporate performance in the field of corporate social responsibility. The dust from mine dumps, as well as run-off water from mine waste, contained chemicals, minerals and heavy metals and toxins such as arsenic, cyanide, mercury, lead and uranium, he said. ‘Policy Gap 12’, a four-year study conducted by the Bench Marks Foundation and released in August 2017, revealed that gardening in Soweto was near impossible due to these toxins in the soil and water, Van Wyk said. The study findings were based on a survey…

Potatoes, the third-most important staple food consumed by humans, are rich in starch and vitamin C, but low in essential nutrients such as pro-vitamin A and vitamin E. A deficiency in pro-vitamin A is a major cause of childhood blindness in poor countries. In light of these challenges, US and Italian researchers launched a project to breed a genetically modified (GM) potato to address these deficiencies. The team, from Ohio State University in the US, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy, and Sustainable Development (ENEA) in Rome, and the Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, was led by Mark Failla, Professor Emeritus in human nutrition at Ohio State, and ENEA’s research director, Professor Giovanni Giuliano. TECHNIQUE The team achieved expression of pro-Vitamin A carotenoids, which are natural…

PROPER ESTATE PLANNING ALSO BENEFITS YOU IN YOUR OWN LIFETIME Proper estate planning ensures that the succession of heirs to the family business and assets causes minimal friction and cost. The surviving spouse and dependants will be left with sufficient funds to carry them through to death or self-sufficiency, while the fallout that would otherwise accompany a major business reversal (the death of the owner) is contained as far as possible. Proper estate planning also benefits you in your own lifetime, enabling you to retire with health problems, and their accompanying costs, and other aspects planned for. To avoid triggering adverse tax consequences, an estate planner should have a sound understanding of the tax and value added tax implications, as well as the capital gains tax effect of any suggested…

Central Dorper Champions Central White Dorper Champions National Boer Goat Champions Contacts: Dirkie van der Merwe: +264 81 773 2580 | Dirk Louw: +264 81 311 0803 Contacts: Dino and Dilano Strauss: +264 81 319 5950 | Gert van Wyk: +264 81 122 3315 | Stephan Botes: +264 81 128 5921…

Available in working widths of 3m and 4m, the Pöttinger Multiline can be used solo or as a combination, and requires only a relatively small tractor. The basic unit is a Terradisc compact disc harrow or Synkro 3030 stubble cultivator; both work in combination with a new tyre packer. The implement is trailed from a drawbar attached to the tractor linkage. Combined with the seed drill, the Multiline offers practical and economical technology for mulch-seeding. TERRADISC The Pöttinger Terradisc features the Twin-arm system, which has proven to be an effective soil cultivation arrangement. It has two scalloped discs mounted on each wide clamping bracket. These large 580mm discs are spaced 125mm apart, and set at an aggressive angle for effective penetration. SYNKRO The Synkro stubble cultivator has arc-shaped legs with…

To make prawns with pak choi and five-spice seasoning for four, you will need: 600g of peeled, cleaned and thawed prawns 1 teaspoon freshly ground five-spice powder (see method) 30ml Old Brown sherry 15ml dark soy sauce 5ml sesame oil 1 lime, quartered 8 sprigs fresh coriander 25mm fresh root ginger 3 cloves of garlic 1 or 2 tablespoons of Maizena 4 large spring onions 1 or 2 whole, fresh red chillies 4 to 6 pak choi, or baby cabbages 45ml to 60ml canola, sunflower or peanut oil (never olive oil) If you are going to cook like this fairly frequently, buy a wok. If this is an experimental once-off, use a skottelbraai fitted to a portable gas cylinder. But a real wok is simply easier to work with and…

 “Patience is not passive,” said author Edward Bulwer-Lytton. “On the contrary, it is active; it is concentrated strength.” ‘WAITING FOR THE ANSWER TO A PRAYER IS OFTEN PART OF THE ANSWER’ We would never call a man who led an entire nation for 40 years in a desert ‘weak’. Yet Moses was regarded as a humble man (Numbers 12:3). But to be humble, or even patient, does not in any way mean we are weak. Even when his own brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam, challenged his authority, Moses remained patient, leaving the matter in God’s hands. God struck Miriam with leprosy, and it was only after Moses pleaded with Him that she was healed. If we’re living and walking in righteousness, we do not have to become impatient, argumentative…

THE DE ZALZE MURDERS by Julian Jansen (Tafelberg, R225) Speculation has ranged across South Africa over the trial of Henri van Breda for the axe murders of three members of his family. The defence’s closing arguments were heard at the end of last year, and the prosecution’s are expected next month, with the verdict in March. In the meantime, true-life crime fans can review the intensely detailed evidence and insights that Jansen was able to extract from some family members, friends and associates. With the case still sub judice, he treads a difficult path, but succeeds in foregrounding the very human feelings surrounding the tragedy. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE by Tom Vanderbilt (Simon & Schuster, R360) Shifts in food tastes fascinate Vanderbilt as much as they…