ProAgri BNZ 19

ProAgri B otswa n a / N am i b ia/ ia / Zim b ab w e No 19

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Make the most on your farm

Botswana page 29

Work better, wider and faster with LEMKEN

Namibia page 31

Zimbabwe page 43

Reinke: Innovating irrigation in Africa

Get any job done www.agri4all.com

www.proagri.co.za

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Contact details: Alfred Andrag | c: +27 82 824 1214 t: +27 21 950 4111 | f: +27 21 950 4208 | alfred.andrag@agrico.co.za

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Sales and Service with branches across Southern Africa: Aliwal North | Bellville | Bethlehem | Bloemfontein | Brits | Caledon | Ceres | Christiana | Cradock | De Doorns | Douglas | Ermelo | George | Hartswater | Humansdorp Kakamas | Kimberley | Kokstad | Kroonstad | Lichtenburg | Lusaka | Mkushi | Nelspruit | Nigel | Nylstroom | Pietermaritzburg | Piketberg | Rawsonville | Tzaneen Upington | Vredendal | Wellington| Winterton

Letter from the Editor armers are facing ever increasing challenges, low profit margins and the need for higher production in the face of climate change to name a few.

In this issue of ProAgri BNZ we provide information on how you can manage to effectively utilise every square metre of your farm.

This issue features insightful articles on how to farm more efficiently with smart strategic planning, as well as how to make a maximum profit with minimum resources. It also includes guidelines on the best practices in the sheep and goat farming industry, as well as helpful tips on boosting your vegetable production.

Due to the isolated nature of farmers, they are very self-sufficient. Many farmers keep their own vegetable patch to produce their own vegetables for domestic consumption, instead of buying it from the local supermarket. Whether your nearest shop is 10 or 100 km away, it is always beneficial to grow your own fresh produce. This will ensure that you will have the freshest vegetables and will also guard you against fluctuating prices.

Apart from ProAgri BNZ’s own informative articles, this issue also contains the latest technology that companies such as Reinke, LEMKEN and John Deere have on offer. Exciting news from the John Deere company is that they will expand their product range to include machines for the construction and forestry industries. Read more about what they have to offer on page 3.

Read our magazines from the comfort of your own home: WhatsApp your name, surname, country, main agricultural activity, and e-mail address

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9

Cover

F

Eighteen African countries now get John Deere construction and forestry equipment. P3.

ProAgri B ot s wa n a/ a / N a m i b i a/ a/Zimbabwe

577 Rossouw Street, Die Wilgers, Pretoria +27 (0)79 515 8708 www.proagri.co.za Copyright © 2019. All rights r­ eserved. No m ­ aterial, text or p ­ hoto­graphs may be r­ eproduced, copied or in any other way t­ ransmitted without the written consent of the publisher. O ­ pinions ­expressed are not n ­ ecessarily those of the publisher or of the e ­ ditor. We recognise all trademarks and logos as the sole property of their r­ espective o ­ wners.

ProAgri shall not be liable for any errors or for any actions in reliance thereon.

to +27(0)84-041-1722 in order to receive the magazine on WhatsApp. It will take up less than 15 MB per issue.

But if you prefer, you may still pick up a free printed copy at the nearest agricultural store.

Farm smartly!

Jaco Cilliers jaco@proagri.co.za

15

20

31

41

3.

John Deere expands construction brand in Africa

4.

Protect your crops against cool weather vegetable pests this winter

7.

Composting and composting systems Part 2: Composting 101: Jumpstart your compost system

9.

Reinke makes farmers' dreams come true

13.

Irrigate fields from anywhere using FieldNET technology

15.

Fully exploit your tractor power: Work 9,5 m wide with

Content

LEMKEN's new Rubin 12 17.

Staalmeester celebrates 70 years of agri excellence

19.

Isuzu Drivetrain: Driving the support of Isuzu trucks

20.

Farming with goats part 6: Housing and feeding your goats successfully

23.

Frequently asked questions on strip grazing

25.

AGI EMEA: Driving innovation forward

27.

Sheep farming made easy. Part 1: Sheep production and breed choices

31.

The locust outbreak in Namibia: Farmers just cannot win

35.

Make money with small-stock farming

37.

Everything you wanted to know about: Farm record keeping

41.

Farm smarter, not harder: The importance of strategic planning in farm management

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

ProAgri Editor Jaco Cilliers > +27 71-893-6477 jaco@proagri.co.za Reporters Benine Ackermann > +27 73-105-6938 benine@proagri.co.za Bianca Henning > +27 82-326-2572 bianca@proagri.co.za Specialist writer Annemarie Bremner > +27 82-320-3642 annemarie@proagri.co.za Senior Production Manager: Zainab Pandor > +26 (0)97-769-9786 zainab@proagri.co.za Marketing Manager Diane Grobler > +27 82-555-6866 diane@proagri.co.za Marketing Xander Pieterse > +27 79-524-0934 xander@proagri.co.za Candice Rieger > +27 83-292-3150 candice@proagri.co.za Johan Swartz > +27 71-599-9417 johan@proagri.co.za Tiny Smith > +27 82-698-3353 tiny@proagri.co.za Anelda Strauss > +27 74-424-0055 anelda@proagri.co.za Creative Director Christiaan Joubert > +27 72-419-3990 christiaan@proagri.co.za Design Michelle Kruger & Lizelle Erasmus Enquiries Engela Botha > +27 12-803-0782 engela@proagri.co.za Accounts Ronel Schluter > +27 12-803-0782 accounts@proagri.co.za Business Manager George Grobler

1

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ProAgri BNZ 19

John Deere expands construction brand in Africa

Hentie Breedt Marketing Manager and Communications Manager, John Deere Africa & Near Middle East breedthentie@johndeere.com

G

reen is no longer the only gold in the John Deere lineup in Africa.

The agricultural giant is expanding its construction brand. Equipment available in these new markets include backhoe loaders, excavators, wheel loaders, motor graders, and crawler dozers.

Customers will also have access to the John Deere dealer network, including professionally trained technicians, and industry-leading construction technology solutions.

John Deere recently announced plans to expand its construction lineup to eighteen countries across southern and western Africa, where Deere-branded construction products were not previously available.

Impacted countries include South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Namibia, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Egypt, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and Sudan.

“This expansion provides an opportunity for us to increase our global footprint in the construction industry, as we build upon our existing presence in Africa and deliver our product portfolio under the John Deere brand for the first time to these key markets,” says Jaco Beyers, Managing Director for John Deere Africa Middle East. “As we move into these new countries, we are delivering on what customers expect from the John Deere brand, from the legendary product quality and performance to the exceptional customer support and equipment technologies that we are known for around the world.”

In Africa, John Deere is already recognised as a leader in the agricultural market, as well as an increasingly prominent player in the construction and forestry industries in many parts of the continent. This expansion marks the first time that the John Deere construction products are sold under the John Deere name in these key markets. In this new era, John Deere is taking full control of the marketing and support of its own branded construction products.

In addition to the legendary products, customers in these markets will also have access to product support through the world-renowned John Deere dealer network. Each piece of

John Deere construction equipment will be supported and serviced by highly trained and certified equipment technicians who are in turn supported by a network of regional parts distribution centres, including the nearest one in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa.

Customers will also have access to the John Deere suite of technology solutions, including JDLink™ Telematics, which provides valuable fleet insights on the job site.

“We have a deep-rooted presence in Africa in the agriculture market, and we know construction customers in these markets are eager for access to the John Deere brand and its many advantages”, said Griffiths Makgate,

The John Deere Construction range of equipment can make any tough job look easy.

Sales Manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry, John Deere Africa Middle East. “By providing access to our high-quality equipment, outstanding dealer network and parts availability, and productivity enhancing technology solutions, we can help operators in Africa increase productivity and boost their bottom lines on a daily basis.”

In addition, John Deere forestry products already available in these markets, will soon be aligned with the same new dealership network. Specific dealer announcements can be expected in the coming weeks.

John Deere is more than just green farm tools. The yellow range of John Deere Construction and Forestry equipment will soon be available to the African market, backed by the same quality and service excellence as their agricultural cousins.

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

For any queries or additional information, please send through your queries to Africa@ johndeere.com, or contact us at 011-437-2600.

3

Protect your crops

vegetable weevil, the bean seed maggot, and sawflies.

Vegetable weevil The vegetable weevil (Figure 1) originated in Brazil. The adult beetles are 8 to 10 mm in length, greyish brown (mostly dull in colour) with a pale, short “V” on the elytra. The body may also be covered with tan or grey scales and scattered hairs. Adults may be gregarious at times, hiding or feeding in small groups.

Diedrich Visser, ARC Vegetable and They only feed at night and hide unOrnamental Plants, Pretoria der debris or clods during the day. They seldom fly, even if provoked, but rather feign death or walk away to safety.

The vegetable weevil is a cool-weather pest, being active from late autumn until early summer. They are dormant in the warm summer months (aestivation).

Females lay eggs on plants or the soil near plants. They are legless, but manage to move up on stems using Photo: pixabay.com ventral and lateral ridges or protrusions on their bodies.

Young larvae have a creamy-white colour, while older larvae may be yellowish or green and can grow up to 14 mm in length. When mature, larvae pupate in the soil, down to a depth of five centimetres.

Only a single generation occurs per year. The beetles are parthenogenetic; only females are known, and mating is therefore not needed to reproduce.

Adults and larvae both feed on foliage Figure Figure1 1The Theadult adultvegetable vegetableweevil. weevil.

Figure Figure2:2:The Theadult adultbean beanseed seedmaggot maggotisis and roots. They may move down to the aasmall smallfly flyofofonly onlyfive fivemillimetres millimetresinin root zone in crops like carrot and beet. length. length.

Adults also feed on stem tissue, sometimes causing damage similar to Figure 1: The adult vegetable Figure 2: The adult bean seed Figure 1 The adult vegetable weevil.

2: The2:adult is that of Figure 1 The adult vegetable weevil. FigureFigure Thebean adultseed beanmaggot seed maggot is cutworms. Most vegetables that weevil. maggot is a small fly of only five a small fly of only five millimetres in are grown during the cooler months a small fly of only five millimetres in millimetres in length. are attacked. length.

against cool weather vegetable pests this winter

length.

Bean seed maggot The bean seed maggot (Delia platura) is the larva of a small fly, five millimetres in length (Figure 2). Crops planted in freshly worked and well-composted soils are especially vulnerable. It is a cosmopolitan species also known as the seedcorn maggot. Bean seed maggots usually only infest young seedlings and sprouting seeds; they do not attack plants past the seedling stage. Crops grown in the cooler months may be attacked by the maggots.

Females lay eggs in groups of up to ten near decaying or sprouting seeds.

Figure 3: Atypical typical Athalia sawfly, Figure 4:AAsawfly sawfly larva with seven Figure3:3: Athalia sawfly, withits its Figure Figure4:4: larva with seven pairs Figure AAtypical Athalia sawfly, with A sawfly larva with seven pairs Poor quality seed and seedbeds with with its distinctive black and orange pairs of prolegs (caterpillars have a distinctive blackand andorange orange colouration. prolegs (caterpillars haveaamaximum maximum distinctive black colouration. ofofprolegs (caterpillars have rotting seeds and rotting plant material colouration. maximum of five pars or prolegs). fivepairs pairsororprolegs). prolegs). ofoffive attract females to lay their eggs nearby.

Larvae may burrow into the soil down to a depth of eight centimetres. ost vegetable pests prefer warm, These pests increase their metaboWhen seeds are in short supply, they dry conditions to thrive. The lism when the temperature drops, and may develop on other rotting materioptimum temperatures under which stop feeding under hot and dry condiFigurethe 3: important A typical Athalia sawfly, Figure 4: Alatter sawfly with pairs als, including compost. The flies and pests inflict the with mostits tions. The is larva referred toseven as aestidistinctive black and orange colouration. of prolegs (caterpillars have a maximum maggots damage range from sawfly, 23 to with its vation, also known as oversummering.

Figure 3: usually A typical Athalia Figure 4: A sawfly larva with seven pairs prefer cool weather; the optimal ambient temperatures for the 33°C. There are,and however, a few pests "overwintering" is used for a maximum ofThe fiveterm or prolegs). distinctive black orange colouration. ofpairs prolegs (caterpillars have growth of larvae are between 21 and that are adapted to develop below the opposite phenomenon. of five pairs or prolegs).

23°C. Development of the maggots these temperatures, and they prefer to Vegetable pests that are more active stops during the summer months. attack winter crops. during the cooler months include the

M

4

ProAgri BNZ 19

Photo: pixabay.com Damage to crops is inflicted by the maggots only; the fly feeds on liquids like nectar and honeydew.

One of the challenges to identify the bean seed maggot as the culprit of seedling loss is the fact that damage occurs under the soil, usually before the seedlings emerge. Plant density may therefore be reduced, and usually, the quality of the seed is questioned.

When seeds are planted in freshly worked soils or soils with fresh compost, the bean seed maggot must always be considered in pest control strategies. When planting under cool conditions, the problem will be exaggerated.

Sawflies Sawflies are not flies, they are stingless wasps. Its name is derived from the saw-like ovipositor of the female

Photo: agric.wa.gov.au with which she lays her eggs inside plant material. The best-known local sawfly is the pear slug, attacking plum and pear trees. However, Athalia marginipennis is also known to attack cabbage and turnips in Southern Africa.

All Athalia adults are similar in colouration: head and thorax blackish, abdomen yellow, and legs yellow with black rings at each joint (Figure 3).

Larvae are darkly coloured, but this may change to a paler colour in older individuals (Figure 4). Although sawfly larvae look remarkably similar to caterpillars, they can be distinguished by the number of abdominal legs; they have seven pairs, while caterpillars have a maximum of five.

Larvae go through five or six instars and then spin a silken cocoon in the soil under plants. Athalia species are cold adapted, requiring ambient

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

temperatures of between 10 and 25 °C for optimal development. Development time is also indirectly proportional to day length. In some species, a summer diapause may be induced when day lengths increase. Sawfly larvae damage cabbage plants by consuming leaf material from the margins.

However, they are usually not encountered in large enough numbers to cause crop losses in Southern Africa.

We thank the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Vegetable and Ornamental Plants of South Africa for the material they provided for the readers of ProAgri BNZ. For more information, visit their website www.arc.agric.za.

5

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ProAgri BNZ 19

Composting and composting systems Part 2: Jumpstart your compost system B

y decomposing proper food and plant waste, we not only reduce the amount of waste in the landfill, but also create a usable product. One of the most common questions when starting your compost system is "what can, or can’t I put in my composting system?”

Key materials for composting are nitrogen-rich greens and carbon-rich ‘browns,’ water, and air.

Items to compost: Grass/lawn clippings It is preferred to leave grass clippings out in the sun to dry first before using them in compost because they form a mat that does not aerate. If green grass clippings are used, it should be in limited quantities and it should be mixed with some brown material first.

Hay Hay is an excellent material to use in composting. The greener the hay, the richer it is in nitrogen. Hay should be well moistened before adding it to the compost heap.

Leaves Leaves are one of the best and compostable materials to use. Leaves will lose over 75% of their volume when composted, so what seems like a big heap, in the beginning, will be much less in the end. Care must be taken because leaves may cause matting down. To prevent matting, leaves can be shredded with a lawnmower before putting them into the heap.

Kitchen wastes Some kitchen wastes such as fruit and vegetable peels, tea bags, coffee grounds and eggshells are incredibly good composting materials. Avoid com-

posting meat scraps and milk products as they attract pests that may cause problems down the line. As kitchen waste contains enough moisture, it is recommended that you mix it with dryer materials such as sawdust and hay.

Manure If composted, horse, cattle, sheep, and poultry manure can be particularly useful to the crops or garden. It is not advisable to apply fresh manure to crops or gardens, as it can burn the plants. Manure will accelerate composting because it heats up the compost heap.

Straw Straw is a good aerator of a compost heap and helps "greens" to decompose quickly. Straw that has been used as bedding material in stables breaks down even faster, because of its combined structure with manure.

Wood chips and sawdust Wood chips must be as small as possible, otherwise it may take too long to decompose. Be careful with chemically

Composting is a natural process that can increase the quality and quantity of your soil. Photo: pixabay.com treated wood, because it could be adding toxic substances such as arsenic to the compost heap.

Items to avoid in your compost system: While there are items that are beneficial for composting, there are also items that should be avoided for your compost system.

Composition of good quality compost.

Chemically treated wooden products Sawdust can be a very harmful composting

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

material if it is produced from chemically treated wood. Toxic elements such as arsenic, chromium and copper are to be found in treated woods and will leak into the compost treated soil.

Care must be taken when sawdust is used, and you should know the history of the materials used before considering it for the compost heap.

Diseased plants Insect-infected or diseased plants may cause a problem if they are not fully composted. The disease can be transmitted to the crops.

Human wastes It requires extremely high temperatures in the compost heap to kill pathogens and diseases in human faeces.

These diseases can be carried over through compost with very harmful effects. It is better to avoid using human faeces in the compost heap as it is only a simple system.

Meat, bones, and fatty food wastes The decomposition of these materials takes a considerable amount of time and are therefore not advisable to use in a compost heap. These materials also attract pests like rats, especially in urban areas. This could be harmful to the crops and a pest in the household. Another problem is the odour given off by these materials.

Pernicious weeds Some plants like ivy, morning glory and some kinds of grasses can react in the compost heap. When chopped, new growth occurs. Some of these weeds also have seeds and if not killed by the heat in the compost heap, they will germinate in the soil of the compost.

Pet wastes Dog and cat faeces may contain diseases harmful to humans and should not even be considered for a compost heap.

In next month’s issue we shall look at building compost heaps and the important factors to take into consideration. Stay tuned for more, happy composting!

We thank the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) of South Africa for the material they provided for the readers of ProAgri BNZ. For more information visit their website www.arc.agric.za.

7

MAXIMIZE

YIELD POTENTIAL AND MINIMIZE LOSS. VARIABLE RATE IRRIGATION

Patrick Ellis 8

031 350 4525

www.reinke.com

patrickellis@reinke.com

ProAgri BNZ 19

by Jaco Cilliers

Reinke makes farmers' dreams come true The farm Welgelegen near Oyster Bay has been the Strydom family’s home since 1904. Johan Strydom tells how his father's dream to set up a pivot here came true. There is sufficient wind to power the wind turbines in the background, but not enough wind to topple a Reinke centre pivot.

need not worry about the pivot's service. "If something goes wrong or if I need advice, Franco Nel is always available to help," says Johan.

Reinke is well known for their unique centre pivot structure. It is designed to be the strongest possible structure with the smallest quantity of steel.

Therefore, the farmer does not pay for unnecessary steel in the structure and gets the best value for the purchase price of the pivot.

Beyond the unique design, Reinke pivots are manufactured from hightensile steel, which is light but strong.

They are also designed to keep the structure's centre of gravity as low as possible to prevent the pivot from toppling over in strong wind.

To ensure durability, all the steel parts are properly galvanised to provide protection against corrosion and weather. "Because the pivot is so

"I

t has always been my father's dream to set up a pivot on the farm," says Johan Strydom of JDW Strydom Boerdery near Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape. The Strydoms have been farming on the same farm, Welgelegen, since 1904.

After thorough research, Johan Strydom decided to set up a six-tower Reinke centre pivot to provide sufficient grazing for his dairy cattle throughout the year. The pivot has an 18-metre overhang and keeps a total of 44,3 hectares of grazing green, wet, and nutritious throughout the year. The Strydoms plant a mixture of oats, ryegrass, sorghum and kikuyu under the pivot.

The pump is powered by a 37-kW motor that delivers enough power without excessive use of electricity.

"The service we received from IrriAgri made the difference,” says Johan. They were involved in the whole process from planning to erecting the pivot. They also helped to install the power line and three transformers that provide the pump and pivot with power."

Johan enjoys the comfortable, effortless control that the Reinke Advanced Plus management system provides.

The pivot and pump switch on and off automatically at the times that Johan pre-programmed. The radio control system allows Johan to enjoy the full benefits of the Reinke Advanced Plus control box, without being dependent on cell phone signal.

"The system is easy to use," Johan says. "There's nothing I have to struggle with. The quality of the pasture is constant and reliable, which means that our milk production is also better.

That is the difference that Reinke's pivot makes on the farm."

Since Johan erected the pivot in 2020, no repairs were needed. Apart from ensuring the gearboxes are filled with oil, the tyres are properly inflated, and the bearings lubricated, Johan

Patrick Ellis from Reinke; Johan Strydom, farmer; and Franco Nel of IrriAgri proudly boast with the 44,3 hectares of ever green pasture thanks to the Reinke centre pivot. close to the ocean, the quality of the galvanising is very important to us," Johan states.

"Reinke not only provides superb irrigation systems, but the total irrigation solutions," says Patrick Ellis, Director of Reinke SA. "We realise that every farmer has unique needs, so we design each system to suit that client’s specific needs."

Johan Strydom manages the irrigation system without hassle with the Reinke Advanced Plus management system.

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

For more information about Reinke's irrigation systems that fit your pocket and needs, phone Patrick Ellis +27-(0) 31-3504525, or send an e-mail to patrickellis@reinke.com.

9

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Should not be planted in Grey Leaf Spot hotspots • Very good Diplodia resistance

A successful growing season should always include Dekalb Maize seed varieties: The ‘trusted and stable” DK 777. Good yielder, stable , double cobbing potential, excellent flint grain quality and responds very well to good management (can tolerate higher plant populations).

Second in the rank is the ‘real deal” DKC 90-89. Medium maturing hybrid with high yield potential of 12tons/ ha and good tolerance to stress. This forms the foundation of your success.

The ‘early maturing’ DKC 80-33 is the reliable yielder with double cobbing potential. It is an excellent hybrid for winter maize cropping. Secures your food security.

DKC80-53 • Medium Maturing • Excellent germination and emergence • Good tolerance to diseases (GLS, Blight, Rust and Cob Rot) • Suitable for mid-altitude environments

Look out for the offical launch!

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Bayer, Shaping the Future of farming

ProAgri BNZ 19

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ProAgri BNZ 19

Irrigate fields from anywhere using FieldNET technology Lindsay’s FieldNET irrigation management platform allows farmers to control their irrigation operation remotely. It offers exponential savings in time, natural resources like water and labour, thanks to its advanced technology. Globally, Lindsay aims to help farmers save more than 700 billion gallons of water and more than one billion kilowatt-hours of energy by the year 2022 through FieldNET.

indsay’s FieldNET products are revolutionising the way in which farmers are approaching agricultural irrigation. This remote irrigation management solution has won several global awards for its use of the latest technology to enable farmers to grow better.

Globally, it is estimated that farms using smart technologies to manage their irrigation operations save up to 40% in resources. This makes sense, as FieldNET can lead to a saving in time, water and labour. Gone are the days of having to send out teams of workers to drive from field-to-field to check up on a pivot. FieldNET is so intuitive, that it can pick up potential issues before they even arise. If a pivot does encounter an issue, FieldNET can be set to try and overcome it on its own. If it cannot, it will alert the grower so that a team can be dispatched to attend to the problem. Virtually no irrigation time is lost in this scenario.

One of the most impressive features of FieldNET is that it offers farmers a single, easy-to-use platform to monitor their pivots in real-time. Through state-of-the-art tracking technology, a farmer simply needs an internet connection and smart device to easily track the position and irrigation progress of their pivots.

When monitoring pivots through FieldNET, growers

can also easily control their irrigation equipment. For instance, a pump can easily be switched on and off with the click of a button. A pivot can be turned off or programmed to perform a certain irrigation cycle from anywhere in the world using FieldNET. Farmers are often faced with the tough question as to how much their crops should be irrigated and when this needs to happen. Calculating this can be time-consuming and tedious. There is, of course, also room for human error which could lead to inefficient decisions. FieldNET seamlessly integrates with FieldNET Advisor to create an irrigation plan for each field on a farm, based on information such as crop type, soil conditions and weather patterns. These plans can automatically be sent to a farmer’s pivot and be executed with the click of a button.

FieldNET has the additional benefit of storing all in-field irrigation data in the cloud. This way, a grower can easily access their irrigation records when planning future irrigation strategies.

A case study by Lindsay in the United States of America found that a field using FieldNET Advisor to determine when and how much to irrigate saw a 17% saving in pumping costs and water usage, while increasing yield.

Reece Andrews, Lindsay's FieldNET and Zimmatic Controls Product Manager with two awards from ASABE. One for FieldNET Advisor and the other for Pivot Control Lite.

FieldNET can work on any brand of pivot, no matter its age. This is because it can be retrofitted on older-generation equipment. There are various pieces of hardware available that integrate FieldNET with a farm’s equipment. This includes ultra-low

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

cost-effective solutions like FieldNET Pivot Watch, which is an excellent option for all those interested in taking the first steps in technology. It’s a product the customers can install and configure by themselves. Other solutions are more comprehensive, like FieldNET Pivot Control and FieldNET Pivot Control Lite. Zimmatic, Lindsay’s pivot brand, also produces advanced irrigation control panels. These panels boast FieldNET as a pre-loaded application and can also work on any pivot, no matter age or brand.

FieldNET can be connected with auxiliary equipment like pumps and weather stations to gain additional data and make even more accurate recommendations. Some farmers might be concerned about how to get their pivots online, as an internet connection at equipment is essential for the proper functioning of FieldNET. Lindsay has developed several options to connect pivots into the FieldNET platform, as cell phone signal, radio and Ethernet.

This ethernet solution extends an existing internet connection to a farmer’s pivot so that it can get online and connect to FieldNET.

If you would like to learn more about the FieldNET technology, you can visit our website.

FieldNET is available from all of Lindsay’s dealers.

To locate your nearest dealer, visit www.lindsay.com.

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Fully exploit your tractor power:

Work 9,5 m wide with LEMKEN's new Rubin 12 F

armers buy bigger, stronger, and smarter tractors to work faster, wider, and better, but to accomplish these actions, farmers need implements that can do the work faster, wider, and better. Implements and tractors should fully complement one another.

There is no point in having a 400 kW tractor with the most advanced technology on the market, but the only implement strong enough to use with it dates from a previous generation.

"Other disc harrows that you can use with large tractors such as this 9560R are tandem implements," said Karel Munnik of LEMKEN SA, during a demonstration on the South African highveld.

These tandem units' depth control and transport wheels are placed between the discs. This is a disadvantage since the wear and tear on the moving parts are extremely high due to the dust and soil particles moving around in that area.

The LEMKEN compact disc harrow that was demonstrated to the farmers, is the brand new Rubin 12, which has an impressive working width of 9,5 metres.

LEMKEN's Rubin 12 is no unknown sight on the Highveld. The 3 to 7 metre implements have been in the country since 2014, but now farmers can also use an 8 or 9,5 metre wide variant,

that can easily cultivate vast fields of land with the correct tractor.

The working depth of the Rubin 12 ranges from 7 to 20 cm (measured behind the rollers) at a working speed of 7 to 13 km/h. The discs themselves are 736 mm in size for deep cutting.

The wheels of the Rubin 12 do not touch the ground at all when working in the field; they are only used to turn and for road transportation.

The rollers control the working depth at the rear of the unit and on the drawbar. The front height of the implement can also be adjusted using a hydraulic system.

Karel says: "An additional problem of older disc harrows is that there is no proper mixing of the residues into the topsoil as with the Rubin 12. The Rubin 12's front set of discs cuts the soil and material, whereafter it is thrown against a set of rakes. During the process, the soil and materials are mixed before being cut and mixed again by the next set of discs. Finally, the rollers form a firm, smooth seedbed."

In this seedbed, the planter can cut in a true V, ensuring that each seed is placed perfectly for equal germination and a better yield.

Placing the cut residues in the topsoil means more humus that breaks down faster, feeds the soil, and improves the structure of the soil. The discs are

The bearings of LEMKEN discs are maintenance-free and properly sealed. More than 2 600 discs are running on farms in South Africa, and only 40 bearings are sold on average per year from the local spare parts store. mounted at 16 degrees on the front set and 14 degrees on the rear set in the working direction.

The vertical angle of both sets of discs is 20 degrees.

It is important to successfully cut a lot of material and blend it well into the soil. Another big difference that LEMKEN's technology offers, is that the discs maintain their vertical angle of 20 degrees, even if they wear down.

Older generation disc harrows (offset and tandem) obtain a 20 degree angle by making the discs more cone-shaped, like a porridge bowl. When these discs wear over time, their angle of intrusion into the soil becomes flatter.

"Compact disc harrows are here to stay," says Karel. "Nothing else can compare with its working speed and efficiency of seedbed preparation."

Both the 8 and 9,5 metre Rubin 12 have a fixed beam in the middle with folding wings on the sides. The 8 m folds up to 5,5 m and the 9,5 m model to 6 m to enable road transport. Since the implements do not meet the road transport requirements of Europe (limited to 3 m width) they are only sold in Canada, America, Russia, and South Africa.

Like all LEMKEN equipment available, the implements are fully supported by the experienced LEMKEN technical team.

For more information on the major benefits that LEMKEN's implements hold for your farm, contact Karel Munnik on +27 82-412-2577 or k.munnik@lemken.com; or Blackie Swart on +27 82-4049651 or b.swart@lemken.com, or visit www.lemken.com.

LEMKEN's new 9,5 metre Rubin 12 was demonstrated on a farm near Middelburg in the highveld of South Africa. The implement folds up to a width of only 6 metres. The wheels are only used for road transport and turning at the end of the land, and therefore do not compact the land or churn up dust.

Working depth is controlled with the rollers.

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

15

CONTACT US TO FIND YOUR NEAREST AGENT Paul de Korte: + 27 82 888 1877 | Spare parts: + 27 18 431 2171/2 Head Office: 2 Coetzee Street, Hartbeesfontein PO Box 71, Hartbeesfontein, 2600 | info@staalmeester.co.za

We have more than 100 different agricultural products in stock that suit all farmers’ needs.

CALL US TODAY OR VISIT

www.staalmeester.co.za 16

ProAgri BNZ 19

Staalmeester celebrates 70 years of agri excellence

Article supplied

S

taalmeester, one of South Africa’s pioneering agricultural machinery manufacturers, is celebrating 70 years of excellence and impact in 2021.

This important milestone affords the company the opportunity to celebrate their founding, reflect on the years of success, revel in the sense of community that has been forged and excitingly imagine the next 70 years.

“A lot has happened since 1951, and as we look back on our journey it becomes evident that our combined passion for agriculture and manufacturing has contributed not only to our

sustainability but also our status as a preferred and reliable mechanisation partner for small and medium farmers,” says Martin Coetzee, Managing Director of Staalmeester.

Going from strength to strength Staalmeester was founded by PML (Meester) Coetzee in 1951 with the purpose of supplying farmers in central South Africa with well-made agricultural equipment. Today, this vision represents the Staalmeester legacy.

Throughout the company’s journey, the Coetzee family has played an

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

integral role and saw three generations joined together by the quest for excellence and impact. During the late 1980’s the proverbial business baton was passed on to Martin Coetzee, Meester’s son, who strategically positioned Staalmeester to become a household name. In 2012 the reigns were taken over by Martin (jr).

Today, Staalmeester is a subsidiary of Senwes Equipment and boasts 108 products on offer, sources and imports agricultural equipment from 11 countries and exports to 18 countries.

“Over the past seven decades, many changes took place globally, and our country has seen a lot of positive change. Despite this, we live in an era where things are not always built to last, and society consume a lot and throw away even more. I believe that within this reality, Staalmeester has impacted the agricultural sector by manufacturing and sourcing reliable and sturdy agricultural equipment,” says Martin (jr).

When asked what he views as the company’s most sought after qualities, Martin (jr) says that Staalmeester prides itself on being an expert in the field of affordable and reliable agricultural equipment. The company furthermore conducts its business through a well-established and diverse network of dealerships and workshops.

For more information about Staalmeester, visit their website: www.staalmeester.co.za.

17

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ProAgri BNZ 19

Isuzu Drivetrain:

Driving the support of Isuzu trucks I

suzu is well known throughout Southern Africa for their reliable trucks and bakkies, but all things mechanical need support.

Isuzu Drivetrain was established in 2017 as a dedicated factory facility for the repair and remanufacturing of Isuzu truck drivetrains. Isuzu Drivetrain is uniquely positioned to provide the best advice and competitive pricing.

Explained quite simply, the drivetrain is all the parts that transmit the engine power onto the road. In this case the transmission (gearbox), propshafts, differential, and sideshafts.

The whole Isuzu truck range is catered for at Isuzu Drivetrain’s premises. N- and F- series with AMT (Automated Manual Transmissions), ZF, as well as the mighty Allison gearboxes, are serviced. Front and rear differentials are repaired in a dedicated area.

Isuzu Drivetrain operates through the extensive Isuzu dealer network in South Africa, and into Southern Africa.

Based in Jet Park, Boksburg on the East Rand, Isuzu Drivetrain serves customers in all corners of the region with a special courier service, ensuring items are transported daily, with the shortest delivery period in South Africa. Parts are sourced directly from the Isuzu PDC (Parts Distribution Centre) in Port Elizabeth, ensuring quality parts backed by Isuzu SA.

All work carries a one-year warranty.

All items are stripped and paraffin bathed to remove all dirt and residues, allowing for accurate and thorough evaluation. Each gearbox or diff is methodically repaired or remanufactured following SABS ISO 9001 2015 standards and processes. Each transmission is dynamometer (dyno) tested in the workshop before being released.

Warwick Wright, Marketing Manager, ISUZU Drivetrain, says: “Our belief is that a quality product ensures the reliability and longevity of your Isuzu truck.”

Isuzu Drivetrain is headed by Andy Scott, a pioneer in the gearbox and diff industry, with decades worth of experience that he passes on to the workshop staff.

“Among our focuses, we believe in growing our staff through ongoing training ensuring Isuzu Drivetrain continues to be part of the Isuzu family,” says Warwick.

Exchange your gearbox Growth is also a key focus, with most of the large fleet operators using Isuzu Drivetrain as their preferred partner.

Downtime is a potentially crippling part of any fleet. Tens of thousands of Rands can be lost daily in the transport business if vehicles are not operating

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

properly. Loss of income, undelivered goods and fixed costs mean that service exchange gearboxes that can get you running in a jiffy are the answer.

These are ready-built gearboxes and diffs, quality checked and run, ready to be dispatched. These units come at a set cost, but their purpose is to lower the time of stripping and quoting on a failed unit. Within an hour a unit can be dispatched , and if you consider the time and money this option saves, the choice is obvious. Each item is secured to a pallet, preventing damage, and can be shipped anywhere in the region.

Warwick says: “We are proud of our association with Isuzu SA, a Level 1 BBEEE company, and wear our badge with pride.”

The workshop is AA, MIWA, SABS ISO 9001 2025, SANS and RMI approved.

Farmers driving Isuzu bakkies are also not left out in the cold. For 2021 Isuzu Drivetrain has expanded into the LCV (Light Commercial Vehicle) or bakkie range, including the Isuzu Frontier, KB, D Max, and MUX in the product line-up.

Isuzu is with you for the long run. Phone +27-11-8236628/1791 to make Isuzu Drivetrain your support partner for your fleet.

19

Farming with goats Part 6: Housing and feeding your goats successfully

Goats need proper housing to ensure that they are guarded against the elements and theft.

Shelter Goats need to be confined at night for a number of reasons: • To provide shelter from bad weather • To prevent theft • To prevent predation If animals are kraaled but are not provided with a shelter, they will be exposed to the weather and will not be able to choose a place that is more protected from rain or wind. For this reason, it is important that the kraal owner provides the necessary shelter and protection.

In building such a structure it is important to consider the following aspects: • A roof to protect the animals from rain • Walls/sides to protect them from wind • Drainage or a cement floor to prevent the ground from being too muddy after rain • Provision of raised areas (preferably slatted to allow droppings to fall through) where goats can escape from wet, muddy conditions It is also important that it must be 20

possible to clean the kraal to prevent the build-up of disease-causing bacteria and parasites in the dung and dust.

Managing the overnight shed The following recommendations are made regarding management of the shed: • Make sure that the goats are not crowded (keep to minimum density of 1 m2 /goat) • Remove manure on a monthly basis and spray the house to kill fleas • Provide feed in feeders or in hay racks to prevent trampling • Ensure that goats have access to clean water • Separate rams from ewes to prevent injuries and bullying • Separate ewes with kids from other goats to prevent trampling

Make sure the kids can reach the water without a danger of drowning.

Handling facilities It is desirable to have proper handling facilities that allow efficient handling of goats without causing stress to either goat or person.

Handling facilities should consist of: • A crowding pen/gathering pen that feeds into the race • A race/crush (a passage) where you can dose or vaccinate goats • A foot bath in the race so you can dip hooves to control foot rot and ticks

Goats must not be kept in longer than necessary as it reduces the number of hours available for feeding.

Other useful components include sorting gates at the end of the race so you can divide the flock into different groups and a loading ramp to load goats into vehicles for transportation, a scale for weighing, and a head gate/ clamp that allows you to restrain a goat.

Equipment for feed and water Goats should be provided with some form of feeders and water troughs.

The feeders should keep food off the ground so that it is not trampled and soiled by the goats. Suitable containers also need to be provided for licks.

Basics of nutrition and feeding Goats are mainly browsers (eat leaves off trees and bushes) although they will also graze (eat grass). They are ruminants. This means that they regurgitate feed and ruminate or ‘chew the cud’. In order for goats to grow well, it

ProAgri BNZ 19

scoring can be used to see whether the goats are getting enough energy – or too much. Examples of energy rich feeds are maize grain, oats, sorghum, and molasses.

Goats need good quality feed to ensure good health and a profitable growth rate. is necessary to develop a year-round forage programme allowing for enough feed throughout the year.

Feed requirement Maintenance requirement is the minimum feed required by an animal that is not growing, pregnant or lactating to keep warm, and to maintain its body weight. A mature, dry ewe (that is not pregnant or feeding a kid) or a mature castrate are examples of animals having maintenance requirements only. All other physiological functions increase the feed requirement of the goat.

Additional requirements above those

needed for maintenance are required for growth, pregnancy, lactation, and hair production. Ewes feeding twins or triplets have greater nutritional requirements than ewes feeding a single kid. Goats grazing very hilly pastures will have higher nutritional requirements than goats on level pastures of the same quality because they will use more energy while out browsing. The feed requirements are also linked to the weight of the goat and the weather conditions (they need more feed during cold periods).

Feed components Goats need water, protein, energy, and a range of vitamins and minerals.

Access to water is essential for healthy, productive goats. One goat will drink 3 to 20 litres per day, depending on the stage of lactation and environmental temperatures. Ewes that are feeding kids have very high water requirements. During hot weather, all goats will have high water requirements. It is also important that the water is clean – this is especially important for kids.

Protein Protein is required for maintenance, growth, reproduction, lactation, and hair production. Protein forms a major component of blood, anti-bodies, muscle, and milk and is therefore required to produce these. Protein deficiencies in the diet can lead to goats becoming sick and even dying.

Examples of protein feeds are acacia pods, beans, cowpeas, lucerne, soya bean meal, green pastures, and high protein concentrates (HPC).

During certain times, such as pregnancy, the goats will need special nutrition. Make sure that the feed contains the right minerals to ensure good health.

Minerals (calcium, phosphorus, salt) Goats also need to be given access to minerals if they are deficient in their diet. The addition of specific minerals (phosphorus for dry winter forages, selenium in deficient areas et cetera), and salt (sodium chloride), preferably in granular form and offered free choice, helps prevent most mineral deficiencies and improves performance. Major minerals likely to be deficient in the diet are salt (sodium chloride), calcium, phosphorous and magnesium.

The minerals can be given in a block or a loose lick. The requirements of goats vary according to the age of the goat and whether it is pregnant or feeding a kid. Thus, you need to buy the correct type of feed depending on which goats you are feeding.

Critical feeding times Critical periods when you need to ensure your goats are properly fed are: • Before mating (ewes and rams) • Late pregnancy (last 6 to 8 weeks) to avoid small, weak kids – but do not overfeed or there will be kidding difficulties from large kids • Early lactation (to make sure the ewe has enough milk for her kids) The information in this article is credited to Mdukatshani, Heifer International South Africa and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development who published the Goat Production Handbook in 2015.

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ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

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ProAgri BNZ 19

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

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AGI IS A GLOBAL LEADER IN DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF GRAIN STORAGE AND HANDLING EQUIPMENT. STORAGE | CONVEYORS | BUCKET ELEVATORS STRUCTURES | CLEANERS | DRYERS TEMPERATURE SENSING TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT

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24

ProAgri BNZ 19

AGI EMEA: Driving innovation forward Article supplied

A

GI EMEA, the business and manufacturing centre for AGI in Europe, is the headquarters for the well-known brands of AGI FRAME and AGI PTM. Covering Europe, Middle East, and Africa, AGI EMEA is one of the region’s largest and most respected manufacturers of all types of equipment for commercial and agricultural applications.

The AGI EMEA team delivers grain storage and handling solutions to six of the seven continents, with installations in countries such as Indonesia, Australia, Venezuela, Poland, Ukraine, and Nigeria.

AGI EMEA engineering capabilities: AGI EMEA’s engineering capabilities extend across all facets of system and equipment design, mechanical handling, customisation, and integration. Currently, the team consists of highly experienced engineers, located across the EMEA region, who use state of art technologies and tools to tailor the ideal grain handling solution for each customer.

AGI EMEA engineers combine their technical abilities with an understanding of the importance of supporting customer needs. AGI engineers collaborate with the client to develop an overall vision for the final product, while drawing on their experience and technical knowledge to develop the right solution.

For the engineers, no detail is too

AGI EMEA view their clients as partners and actively seek ways of helping their clients to improve their business through effective grain handling and storage solutions. small. Their focus on customer experience is demonstrated by their commitment to keep communication open, imparting knowledge and striving to balance efficiency in the overall investment (CapEx) and operating costs (OpEx).

Delivering the best solution to the customer means going above and beyond what would be expected. For example, AGI EMEA has contributed to the overall success of projects by participating in additional activities such as providing indications and support for civil works. While these are not activities that they are contracted to perform, the AGI EMEA engineers have such a breadth of experience that they look for ways to reduce costs and increase value wherever possible.

Additionally, AGI EMEA engineers

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

The AGI EMEA engineers stay abreast of the latest developments in agricultural technology. engage in continual learning and knowledge sharing to stay on top of developments and current trends in the industry. Seismology, structural design, and grain management are examples of topics that AGI EMEA engineers stay abreast of.

Engineers in the agriculture technology industry need to be prepared for anything. Experience has shown that the expertise they have regarding these and other topics can prove extremely valuable when it comes to helping their customers tackle the countless variables that can be encountered when it comes to grain management.

Emphasis on partnership Providing a high level of customer experience is a priority for AGI. AGI EMEA is confident that the focus they place on having engineers with deep experience in the grain industry, access to state-of-the-art technology and tools, and a pulse on innovation, allow them to form trusted partnerships with customers. With AGI’s help, customers are defining and achieving their visions for their businesses, which ultimately is moving the dial forward on the capabilities of the grain management industry.

For more information on how AGI EMEA can partner with you to grow your business, contact them on +27(0)-71-633-5365, or send an e-mail to Africasales@aggrowth. com. You may also visit their website on www.aggrowth.com.

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ProAgri BNZ 19

Sheep farming made easy Part 1: Sheep production and

breed choices S

heep production is becoming more popular in Southern Africa and the prices of small stock are increasing at livestock auctions. This month we start with a brand-new series, taking an in-depth look at everything about sheep farming.

All animals have seasons of growth.

The success of small stock farming rests on the implementation of critical management practices to effectively meet the animal's nutritional and health needs for each growth phase.

To produce mutton economically, it is

necessary to comply with certain basic production requirements. Various closely related factors have an influence on the production process.

Optimal production is only possible if all these factors assert their influence separately and combined.

requirements, design specifications and choice of the site based on practical information, especially regarding the layout of the system. The various facilities such as the sheep overnight facility, the handling complex and shearing sheds are fully discussed in respect of the layout and existing systems.

Extensive vs Intensive production units

The most important production requirements are the following: • The provision of efficient and effective holding and handling facilities

The design of an intensive production system is discussed according to a planning procedure, the climatic

In an extensive system, sheep can roam over large areas.

• • • •

The establishment of proven genetic material resulting in proven stock The provision of a nutritional standard of high quality A high standard of management Stable marketing facilities

Existing production systems and the factors influencing choice of breed Existing production systems for mutton production can be divided into two main groups, namely extensive and intensive systems. Other important aspects are the type, location and construction of fences and gates.

Provision must be made for sufficient water drinking systems and supplementary feeding.

Sheep in an intensive system are kept in a smaller and more localised area.

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

Extensive production systems In an extensive production systems sheep live off the veld. Relevant structures, therefore, consist of drinking troughs, overnight facilities, and a handling complex.

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Pay close attention to the marketing age of your breed of choice.

Intensive production systems The term intensive production is commonly used. To prevent any confusion, the term intensive system is defined as follows: Intensive sheep production is a system not defined under an extensive system and usually refers to a closed system, or a system which exists in a feeding pen or a production system from planted grazing or a combination thereof.

The final choice between the systems will largely depend on the owner, farmer or client, and will therefore depend on preference, management level, existing facilities et cetera.

Choice of breed

The objective of any production system is maximising profit. It is therefore important that the choice of a breed will also be made with maximum profits in mind.

The term profit maximising refers to striving towards maximum income from mutton and/or wool production per ewe per year. Factors such as a personal preference for a certain breed are therefore excluded from this discussion.

In line with the profit maximising objective, the following factors when choosing a type of breed are important: Carcass quality • Maximum meat for money • High growth potential • Excellent results in feedlot • A good feed conversion ratio Functional efficiency • High fertility and reproduction tempo • Adaptation of a breed to the specific region • Excellent maternal characteristics • Long breeding season

•

Suitable for crossbreeding and purebred

Fertility • Unlimited breeding cycle • Early maturity • High lambing and weaning percentage • Non-selective eaters • Excellent milk production If a certain herd size is accepted, the above factors can be evaluated according to three basic factors for the increase of mutton production, namely: herd structure, age structure and weaning percentage.

Herd structure The herd structure pertains to the percentage of the division of breeding ewes, she-lambs, young ewes, and wethers. The analysis of the herd structure showed that an increase in breeding ewes has an especially important influence on the future mutton production of a herd.

Factors such as marketing age, mating age and number of breeding seasons per year - which is directly dependent on the breed - determine the percentage of breeding ewes in the herd. The greatest percentage of breeding ewes in the herd - and consequently the highest mutton production - is possible with breeds such as pure mutton breeds and crossbred mutton/ wool breeds.

Age structure Mutton production consists of the number of lambs and the number of ewes marketed annually. An extension of the period that breeding ewes

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

The variation of the factors influencing the choice of a breed is sometimes greater within a breed as between different breeds.

can be used in the herd means a reduction in the replacement tempo, that is the number of lambs to be retained in the herd per year for replacement of productive ewes. A reduction in the replacement tempo will inevitably ensure an increase in the number of marketable lambs per year and hence an increase in income.

No universal breed can be recommended for either intensive or extensive systems. Fundamentally, factors such as adaptation potential, fast growth, and longevity of ewes, determine the choice of the breed. If the current wool price is considered, a further determining factor, namely the wool production potential, is also important.

Next month we shall look at production cycles and the whole lambing process.

We thank the ARC Agricultural Engineering in South Africa for making their manual on sheep production and facilities available to the readers of ProAgri BNZ.

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ProAgri BNZ 19

The locust outbreak in Namibia:

Farmers just cannot win

by Benine Ackermann

T

he great rains, floods, and rising temperatures in Namibia earlier this year created perfect conditions for swarms of locusts to hatch. They cause severe damage to crops and can devour a whole field of maize in a single night. The locusts also caused damage in South Africa and Botswana.

In 2020, large swarms invaded dozens of countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Eritrea, India, and most Middle East countries.

In Southern Africa, the locusts invaded Angola, Botswana, Namibia (Kavango region), Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

According to the Ministry of Water, Agriculture and Land Reform report of March, 2021, the African migratory locusts started off in the north-eastern and are now in the southern region of Namibia causing excessive damage to crops and grazing in the areas. To date they are reported to be in the Kharas, Kavango West, Kavango East and Zambezi regions. According to the report, in the Kharas region the locusts are found on commercial farms bordering the Orange River, and have progressed to communal areas around ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

31

Namibia

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RehobothRehoboth Rehoboth Rehoboth Ondangwa

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Aranos Aranos Aranos (062) (062) 272 (062) 375 272 272 • Gobabis 375 375 • Gobabis • Gobabis (062) (062) 565 (062) 335 565 565 • Gochas: 335 335 • Gochas: • Gochas: (063) (063) 250 (063) 007 250 250 • 007 Grootfontein 007 • Grootfontein • Grootfontein (067) (067) 248 (067) 500 248 248 • 500 Grünau 500 • Grünau • Grünau (063) (063) 262 (063) 059 262 262 059 059 Aranos (062) 272 375 • Gobabis (062) 565 335 •011 Gochas: (063) 250 007 • Grootfontein (067) 248 500 • Grünau (063) 262 059 Hardap Hardap Hardap (063) (063) 240 (063) 897 240 240 • 897 Hochfeld 897 • Hochfeld • Hochfeld (062) (062) 549 (062) 011 549 549 • Kalahari 011 • Kalahari • Kalahari Padstal Padstal Padstal Omitara Omitara Omitara (062) (062) 560 (062) 250 560 560 • 250 Keetmanshoop: 250 • Keetmanshoop: • Keetmanshoop: (063) (063) 227 (063) 450 227 227 450 450 Hardap (063) 240 897 • 309 Hochfeld (062) 549 011 •418 Kalahari Padstal Omitara (062) 560 250 Mariental Mariental Mariental (063) (063) 241 (063) 309 241 241 • 309 Omaruru • Omaruru • Omaruru (064) (064) 571 (064) 418 571 571 • Ondangwa 418 • Ondangwa • Ondangwa (065) (065) 240 (065) 483 240 240 • 483 Otjiwarongo 483 • Otjiwarongo • Otjiwarongo (067)• Keetmanshoop: (067) 300 (067) 300 300 300 300 300 (063) 227 450 Mariental (063) 241 309 • Omaruru (064) 571 418 • Ondangwa (065) 240 483 • Otjiwarongo (067) 300 300 32

ProAgri BNZ 19 OutjoOutjo (067) Outjo (067) 312 (067) 585 312 312 • 585 Rehoboth 585 • Rehoboth • Rehoboth (062) (062) 521 (062) 550 521 521 • 550 Stampriet 550 • Stampriet • Stampriet (063) (063) 260 (063) 046 260 260 • 046 Windhoek 046 • Windhoek • Windhoek 061 40 061 1490 061 4040 1490 1490 Outjo (067) 312 585 • Rehoboth (062) 521 550 • Stampriet (063) 260 046 • Windhoek 061 40 1490

Ariamsvlei, Warmbad and many others.

Furthermore, the report states that in the Zambezi region the infestation is much higher this season compared to the first wave, especially in the Linyathi and Lyamboloma constituencies.

“The locusts are at different stages of development, from hopping to flying stage, and have caused tremendous damage to the fields. In the Kavango East region, the locusts were located in the Mashare constituency and Rundu East, from which the same swarm progressed to Kavango West, Kapako constituency and Musese constituency,” Petrina Sakaria form the Namibia Agricultural Union said.

“Locusts have damaged at least 50 000 hectares of cropland in Namibia up to January 2021 and have affected close to 300 000 hectares of grazing as reported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform,” she added.

An aerial spray of environmentally friendly bio-pesticides is currently recommended to handle the locust problem.

“However, it is important to note that this is a very costly exercise. Furthermore, most of the manufacturers of such chemicals have ran out of stock, and new stock will only be available six

months from now. In the interim, it is important to assess other effective measures to contain the further spread of locusts to other regions. Hence, the industry needs to collectively address the matter, and the continuation of government support is essential,” Petrina said.

The best time to spray the locusts is during hopping stage, before they reach the flying stage.

“However, once they reach the flying stage, pesticides should be applied early in the morning before they rise, and in the evening when they settle on the ground.

“Locusts can cause a lot of damage in a short time, and their swarms can fly up to 150 km in a day. Each locust eats around two grams of crop per day, that is equivalent to its own body weight. Locust swarms can destroy all grains, and reduce grasslands to nothing but sand. This will destroy people's livelihoods as most crops if not all will be devoured.”

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) warned early last year that the outbreaks are threatening the food security and livelihoods of millions of people in Southern Africa.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), about 2,3 million people in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia are already facing acute food insecurity and are likely to be seriously affected by the locust invasion.

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

More about this pest The red locust (Nomadacris septemfasciata) is common in Sub-Saharan Africa. The name refers to the red colour of its head, thorax and legs. It is sometimes called the criquet nomad in French, due to its movements in the dry season. Their primary food source is grain, so grassy lowlands are their prime habitat.

A swarm of 40 million insects can devour 80 000 tonnes of crops per day, and they can travel 20 to 100 kilometres in a single day depending on the wind. The red locusts and the African migratory locusts are breeding at a very rapid rate. Depending on when they hatch, they can spread to all the countries in the region.

Dr Gerhard Verdoorn, Director of Griffon Poison Information Centre in South Africa, said all farmers in Namibia should be on the lookout for locust outbreaks and notify the Department of Agriculture of Namibia.

“There is deltametrien insecticides from AVIMA, and Bayer is registered in Namibia for the control of locusts.

The products of both companies are supplied by Coopers Environmental Science in Namibia. Farmers may contact David Faber on +27-82-568-4827 for the insecticides,” Dr Verdoorn said.

Sources: Republikein Namibia/ NAU/ Namibian Farming

33

Namibia 34

ProAgri BNZ 19

Make money with small-stock farming

by Dr Dave Midgley

F

By deworming, vaccinating, administering trace elements, vitamins and LICK, we can actually make the ewe feel better and get pregnant when WE want them to and not if and when nature dictates.

arming is a business, whether you have 10 or a 1 000 female animals. The aim is to increase your wealth – to make more money or to have more sheep and/or goats.

The best way to achieve this is to get more lambs/kids and then to make sure they do not die or become sick.

Apart from theft, the main constrains most of us are dealing with are: • Nutrition • Parasites – Internal – External • Diseases and death When small-stock lose weight it can be a result of: • Food shortage - For instance, their resistance drops and they get more parasites. A food shortage can mean a drop in either the quantity of the available food, or a drop in its quality. They then become thinner and also often acquire diseases and die.

• Sometimes there is still a lot of food available, but they become infested with parasites. As a result they then become “thin” (lose weight), become more prone to ailments, and die.

• The third alternative is where a healthy animal gets sick – for example getting an abscess on the body. The animal then gets thin/ weak, resulting in parasites and other diseases attacking it, and eventually causing death.

Other losses that we have often missed in the past, are production losses. If ewes lose condition, they do not breed.

If they do not grow out well, they miss or skip a breeding cycle and only start breeding a year later in their lives.

Most markets prefer a lamb or kid that weighs 40 – 45 kg live weight (giving a carcass of 18 – 20 kg).

Mutton breeds can reach these weights at ± 4 months of age, while dual purpose breeds take longer to achieve the same target weight.

Management guideline It is important to understand the way the bodies of the animals we are dealing with, “work”.

If the ewe or doe is sick or thin because of a food shortage or parasite infestation, she will not come on heat and breed. She feels that she is battling to survive and can’t bring a lamb or kid into this world under these circumstances.

After good rains, the food supply usually increases, but so do the parasites! Parasite control, as well as vaccinating against diseases, should therefore also be synchronised with seasonal changes which occur after good rains. By doing so, the animals feel better, come into cycle, and get pregnant sooner, leading to more progeny being born.

The art or trick to get more lambs or kids, is thus to let the “mothers feel better”.

The next important “production phase” is pregnancy: A ewe or doe “carries” for 5 months; that is 150 days.

There is nothing you and I can do to make this faster or longer. At 50 days the foetus is a little bigger than a matchbox. At 100 days it is roughly the size of a margarine tub (500 g). At birth (146-150 days) when the female “lambs down” or kids, the “baby” weighs 3 – 4 kg (the weight of a brick).

The foetus grows most in the last third of pregnancy. When this happens, the mother’s body realises that a baby is going to be born and that it must make milk (food) for this baby, so the udder starts developing at the same time that the baby inside increases in size.

The first milk is called colostrum. In addition to being an important food source, it also supplies antibodies which protect the lamb against reigning diseases.

If we vaccinate the mothers, they will make the best colostrum that will protect their offspring the best against the most important diseases! The ideal time to do this, is 4 – 6 weeks before birth, and that is roughly 4 months after we treated them to get pregnant!

No lambs or kids mean no money If “young stock” get sick or parasite infested, they grow slower and it takes them longer to reach the target or “market weight”.

The longer they take to grow, the more animals you have on the available food source. If or when food gets scarce like during the winter months, you have more mouths to feed and to utilise the diminished food that is available outside.

Next, we want to sell off these lambs/kids before nature turns and food gets scarce. In other words, we strive to balance the number of animals we keep on the available food source.

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

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ProAgri BNZ 19

Everything you wanted to know about:

Farm record keeping

by Louis de Jager, Kameelboom Akademie, Comprehensive practical farmer training

R

ecord keeping must be regarded as a means to reach a certain goal, or else it will be a waste of valuable time.

Records can be defined as systematic collection and registering of all relevant information concerning the farming enterprise and the household, the analysis of the results, the diagnoses of weaknesses and the planning to rectify the detected weaknesses.

Essentiality of record keeping: Knowledge of the enterprise • Due to the progress in production techniques and the economics of farming, the management function of the entrepreneur became so complicated that he can only be successful if he remains well informed about all aspects directly or indirectly concerning the production and marketing of his products.

• A complete knowledge of all income and expenditures is a necessity to calculate the net profit or loss. A complete evaluation of all assets and investments is necessary to calculate the interest earned on capital invested. These measurements, along with others, will show the farmer his degree of success and whether it will be advantageous to continue in the same way.

• Keeping track of the profitability of every department is necessary to eliminate weak points in the production process.

• The farmer must be able to calculate the efficiency of the different production factors.

• Legislation determines that every

farmer must submit statements for income tax, VAT, and agricultural census. This information plays a major role in the determination of agricultural policy in which the farmer is closely involved.

Limits to the human memory If the diversity and volume of all the information is considered, it will put enormous pressure on the memory, especially if no records are kept. The total investment on a farm can run into millions and no businessman can dream about running his business without the use of records.

The influence of time Without keeping records, a farmer might perhaps be able to able to handle one year’s information, but it will be

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

almost impossible to recall the details after a few years. It is often exactly this information on a number of years that puts the farmer in a position to come to accurate conclusions about the results of a specific year or enterprise.

Advantages of record keeping: Advantages of a financial nature: • The farmer can determine his financial position at any time. By analysing the records of a series of years, the farmer can also determine whether his financial position improved or deteriorated. The difference between assets and liabilities represents the farmer’s own capital.

• Any farm record system requires the recording of all transactions made in order to reveal a list of all income and expenditure that can be referred to in future. A comprehensive record system will even reveal the smallest items of income and expenditure which the farmer normally forgets, but which can make a positive contribution to the structure of his income and expenditure.

• A farmer can even adapt his personal and household expenditure according to the financial income as reflected in his farm records.

• In negotiations with financial institutions, the farmer who can produce a complete set of farm records will have an advantage over his counterpart with no records. By studying the records, the bank manager will have facts to support his decision when granting or refusing a loan.

• The calculation of taxable income will be simplified if reliable records are available. An accountant will charge much less if supplied with full particulars. When keeping

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•

comprehensive records, the enterprising farmer will be able to prepare his own tax returns.

Advantages for organisation and management • At the end of the production year, the different farming operations can be analysed separately to determine their efficiency and profitability. An operation that is appears to be profitable on the surface might be running at a loss, but because the profits of other enterprises compensate for that loss, the farmer will not be aware of that loss. By comparing the results of a series of years, the farmer will be able to determine whether the profitability of the different operations increased or decreased.

• Accurate efficiency measures for the total farming enterprise as well as for the various operations can be calculated from the records.

Examples are: Net farm income per R100 capital investment; lick cost per large stock unit; gross income per R100 variable cost for the beef cattle enterprise, et cetera. The efficiency measures can be applied to identify the weak links in the farming organization.

• Future planning of the farming business will be impossible without the necessary background information. This information will only be available from comprehensive and reliable records. Due to changes in production and price tendencies, continuous adjustments will have to be made to the modern farming structure, and farmer who keeps records will be the one to be in excellent position to adjust easily and timeously.

The record system: The extent and type of records varies according to the farming organization.

Record keeping is however only a means to a certain goal and not a goal in itself. The farmer keeps records in order to be able to diagnose and rectify the

weaknesses in his enterprise. Any record system, irrespective of the kind of farming enterprise, consists of three parts.

Physical and economical inventory • An inventory includes the values of all physical assets of the farming enterprise: • Land appraised at market value • Buildings and other fixed improvements appraised at replacement cost minus depreciation • Implements and tools normally appraised at cost minus depreciation or the present market value of similar implements and tools minus depreciation.

• Producers’ goods in stock appraised at purchase price plus transport.

• Farm products appraised at net market value or production costs.

• Livestock appraised at market values and stud animals at purchase price.

Physical production data Livestock production The type of enterprise will determine the detail of the records. Basic physical records like stock numbers, numbers purchased and sold, numbers dead and stolen, and the numbers slaughtered for the household and labourers as well as feed consumption, and dip and vaccination programmes, are important.

Grazing records These records are directly connected to livestock production records. The number of animals and the number of days that the animals are kept in each camp must be noted accurately. This will help with grazing management.

and the economic position of the farming enterprise.

Income and expenditure records These records are the most important part of any farm record system. All financial transactions should be noted accurately and systematically. Each entry must be described comprehensively, for example sold to whom, bought from whom, the product or goods, the amount, and the date. It is also important to specify VAT separately. Maybe it will be easier to keep records of each enterprise separately.

Net farm income as well as all other efficiency measures can be calculated from the sets of records described above.

The requirements of an efficient record system First, a record system must comply with the requirements of a farm management information system and it must also comply with the requirements of the Receiver of Revenue.

The requirements can be summarized as follows: • A record system must be simple and easy to keep up to date.

• It must make provision for comprehensive information.

• The information must be available easily and quickly.

Labour and mechanization By keeping records of what each labourer does every day, it will be possible to determine if labourers are productive and economical.

The worrying question is always to determine the person responsible for the administration of the records, but whoever it will be, he or she must be supplied with the necessary information on a regular basis, and the farmer will always be responsible to see to it that the records are properly kept.

The farmer must be able to analyse, interpret and evaluate the records. If you experience difficulties in doing this, the local extension officer will be able to help.

Financial data One third of a record system consists of financial data with the aim to determine the eventual financial results

A final important remark: Make sure that the financial year coincides with the tax period, that is March to February.

For practical training in agriculture, contact Louis de Jager at 082-211-1533 ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

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Zimbabwe 40

ProAgri BNZ 19

Farm smarter, not harder: The importance of strategic planning in farm management

by Bianca Henning

Goals are an integral part of our lives, whether they are professional or personal. Photo: Pixabay.com.

F

armers will need to produce enough food to feed nine billion people by 2050, while battling increasingly difficult growing environments due to climate change and being resilient to our ever-changing world.

Being successful as a modern farmer one needs to grab both opportunities and challenges with the same enthusiasm, thereby adapting swiftly to the changes to the immediate and global agri markets. The phrase “work smarter, not harder” is popular for a reason, there is so much truth behind it.

The agricultural industry requires non-stop hard work. Any new strategies combined with a more effective approach may be the difference between success and failure. Farmers who make smart farming decisions can save money, increase their yields, and maximise profits while remaining extremely successful.

Let us take a step back - 2020 has given us the motivation to think about our actions and reflect on what truly matters. Two things come to mind: focus and focus.

Success in farming requires an awareness of where you currently are

as well as where you are heading.

Farmers need to have clear goals and direction to achieve sustainable success.

Strategic and operational planning in farming Strategic management is known as the combination of all roles to proactively manage the total farming system in accordance with the internal and external environment to achieve the long-term objectives of the farming business.

It is about taking a step back to see the big picture and imagine what could happen in the future. It provides you with the best chance of retaining leverage, preventing severe pitfalls, and making your farming business more profitable by exploring new opportunities.

Thinking strategically about your farming business involves creating a vision for where you intend to be in three, five and ten years. Operational planning entails breaking down long-term strategies and goals into shorter-term priorities and action plans to bring the strategy into action.

A broad declaration of the aim or

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 19

purpose for your farm is referred to as a goal. The word objective refers to a specific goal statement. Setting goals is an essential part of every agricultural business's strategic planning process.

Farming goals must be developed in direct support of the predicted future and should focus on key performance areas, such as financial goals, growth and expansion goals, sustainability goals, personal goals as well as succession planning to ensure long term supply of products to future generations.

You as a farmer must define your goals clearly enough by writing them down to provide additional motivation, making priorities more explicit and encouraging cooperation from all members involved on your farm.

A mission statement directs your farming business’s direction and can be somewhat abstract. Goals are more specific, making them easier to understand and implement.

The most important foundation tool for strategic management is the determination of the farm business’s goals and direction, as planning on 41

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Strategic management is more than a planning, implementation, and control process. It is also a state of mind and an attitude.

Photo: Pixabay.com. its own cannot produce strategic vision and direction on a farm where this is lacking.

Your farm’s primary goal, in accordance with personal preferences or values, is referred to as the mission.

Your mission should respond to the questions what, who, how, and why, as well as identify core competencies and influencers that drive the vision.

It provides responses to questions like “Who does what?” “What are the day-to-day activities that need to be done?” “What are the labour requirements?” and “How can we maximise our resources?” It is also important to ask yourself, “Why do I want to farm?”

“What are the things I want in life that farming will help me achieve?”

Long-term objectives are referred to as your vision, also known as strategic intent, and it is an important management tool. The mission and vision of your farm should align comfortably with your personal values.

Strategic implementation tools and setting SMART goals: An acronym commonly used to describe effective goals is SMART. Goals must be Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Timely.

Many farmers spend their time rushing around trying to get more done while accomplishing very little. Setting SMART goals means you can clarify your ideas, focus your efforts, use your time and resources productively, and increase your chances of achieving what you want on your farm.

As a farmer, your goals should be specific and targeted at a single issue or need. Your goals must be measurable, which means you should be able to monitor their progress. You will not be able to accomplish your objectives until you take action. The actions

that you take will be the pathway to achieving your goals.

The goals you set must be attainable and realistic. Aim high, but not too high. Keep your goals within the range of possibility. Your goals are only useful if they are current and have a concrete timeframe and a completion date. Regardless of what your goals are and how you choose to organise them, planning and goal setting can be much easier when defining and allocating time frames for each goal. The most common time frames used for goals are a short-term time frame, one to three years, an intermediate time frame of four to ten years, and a longterm time frame of ten years or more.

Strategic monitoring tools: Another important factor to implement on your farm is having good control systems for evaluation, monitoring, correction, and adapting accordingly.

Financial control and monitoring are critical success factors.

It is recommended that succession planning for your farm should be taken seriously if the future generations are to be sure of feeding the nation in the future.

Once your farming business aspirations and goals are set, you have already taken the first step to success. Now you can embrace uncertainty, be fearless and achieve the impossible.

Strategic management entails forward thinking, being proactive, focusing on where you are going and how you will get there. Photo: Pixabay.com.

Sources: 1. Fundamentals of Organisational Development Editors: N. Martins, D. Geldenhuys 2. Human Resources Management in South Africa 6th edition Editors: Elbert, Robert Hatfield, Surette Warnich, Michael Carrell 3. CropLife International

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Ø “Farming System” designates a set of agricultural activities organised and maintaining desirable level of biological diversity and ecological stability. Ø Farming System consist of several enterprises like cropping system, dairying, piggery, poultry, fishery, bee keeping, etc. These enterprises are interrelated. The end product and wastes of one enterprises are used as inputs in others.

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mandate M DASA’s m andate is to im prove the perform ance and m anagem ent effectiveness of public, private and international farm ing organizations in Africa. This will be done through: v Agricultural m anagem ent training and education. v Agricultural m anagem ent consultancy and advisory services v Agricultural research v Knowledge generation and publications v Prom otion of best practises in agriculture and farm m anagem ent Ø M anaging developm ent agencies in Southern Africa (M DASA) has the capacity to organise bespoke customised onsite workshop in your organisation or country at a m anageable budget.

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