01-05-2018 - The financial viability of each dairy unit in South Africa comes under more pressure every day. It would seem that the next challenge in the SA dairy industry is never far away and this brings about new plans to be implemented. There are, however, 5 important parameters to keep in...
01-05-2018 - In any extensive ruminant system, the main feed component, crude fibre, comes in the form of natural grazing. The optimal utilization of this source of roughage can be utilized with good management and the purposeful implementation of a good quality winter lick programme. If used...
01-04-2018 - Goals that a producer can set for his business: A cow must calve comfortably Colostrum must be of good quality for a healthy calf Good rumen adaption The cow must be healthy without metabolic disturbances such as milk fever, ketosis, etc. Good milk production Reduce the drop in body...
01-03-2018 - There are certain similarities between businesses and planning for the future is most certainly an integral part of them all. The biggest part of any dairy’s future is its replacement heifers and rearing heifers with which to carry the business into years to come. As with any...
01-03-2018 - There will always be a demand for weaners, with a premium for good quality dry animals. The first 30 days after weaning is probably the most stressful period in a calf’s life. Good management during this period is of the utmost importance. Limiting stress during separation and with...
01-10-2017 - The average daily gain (ADG) is a norm that are used most commonly to measure feed performance in feedlots. The two most important factors that have the greatest effect on the profitability of a feedlot are dressing percentage and feed efficiency. Feed efficiency or feed conversion...
01-10-2017 - A lot of information is available on everyday roughages such as maize silage. Optimum cutting times and ways of ensuring the best quality have been well researched and documented. However, there are a few roughage sources in South Africa about which much less is known, although they...
01-09-2017 - Over the past decade or so, the gap between the cost of the two options has become much smaller due to the increase in labour costs, diesel, mixing costs, lack of time and "expertise and control". Self-mixing started to play a much smaller role. Even in the field of margin over feed...
01-08-2017 - Maintaining good gut health in pigs is the first step in maintaining profitability in the production of pigs. A healthy pig makes a happy farmer.
01-07-2017 - Silage that is too wet when cut can lead to poor quality as there is a loss of nutrients through seepage from the pit. Additionally, there is also less starch available as the starch is not yet mature and the total dry matter that can be harvested per ha is lower. Silage cut too...
