Knowledgebase

Essentials of the ensiling process

06-05-2020 - Fermentation is defined as the process in which a substance is broken down into a simpler substance. Microorganisms and bacteria play an enormous role in the fermentation process.

INNOVATIVE FEEDING OF MAIZE SILAGE

23-04-2020 - Feeding out of maize silage is an expensive and time-consuming operation. Expensive because it requires either a TLB or a tractor fitted with a front-end loader to load the silage and the one or more tractors and trailers to feed out the silage.

Raw Material Market News and Views

30-03-2020 - The year thus far, although we are only wrapping up the first quarter, has proven to be anything but uneventful. We have seen load shedding making an appearance again, interest rate cuts and several other significant events.

Milk urea nitrogen (MUN) as a tool in achieving a balanced diet for dairy cattle

23-03-2020 - One of the biggest benefits of farming with ruminants is that they have the ability to digest fiber which enables us to feed them a more inexpensive diet compared to monogastric animals. In these tough economic times of today where one is farming with very tight margins, we must...

Effective grouping structures for improved margins

07-02-2020 - Profitability of the dairy industry is under severe pressure. We are confronted with high feed costs and low milk prices. The success of today’s dairy operations lies in making management decisions based on income over feed cost. The importance of margin management and grouping of...

The importance of good bio-security

22-07-2019 - The poultry industry is one of the largest and important sectors of our agricultural economy. Keeping birds safe from infectious disease is a top priority and responsibility for all owners, growers, workers, and enthusiasts involved in raising poultry. Disease outbreaks can lead to...

Sheep feedlots

11-12-2018 - What factors influence the profitability in feedlots? The first factor will always be the price at which the lambs are bought. If you feed your own lambs, it will be the store lamb price vs the slaughter price. Feed conversion ratio (FCR): the amount of feed intake (kg) to gain 1...

Nutrition for increased fleece production

01-09-2018 - Fleece production Fleece production depends on the area of the skin and the number of follicles that have developed on it. The maximum number of follicles that can develop is determined genetically, but the actual percentage of the wool-bearing follicles depends on nutrition. The...

Phosphate supplementation

01-08-2018 - More than 80% of the phosphates in the animal body are found in the bone structure of the animal. Phosphate that is not immediately used in the metabolic processes is stored in the skeletal structure. High levels of phosphate supplementation have a positive effect on an animal’s...

Maize silage

01-07-2018 - Maize silage may also be used to “dilute” the high protein content of pastures. Typically, grass proteins run between 24 and 30% crude protein (CP) in spring and summer. Too much protein in the diet is not desirable as it has a negative impact on fertility (embryotic death),...