ProAgri Zambia 21

ProAgri technology for the farmer

Z a m b i a

No 21

Free

Orange maize for more nutrition

Dalein turns pigs into profit

Plan your farm with GSI introduces Economy Range

There is only ONE Bonnox FLEXI FENCE RINGLOK®

H HINGEJOINT®

Photo: Cottondale Game Ranch

Avoid poor imita ons and buy directly from the only Bonnox factory, situated in Sunderland Ridge, Centurion.

Only a Bonnox invoice will serve as a cer ficate of authen city.

zane@bonnox.co.za | gerda@bonnox.co.za | linda@bonnox.co.za www.bonnox.co.za | +27 (0)12-666-8717 | +27 (0)76-169-9068 4 ProAgri Zambia 20

Cover

Letter from the Editor

T

he ridiculously low maize price offered by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) is on everyone’s lips and a big concern, especially to our small-scale and emerging farmers. Many grain buyers also refuse to offer more than the set price of the FRA …

For K60 a 50 kg bag or K1 200 a ton, a farmer will not even put in the effort to pay a visit to his fields. On top of that, farmers are spending between K10 and K20 on a 50 kg bag for transport to their nearest FRA-depot.

During a recent meeting of the Northern Province Cooperative Union (NPCU), farmers proposed a minimum price of K110. In comparison, Malawian and Zimbabwean farmers are offered K120 and K190 per 50 kg bag respectively. If something is not done urgently, farmers will cut back on their maize production, or look at other markets, or store their maize in the hope for better days. If a meaningful number of farmers do that, it will have dire consequences on the food security and eventually stability in the country. In fact, farmers are already keeping their maize back and even feed it to their animals.

The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) and the FRA is currently in a

Content

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legal arm wrestling match on the issue.

The FRA bought 10% of the 2,8 million tonnes produced last year and this year they estimate to buy 14% of the 3,6 million tonnes produced.

Commercial farmers managed to diversify their crops away from maize, but the soy bean price is also under pressure and the question remains what will happen this planting season. Diversification will be a challenge for smaller farmers, since maize still forms a huge part of their household consumption and maize millers are still their primary offset.

But modern agriculture is very unpredictable and rapidly evolving. The opportunity is there for smaller farmers to sharpen their pencils and carefully make their plans – diversification is definitely the answer.

This month GSI is teaching us how to do proper future farm planning with grain handling systems. We meet Andreas Dalein Heyl, the father of piggery housing in South Africa, and Bonnox tells us about the many uses of their fencing.

Farm smartly!

Du Preez de Villiers dupreez@proagri.co.za

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5

Pig farmers depend on Dalein

7

Handling of beef cattle: Part 11

13

With Bonnox there is always a plan

19

Reclaiming acidic or alkaline soils by correct use of

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ETG’s lime products 23

Soil: The farmer’s most important asset: Part 18

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Grain storage: Planning a farm system with GSI

31

CIAT-HarvestPlus reveals some important facts about orange maize

ProAgri Zambia 21

Bonnox is one step ahead in reading their market. They recently introduced their Economy Range for the farmer on a smaller budget. Read about the many different applications of the Bonnox range on page 13.

ProAgri technology for the farmer

Z a m b i a

Office no. 3 Fens Investment Building Lusaka Show Grounds

+26 (0)96-216-9801 www.proagri.co.za

Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. No material, text or photographs may be reproduced, copied or in any other way transmitted without the written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or of the editor. We recognise all trademarks and logos as the sole property of their respective owners.

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

ProAgri Zambia Editor Du Preez de Villiers > +27 82-598-7329 dupreez@proagri.co.za General Manager Zambia Quintus Grobler > +26 (0)96-216-9801 quintus@proagri.co.za Reporters Annemarie Bremner > +27 82-320-3642 annemarie@proagri.co.za Benine Cronjé > +27 73-105-6938 benine@proagri.co.za Senior Production Manager: Zainab Pandor > +26 (0)97-769-9786 zainab@proagri.co.za Marketing Xander Pieterse > +27 79-524-0934 xander@proagri.co.za Stefan van Wyk > +27 82-381-7563 stefan@agritrader.co.za Tiny Smith > +27 79-531-0024 tiny@proagri.co.za Design Esta van Niekerk > esta@proagri.co.za Enquiries Lize du Plooy > +27 12-803-0667 lize@proagri.co.za Engela Botha > +27 12-803-0667 engela@proagri.co.za Accounts Ronel Keet > +27 12-803-0667 accounts@proagri.co.za Distribution Du Preez de Villiers > +27 12-803-0667 dupreez@proagri.co.za.co.za Business manager George Grobler

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The first step to successful pig farming:

Pig farmers depend on Dalein W

hen entering farm Bloemendal and stopping in front of the neat, impressive Dalein Group office, you realise that this company reeps the benefits from the care and thoroughness on which it was built. In the early eighties, Andreas Dalein Heyl moved his operations to this farm which is just a stone throw northeast of Pretoria in South Africa.

Today, the Dalein Group exists of Dalein Plaasbou, Dalein Estates, Dalein Agriplan, Dalein Feed and Dalein Lazerpro, but it is particularly the pig industry that has benefited from Dalein Heyl’s contribution over the past 41 years.

After obtaining his agricultural engineering degree in 1963 and his master’s degree in 1964 at the University of Pretoria, he started working at the Department of Agriculture in the Agricultural Engineering Department.

He became a specialist in intensive animal housing feedlots in the pig and dairy sectors and he visited Scotland, England and Germany to broaden his knowledge.

Dalein resigned from the public sector in 1976, and this was the birth year of Dalein Plaasbou, flowing from his particular interest in and knowledge of pig housing. He has applied his many years of experience to the industry in the manufacture of equipment and housing for the pig industry.

It was also the foundation from which he expanded to other business ventures. His distinctive flat roof houses are cost effective and provide excellent ventilation. Moreover, they are durable - those built in the early years

still stand firmly today. This type of housing is still very popular.

Any new venture requires hard work and perseverance, of which Dalein always had enough. In the early years he was the chief executive officer, financial manager, engineer, draughtsman, factory manager, driver and constructor.

The first major contract he attained was Belhuit Investments, after which he erected pig housing for Basie Snyman, Jan Greyling and Filters and Volkers. After Dalein Plaasbou built Kanhym’s piggeries in the 1980s, his reputation rapidly earned him more contracts. After the big project, he could also buy his first truck, which expedited his business.

Dalein Estates was his next brainchild and he kicked off with a 300-sow Andreas Dalein Heyl can rightly be regarded as the father of pig housing equipment in South Africa.

a feed factory in Alexander Bay on the north western tip of South Africa. After that, Ibis Piggery and Penvaan Feeds followed. Today, Dalein Agriplan is world renowned and an excellent example of African quality and workmanship.

Dalein believes that African farmers should use quality equipment and avoid the cheap alternatives from the east.

Management and nutrition Dalein Plaasbou’s equipment: the hallmark should be at the top of their of quality and durability. Dalein still delivers priority list and urgent attention quality pig housing equipment, which is the must be given to proper breeding first step towards successful pig farming. material. Farmers must realise that the interests of the pig unit - after all, industry are in their hands and they he could now live must take the control from the retailhis interest. His ers’ hands. According to Dalein, farms next dream was a are getting bigger and farmers must feed factory, but prepare for farms with 20 000 to 50 it required a lot 000 sows where they process the meat of research. He and focus on exports themselves. made plans to gain Twenty years ago, Dalein wrote a reaccess to existing port, “SA Pork for Export”, emphasizing feed factories to the importance of exports to China in broaden his knowlco-operation with the government. It is edge. becoming a reality. Dalein Heyl is still In the early a pig farmer and he believes he will 1990’s, Dalein put continue to be one as long as he can. his feed dreams His son, Stephan, is in charge of the into action, and company today.

Dalein Feeds was established. It was Contact Dalein at +27(0)12-819so successful that 8500, +27(0)71-936-9311 or he launched ane-mail plaasbou@dalein.co.za, Dalein Plaasbou also looks at Zambia to expand their other company, collin@dalein.co.za Also visit their markets. Collin Nel is their African representative. Here Dalein Agriplan, comprehensive website at he is with Quintus Grobler of ProAgri at Dalein’s which designed www.dalein-plaasbou.co.za. exhibition during the recent Agritech show. and built Alexcor, ProAgri Zambia 21

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How to handle your beef cattle Part 11: Building water troughs, fencing, gates, pens and roads The devil is in the detail and keeping this in mind is especially important when designing your feedlot. You can save yourself a lot of trouble, time and money if you spend a good part of your project on planning the nittygritty parts of your feedlot.

W

e thank the ARC Institute for Agricultural Engineering in South Africa who made their manual on handling facilities available to the readers of ProAgri Zambia.

Water troughs Water troughs are placed approximately two-thirds of the camp length from the feeding troughs and on the border between two pens, so that both pens can be served by one trough.

Water troughs must be cleaned regularly. For this purpose, a 50 mm tap can be provided at the lowest end for drainage as shown in Figure 1. The

water for washing the trough causes muddy conditions in the pens. Provide the pen with a concrete trench to drain the water from the pen, or use PVC pipe or quick couple pipe when troughs are being drained.

Provide a concrete slab (75 to 100mm thick) around the Figure 2: Typical trough, extending two metres on the long sides and 0,5m on the short sides.

The purpose of the concrete slab is to prevent trampling around the troughs.

The ball valve must be well protected against possible damage by the cattle. Figure 2 shows a typical plan of a water trough.

Fences Feedlot fences differ from the usual camp fences. In feedlots there is a higher concentration of cattle and the fences must therefore be sturdier.

Fences in these pens are 1,5 m high and consist of five cross wires. Barbed wire injures the cattle and ordinary wire is not strong enough. Steel cables instead of cross wires are recommended.

Another possibility is to make a cable from galvanised wire and Figure 1: Water trough with drainage .

ProAgri Zambia 21

water trough steel wire. One 4 mm galvanised wire is used with two 2,24 mm high tensile steel wires. The length of the wire is slightly longer than the distance it has to span. The loose ends of the wire are tied to the power take-off shaft of a tractor by pulling the ends through the hole on the power take-off shaft.

The other ends are tied in position to a corner post. The wires are tightened slightly. Ensure that the tractor’s brakes are disengaged and that the gears are in neutral. At idling speed, get the power take-off shaft in operation for 2 to 3 seconds, to wind up the cable slightly. This cable can now be spanned tight and used as fencing cable.

Wood or steel can be used for the standard poles and droppers. Standard poles must be placed three metres apart in the earth and one dropper can be placed between them. If wood is used for standard poles, the diameter must be 100/125 mm, while 32/50 mm droppers can be used. If steel is used for standard poles, pipes with a 100 mm diameter, 100 mm IPI-I-beams, or railway sleepers can be used, depending on the cost. If sturdier poles are used, such as metal train rails, the 7

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ProAgri Zambia 21

Figure 3: Fencing construction for pens.

Figure 6: Drainage of pens Fences must be maintained regularly to ensure long life. If wooden poles are used, they must at least be treated with bitumen or a similar substance to make them more durable. Steel poles must be treated with an anti-corrosive substance, if it has not been done by the manufacturers. Treat the poles before planting, it will be easier and will ensure that it is done thoroughly.

Figure 4: Alternative fencing construction for feedlots. standards can be placed 4,6 m apart, with two droppers between them. All poles must be planted firmly into concrete. Figure 3 shows the construction of a typical fence.

The top cross wire in the fence can also be replaced with a pipe to ensure sturdiness of the fence, as shown in Figure 4.

If round pipe standards are used, the bottom part must protrude from under the concrete into the soil to ensure drainage and prevent rust. Poles must be sealed at the top to prevent rainwater from collecting inside the pole and causing erosion.

The concrete anchor blocks should be built slightly higher than the soil surface and tapered away from the pole. This is to protect the poles from erosion because of the high urine concentration and water collection around the pole.

At gates and at the end of the fence, the standards must always be anchored.

Gates If the cattle walkway is used as an access to the pens at the lower side of the pens, the walkway must be wide enough to allow cleaning machinery to turn easily into the pens. Alternatively the gates must be adapted, as in Figure 5, or larger gates must be used. It is, however, advisable to rather use the gates at the feeding trough.

Standard 3,5 m wide gates are not strong enough to inhibit cattle effectively and must be strengthened, or heavy duty gates must be used. The locking mechanism of the gate must be such that it can be easily opened and closed, but not by the cattle.

Preparation of pens Before building work can begin, the site must be cleaned and graded according to slope. It is worth doing a complete survey and grading the inclines correctly from the onset. Roof runoff water or any other water from the site around and above the pens must be drained separately from the pen run-off. Make special drainage canals so that the water does not run through the pens. Prevent the water from running from one pen to another. Figure 6 shows a practical solution for drainage of pens.

Pen surfaces must be finished neatly, so that rain water cannot dam up. The pen surface must preferably be compacted by means of a roller. In high rainfall areas hills are often constructed in pens.

The hills provide a drier Figure 5: Fence adaptation for entrance to place to lie down. The hills must however be conpens

ProAgri Zambia 21

structed in the centre and not at the sides of the pens. This will slow down wear and tear on fences because the poles will not be standing in the mud.

Pen maintenance must be done regularly during production. By constructing a sufficient number of pens, pens will be able to rest for a week or two.

Next month we shall look at the office complex, flow of cattle, feeding facilities and the water supply.

Published with acknowledgement to the ARC Institute for Agricultural Engineering for the use of their Beef Cattle Handling Manual.

Visit www.arc.agric.za for more information.

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Indian River Broiler Pocket Guide: e: Farm prepara on • Clean and disinfect housing prior to chick arrival.

• Houses should be preheated for a minimum of 24 hours prior to chick arrival.

• Recommended environmental condi ons at placement are: • Air temperature: 30°C (86°F) measures at chick height in the area where feed and water are posi oned.

• Li er temperature: 28-30°C (82,4 – 86°F).

• Rela ve humidity (RH): 60-70%.

• Spread li er material evenly.

• Make feed and water available to the chicks immediately.

ProAgri Zambia 20

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11

There is only ONE Bonnox We

with the punches...

How good is your “defence”?

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HINGEJOINT®

Economy range is available now With you score between the posts!

Avoid poor imita ons and buy directly from the only Bonnox factory, situated in Sunderland Ridge, Centurion.

Only a Bonnox invoice will serve as a cer ficate of authen city.

zane@bonnox.co.za | gerda@bonnox.co.za | linda@bonnox.co.za 12 ProAgri Zambia 20 www.bonnox.co.za | +27 (0)12-666-8717 | +27 (0)76-169-9068

With Bonnox there is always a plan

by Annemarie Bremner

“I

am actually a lazy guy,” says Tim Collier from Parys. “I do not want to do a job three or four times if I only need to do it once. For example, if I erect a fence once, it has to stay up so that I will only have to maintain it afterwards.”

Tim has a treasure of wisdom regarding boundary fences and wires, but you must know, if he puts up his Bonnox, it will last.

He says Bonnox is a special product that you can use for many purposes other than just fencing.

The latest Bonnox he bought will be used in a very unique way. He is building a vegetable tunnel, but natural forces quickly taught him that you should rather redesign for unforeseen events.

He just finished the first tunnel, covered it with plastic and a layer of netting to protect the plastic from the sun and hail… when the big rain that filled up the Vaal Dam, came.

The water could not run off fast enough and began to form large, heavy dams on top of the tunnel.

“The good news is that the plastic and the steel withstood the pressure, but the crosswires that had to keep the plastic in position broke under the weight of the water.

Now, his plan is to take off the netting and plastic, clad the whole tunnel with Bonnox and then replace the

plastic and netting. This should ensure the tunnel lasts for the next 50 years!

Tim says he is going to use Bonnox’s ordinary wire clamp to put it up neatly and tightly over the steel structure before replacing the plastic and netting.

There are a couple of reasons why it will work: It is easy to handle and you can cover a large section at a time.

Due to the squares (horizontal and vertical wires), the water will not be able to form dams again.

The wire is fully galvanised steel wire that not only makes it strong enough to be erected tightly, but also keeps it rust free.

It is considerably cheaper than the cable used by tunnel builders.

Tim Collier shows the hanging bags of water on his tunnel. The plan now is to apply Bonnox to the structure so that the plastic can rest on it, without forming big paddles.

Keep animals outside and tourists inside Not far from the Colliers is Heinrich Strauss, who has Bonnox-ed his yard as well as goose camps on his farm.

The house is used as a guesthouse, and Heinrich says tourists would also like to see tame farm animals in the yard, but then added a tip that it is better to have a fence between the animals and tourists so that no one gets hurt.

However, the main reason for using

The guesthouse on Heinrich Strauss’s game farm is neat and safely Bonnox-ed.

Bonnox fences smaller squares at the bottom keep the geese in and the caracal out.

ProAgri Zambia 21

Bonnox for the goose camp is to keep out caracals. He chose the Bonnox fence with the small squares at the bottom to make sure that the tame animals could not get out and the wild animals could not get in.

Some of the other game camps on the farm have already been Bonnox-ed and Heinrich wants to fence in another 35 hectares with Bonnox. He currently has blesbok, springbok, deer and ostriches, and with the 2,4-meter high Bonnox game fence he can now buy and contain bigger game.

“One of the biggest advantages of Bonnox is that the fence gives way when an animal jumps against it, so they do not get hurt,” says Heinrich.

After such an incident, Bonnox fence immediately restores to its original, neat shape.

Heinrich is also very impressed with Bonnox’s service delivery. He said his price estimate was sent straightaway and his order was correct and ready when he arrived to pick it up. He also obtained the wire clamp and everything else he needed to erect the fences from Bonnox, and with the clear and straightforward instructions, he and his team of workers could easily erect the fence.

Get a Bonnox solution directly from the factory. Call +27(0)76169-9068, +27(0)12-666-8717 or send an e-mail to gerda@bonnox.co.za, linda@bonnox.co.za or zane@bonnox.co.za, or visit www.bonnox.com. co.za to place your order.

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ProAgri Zambia 21

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Reclaiming acidic or alkaline soils by correct use of ETG’s lime products S

oil pH is a measure of hydronium ion (H3O+, or more commonly the H+) activity in the soil solution. Activity is similar to concentration in non-salt affected soils. Soil pH influences many facets of crop production and soil chemistry, including the availability of nutrients and toxic substances, activities and the nature of microbial populations, as well as the activities of certain pesticides.

Soil pH determination Three soil pH ranges are particularly informative: 1. A pH < 7,0 indicates the presence of free acids, generally from oxidation of sulphides. These soils are called to be acidic.

2. A pH = 7 suggests the likely occurrence of H+ and are called neutral.

3. A pH > 7,0 indicates the presence of CaCO3 and these soils are called to be alkaline.

Lime requirement of general soils This is the amount of a base (in practice, lime or calcium carbonate) needed to neutralise enough of the exchangeable acidity to raise soil pH to a desired value that is more suitable for crop growth.

In most soils it has been noticed that pH tends to increase with depth.

This is because the upper horizons receive maximum leaching by rainfall,

ProAgri Zambia 21

and by dissolved carbonic acid and organic acids which remove metal cations (for example Ca++, K+, Mg++) and replace them with H+ ions. Lower horizons are not so strongly leached and, in fact, in dryer areas may accumulate calcium and other materials removed from the upper soil.

ETG supplies all the high quality products that farmers can use to neutralise their soils to the appropriate pH that is needed by the crops planted. Their range includes the fast acting lime, such as their micronized lime.

and acidity conditions are observed while the crops are actively growing.

• Can be applied with any type of farming (conventional, no till, minimum till, leased land or pasture) or growth medium.

• Diminished volumes to be handled results in savings on transport costs, time and equipment.

Unique characteristics of ETG’s micronized lime: • Faster reaction time due to micro particle size.

• Smaller particle size which gives larger reaction surface • 5 kg of micronized lime (<10 micron) does the job of 2 metric tonnes of conventional lime (0,7 – 1,2 micron) • Ease of application through any form of agricultural irrigation such as overhead sprinklers or centre pivots.

• Application at any time of the year as well as when alkalinity

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ProAgri Zambia acknowledges Grain SA for the use of this series which originally appeared in Afrikaans in SA Graan/Grain.

PART 18: Saline and sodium soils Martiens du Plessis, Soil Scientist, NWK Limited & Prof Cornie van Huyssteen, Lecturer: Soil Science, University of the Free State

Soil is the most fundamental resource for the farmer, without which food and natural fibre cannot be produced. This article forms part of a series to highlight this resource.

S

alt and sodium enriched soils are colloquially and jointly known as brackish soil. As will become clear from the ensuing discussion, these are, however, two widely divergent concepts and the recovery thereof must be done completely differently.

Classification Two parameters are used to characterise saline and sodium soil. The electrical conductance (EC) measures the saline content, which is expressed as milliSiemen per metre (mS m-1).

The higher the salt content of the soil, the higher the EC will be. Saline soil is thus defined as that soil which has an EC higher than 400 mS m-1. This soil is also know colloquially as white brine soil, as the salt crystals crystallise as a white layer on the soil surface (Photograph 1).

The sodium content of soil is ex-

pressed as the exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). Although these two parameters differ (like the two sides of a balance scale) they have more or less the same marginal value and are usually confused with one another. Soil with an ESP of greater than 15% is classified as sodium soil.

This soil is colloquially known as black brine as the high sodium content results in a high pH, which causes the organic material to dissolve and accumulate as a black layer (Photograph 2).

Soil with an EC of greater than 400 mS m-1 and an ESP of greater than 15% is classified as saline sodium soil.

Properties Salt lowers the osmotic potential of ground water (see Part 11 in the series). The more salt in the soil, the

greater the difficulty the plant has of absorbing water from the soil. It is therefore possible that the soil will appear to be physically wet while the plant is wilting from drought, simply because there is too much salt in the ground water. This is the chief negative reaction experienced in saline soil.

In contrast, sodium soil is characterised by sodium which thickens the diffuse double layer of clay particles (see Part 8 in the series).

Clay particles that become thicker, can only fill the pore spaces with this greater volume. The porous spaces thus become smaller (or fewer) with increasing amounts of clay, especially expansive clay, and increasing amounts of sodium in the soil. As the porous spaces are fewer, the saturated hydraulic conductance ability and the aeration of the soil decreases. Water and air can therefore not infiltrate the soil. Therefore it will also be difficult to leach in ameliorants such as gypsum.

Saline sodium soil has the negative effect of a low osmotic potential (as a result of a higher salt content), but the salt also counteracts the effect of the sodium (which wants to expand the diffuse double layer). This happens because a higher salt concentration in the soil solution results in a thin double layer (see Part 8). The nett effect of a high salt and high sodium content is therefore only a small increase in the thickness of the diffuse double layer. The saturated hydraulic conductance ability is therefore adequate for water and air to move.

Recovery Saline soil can be recovered reasonably easily by leaching it with clean (salt-free) water. The quantity of water needed to leach the soil to remove the salt, is calculated using the leaching fraction (EC of the irrigation water/EC of the drainage water).

The white layer that crystallises on the top of saline soil. This photograph was taken next to the Oranje-Riet Canal.

ProAgri Zambia 21

Sodium soil is recovered by replacing the sodium on the exchange complex and in the soil solution with calcium.

Gypsum (CaSO4) is normally used as a source of calcium because it is more soluble than lime. The gypsum must be leached into the soil and the NaSO4 that is formed, must be leached out of the soil.

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out of the soil, they will remain behind in the soil and the effect thereof will not be reduced. This is the main reason why shallow, poorly drained soil is not recommended for irrigation and why artificial underground drainage must be installed at great cost in some irrigated lands.

Origin Although soil under natural conditions contains salts, irrigating with water containing salt is the chief cause of saline soil. All water contains salt and only pure water is transpired. Salt will therefore accumulate in the soil unless it is leached out of the soil. Saline soil is common in irrigation schemes in South Africa and is more common with poorer water quality (more salts) and the poorer the drainage of the soil is.

Black accumulation of organic material in sodium soil. Note also the dense or poreless nature of the soil.

It is therefore clear that the lowered hydraulic conductance ability for both these processes will be problematic. It makes the recovery of sodium soil very laborious, long and expensive â&#x20AC;&#x201C; almost to the level that it is not worth the effort. The amount of gypsum that must be applied, depends on the Na, Ca and Mg content as well as the cation exchange capacity of the soil. Soil analyses and expert advice is therefore needed.

Saline sodium soil is easier to recover because the saturated hydraulic conductance ability is kept reasonably

constant by the salt. However, the sodium must be removed first by the application of gypsum and leached out of the soil. Thereafter the salt may be leached out of the soil using clean water. If the recovery were to be done the other way round, the saline sodium soil will be turned into a sodium soil which, in turn, is very difficult to recover. As with sodium soil, soil analyses and expert advice is of cardinal importance.

In all the above cases, drainage of the soil is essential. Should the salt and sodium not be leached (drained)

The chief source of sodium in soil is from the mother material, especially the Beaufort and Ecca shale rock formations. The irrigation of this soil is normally not recommended. For that reason the occurrence of sodium soil under irrigation is scarce.

Summary Saline and sodium soils have widely divergent properties and must therefore be treated in different ways in order to recover it. The only way to distinguish between these three soil types, is by making use of soil analyses. Expert advice is also necessary to calculate the amounts of ameliorants.

Should saline and/or sodium soil be incorrectly identified and recovered, a bad situation could be turned into an extremely bad situation.

For further information, please contact the authors on: Martiens du Plessis: +27(0)72-285 5414 / martiens@nwk.co.za Prof Cornie van Huyssteen: +27(0)51 401-9247 / vhuystc@ufs.ac.za

Artificial drainage, such as this system at Vaalharts, which is necessary to leach the salt and sodium out of the soil.

ProAgri Zambia 21

REFERENCES Brady, NC. 1990. The nature and properties of soils. 10th ed. Macmillan publishing company, New York.

25

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The different types of grain you plan on storing will determine the number of bins you will need.

If you are storing three types of grain, even though the grain sizes will vary, you will still need at least three bins. If you want to limit risk, do not put all of your grain in one tank.

For example, if you have 5 000 tonnes of maize, don’t put it all in one bin.

Instead, invest in two or three smaller bins. If some of the maize spoils you will only lose a fraction of your harvest as opposed to all of it.

A proper drying system is a must.

Choosing a system that can provide high quality grain at harvest capacity and allows harvesting within a reasonable time is more important than ever.

A dryer is the critical component in securing the correct moisture content for storage.

Choose the drying system to match your farm’s needs. Future expansion of both drying, cleaning and wet storage must be a part of the initial design.

Remember, drying to the proper moisture content the key to safe storage. Storage life is affected by grain temperature, but grain moisture is still the primary determinant for storage life. With maize, 15% grain moisture is ideal for maize that will be removed from storage before the beginning of summer, 14% to next fall, and 13% for longer storage.

A storage system is of little value if proper sanitation and loading practices are not followed.

Planning a farm system with GSI Always plan for expansion by leaving space for additional bins.

T

he demands of farming are never ending. The risks are high. You need grain system solutions that maximise productivity and minimise downtime.

GSI’s people are driven to provide topof-the-line products that will protect, condition and move the grain you work so hard to produce.

When planning an on-farm grain storage system, one of the most important steps to take into account is the location, chosen for accessibility and future expansion. You should always assume there will be growth in yield and capacity and that means that having a well thought out plan that provides for growth and future technology changes is key. When choosing a location for your farm system, access to easy travel routes is essential. In an ideal situation, your system would be located close to a main road, with access to diesel and three-phase power, and still in close proximity to your fields.

A main road will allow you to haul grain year-round without any road restrictions. If there isn’t a highway nearby, it is not a deal breaker; just

know that more road restrictions can occur, hindering your ability to haul grain.

Three-phase power is ideal because it allows you to operate much larger machines and motors. For smaller farm systems, single-phase might work, but understand that as your farm system gets bigger, you will need more power and single-phase power might not be sufficient.

Having a farm storage system close to your field will reduce transportation time and fuel costs. Ultimately, it can lead to a cut in the number of trucks you need.

When planning a farm system, you should assume that there will be growth in yield and capacity; always plan on expanding, and leave space for additional bins.

When your capacity increases, plan on adding a higher capacity dryer or more driers in the future.

Do not assume that your wet holding capacity will always be adequate.

Once you start drying more grain, an increase in your wet storage capacity will be a necessity.

Ensure that you have a well thought out plan which will allow growth and future technology changes.

ProAgri Zambia 21

Make sure you know your rate of return There are specialised ROI (Return on Investment) tools to help you and your banker understand what the income will be from storing and drying grain.

The location of your farm system plays a factor in determining your ROI: access to diesel and availability of hard roads can improve your return rate.

When building your farm system, always make sure you have a well thought out plan anticipating growth and future technology changes. A poorly designed farm system can be as harmful as not having one at all.

Contact GSI South Africa for more information www.gsiafrica.co.za | sales@gsiafrica.co.za.

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Going global with more nutri onal food to address the public health problem.

Introducing Orange Maize.

• Contains compounds that turn into Vitamin A once consumed • Tastes be er • Bred through tradi onal methods • Produc on costs are the same as for white maize • Matures early within three to four months • Withstands harsh condi ons

Eat orange maize.

Vitamin A makes the difference!

Some of our proud distributors:

Mushe Milling

Kamano Seed

Your sources of Orange Maize seed Zamseed Kamano Seed SeedCo. Afriseed

Talk to Ms Zimba at 097-745-1903 Talk to Mr Tembo at 097-784-7718 Talk to Mr Mhango at 096-685-4922 Talk to Mr Loongwe 096-588-8534

For orange maize products and if you wish to sell your grain Talk to Star Milling in Lusaka with

Mr Mphande at 097-436-1494

Talk to Mushe Milling in Lusaka with

Mr Patel at 097-304-7700

Talk to Choma Milling with

Mr Kaputa at 097-782-6356

Talk to Chimsoro Milling in Kapiri with

Mr Chilala at 096-699-4444

Talk to FVG Milling in Kabwe

Mr Choongo at 097-727-3260

Talk to Butemwe Milling in Solwezi

Mr Kosta at 097-473-1805

Talk to Fanyate Milling in Lusaka with

Mrs Mulenga at 097-785-2583

Talk to Musanza Milling in Livingstone with

Mr Kloopers at 097-207-7543

Orange maize even more magnificent:

CIAT-HarvestPlus reveals some

important facts about orange maize

(1) A tasty looking orange maize cob ready for harvest (2) and the result afterwards.

O

range maize differs from yellow maize. Unlike yellow and white maize, orange maize contains compounds that turn into vitamin A in our bodies once the maize is consumed.

Besides energy-giving calories, orange maize also provides additional nutrients that one can get from crops such as carrots, pawpaws, mangos and green vegetables. Orange maize contains

four types of carotenoids, two of which are precursors to vitamin A. Orange maize was developed specifically to address the public health problem of vitamin A deficiency in the population.

Many people in Zambia suffer from vitamin A deficiency without knowing it, hence referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hidden hungerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which presents itself through poor eyesight, weak immune system resulting in constant illnesses and slow recovery from illness, poor skin quality and contributes to poor performance of children at school and adults at work. Mothers may have difficulties in child-bearing.

Consistent consumption of orange maize has been proven to increase the amount of vitamin A in the blood, the amount of Your orange maize seed can be obtained vitamin A in breastmilk, and a countrywide. Look out for the distinctive marked improvement in eye green bags. response to light. The studies that show these findings where made in Zambia among children under tionally bred, using traditional plant 5 years and lactating mothers. breeding methods of crossing maize Many people testify that orange germplasm naturally rich in vitamin A maize tastes better than white and compounds with other germplasm to yellow maize. It is particularly sweeter get the desired traits, such as drought when fresh and a suitable product for tolerance, pest and disease resistance. fresh maize markets.

This means orange maize is not a GMO. Orange maize was introduced in Four different varieties of orange Zambia from 2012, with the support of maize are available on the market. the Zambian government. The Zambia These include GV662A sold by KaAgricultural Research Institute (ZARI), mano Seed, GV664A sold by Zamseed, an arm of the Ministry of Agriculture, GV665A sold by SeedCO and GV672A took the lead in developing suitable sold by Afriseed. varieties for Zambia.

Methods for growing orange maize Vitamin A orange maize is convenare exactly the same as those for growing white maize. Production costs are the same as for white maize.

Vitamin A orange maize matures early within three to four months and withstands harsh conditions. Under good management, orange maize provides up to three cobs on each plant.

Orange maize is rapidly gaining popularity in many other countries such as Zimbabwe, Malawi and Nigeria.

Now that you know, make that choice. Eat orange maize. Vitamin A makes the difference!

Mushe Milling (left) and Kamano Seed (right) are two of the proud distributors of orange maize.

ProAgri Zambia 21

E-mail Eliab Simpungwe at E.Simpungwe@CGIAR.ORG to find out more about this magnificent maize variety.

31

info@agriserveagro.com +26 096-976-7272 Willem van Zyl Willem@agriserveagro.com +26 096-562-0775

Christo Kloppers, Managing Director Gourock Agri Supplies LTD, Tel: +26 097 309 2271, Skype: christo.kloppers

GOUROCK AGRI SUPPLIES LTD

SERVICES OFFERED: • Tarpaulins • Grain Handling Equipment • Grain Storage equipment • Silo Complexes • Protective Clothing • Agricultural Crop Chemicals • Water Storage • Construction of Sheds

“Your partner in grain handling and storage” “Delivering the complete package for all your grain handling and storage needs” We thank you for taking the time to review our profile and look forward to building a lasting, mutually beneficial business relationship with your organisation

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ProAgri Zambia 21

ProAgri Zambia 21

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Your power will be back before it goes

Efficient solar energy

Proudly green energy

Affordable & durable for both home & industrial solar power back-up!

Thriving to educate our clients with the importance of using sine wave back-up power products and helping individuals understand solar energy and the benefits of use in home and businesses We have a long list of happy clients in the residential & commercial field We supply: Solar powered borehole pumps, up to 2 500 litres per hour High quality invertors up to 24 kVA AGM & GEL deep cycle batteries High quality solar panels Mobile electricity Don’t be left out – give us a call today

Tel no: 096-968-2848 or 095-528-3040

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ProAgri Zambia 21

ProAgri Zambia 21

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Sales: Marc Custer: Tel: +27(0) 39-975-3069 Office: +27(0)11-452-3434 Cell: +27(0) 84-453-4499 â&#x20AC;˘ marc@ritlee.co.za