ProAgri Zambia 80

ProAgri

Shifting into springtime

September the 1st marked the first day of spring — a season full of transformations and promise — and the beginning of a very busy time for farmers. Each season brings about a new stage and phase on the calendar at any farm, and spring is no exception as it is a time for planting and cultivat ing new crops.

But the new season is not the only good news: Zambia also recently launched the Agri comprehensive insurance programme. According to Agribusiness Zambia, the country has launched a four-year comprehensive insurance programme to shield the country’s first 30 000 smallholder livestock producers from the effects of diseases, drought, and other climatic change-related problems that have outpaced the sector’s expansion. It strives to address the problems en countered by smallholder farmers in the nation, including women, who suf fer financial losses due to stock theft, diseases, and unfavourable climatic circumstances.

This will finally unleash the na tion’s potential and increase its com petitiveness both domestically and abroad once it has been implement ed throughout the entire nation.

In this month’s front cover story, we take a look at John Deere’s pres ence and footprint in Zambia and why Africa’s farmers choose John Deere’s utility tractors for their farming operations. You can also read more on the opportunities that hydroponic farming offers and what steps to take to combat poultry diseases. Springtime is a time of hard work and faith. Farming is such a reward ing way of life, and one we wish to pass on to the many generations to come. I hope you enjoy this month’s content and that, no matter where you are in the world, that you have a wonderful season … and remember to always thank a farmer.

ProAgri greetings

Bianca Henning

bianca@proagri.co.za

Cover

John Deere

John Deere 5E Utility Tractors: Built for Africa

Soil research equipment from Van Walt South Africa Rumax hammermills fit your needs and your pocket

Debunking the early disease problem in legumes

Whether you farm big or small: ETG Logistics has the mechanisation answer you need Novatek supplies quality feeds for Africa, from Africa Feed your horse the best with Tiger Animal Feeds Cattle breeds

Poultry farming Part 6.1: Poultry health Technews: Less is more with sustainable farming Rabbit farming part 8:Rabbit slaughter and meat marketing

of condiments Part 21: Grape vinegar Ancient African food Part 5.2: Marama, lablab and bambara beans Hydroponics for Africa: Here is an

Where

for over

for

cost-effective

Read on

ProAgri ProAgri

Nangwenya House No. 7352 Nangwenya Road Rhodespark +26 (0)97-769-9786 www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri Zambia

Editor Bianca Henning

Reporters

Benine Ackermann

Maryna Steyn

Natasha Kruger

Specialist Writer

Annemarie Bremner

+27 82-326-2572 bianca@proagri.co.za

+27 73-105-6938 benine@proagri.co.za +27 82-261-9177 maryna@proagri.co.za +27 81-736-4236 natasha@proagri.co.za

+27 82-320-3642 annemarie@proagri.co.za

Senior Production Manager

Zainab Pandor

+26 (0)97-769-9786 zainab@proagri.co.za

Client Relations Manager

Carin Swartz

Marketing Manager

Diane Grobler

Marketing Xander Pieterse

Johan Swartz

Tiny Smith

Lynette van Tonder

Creative Director

Christiaan Joubert

+27 84-233-0123 carin@proagri.co.za

+27 82-555-6866 diane@proagri.co.za

+27 79-524-0934 xander@proagri.co.za +27 71-599-9417 johan@proagri.co.za +27 82-698-3353 tiny@proagri.co.za +27 74-694-4422 lynette@proagri.co.za

+27 72-419-3990 christiaan@proagri.co.za

Design Michelle Kruger & Lizelle Erasmus

Enquiries

Engela Botha

+27 12-803-0782 engela@proagri.co.za

Distribution and subscription

Nita Volmer-van Zyl

Accounts

Ronel Schluter

Business Manager

George Grobler

+27 79-515-8708 nita@proagri.co.za

+27 12-803-0782 accounts@proagri.co.za

ENERGY MEETS THE DURABILITY OF VALLEY

Solar energy offers numerous benefits for agricultural irrigation.

• EFFICIENCY – Crops require more water when the sun is shining, which is naturally when solar panels are most effective.

• ENERGY SAVINGS – Because the panels convert the sun’s rays to electricity, your operation will save on energy costs.

• REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT – Rely less on fossil fuels for power and pumping.

• NEW POSSIBILITIES – Where a traditional electric network does not exist, the pivot can be powered by the sun.

Ag Solar financing?

got you covered.

& C’s apply.

by Bianca Henning

John Deere 5E Utility Tractors:

Built for Africa

Golden opportunities were opened for farmers when, in June 2021, Tata Zambia and John Deere partnered and expanded their footprint within the Zambian community to support a fast growing agricultural and construction market.

“We are committed to providing our services in Africa and the Middle East, allowing customers continued access to agricultural solutions, as well as new construction solutions from John Deere,” says Cobus du Toit, Business Head for agricultural and construction equipment at Tata Zambia.

Cobus adds: “The past year we have seen exceptional growth and we are excited for what the future holds for us at John Deere, while we plan to expand our footprint even wider in Zambia as well as the rest of Africa.”

John Deere’s exceptional service

“We understand what our communities need and only supply equipment created and designed for African condi tions. We always put our farmers first. It is important for us to build a trusted relationship with the farmers. We know the importance of time on a farm; therefore, we want to limit downtime to the minimum by ensuring that we always have enough parts available and reassuring the farmers that we are only a phone call away,” says Cobus.

“Our wide network of platforms also ensures that farmers can easily get ac cess to our branches and technicians. We have an exceptional team of tech nicians ready to assist farmers with their specific needs. We currently have

four branches based in Lusaka, Kitwe, Mpongwe and Mkushi,” Cobus says.

Best seller

In Zambia, you will find John Deere’s 5E Series Tractors from the north to the south. Once you have seen it on your neighbour’s farm, faithfully work ing year after year, you will decide to get one on your farm.

Cobus explains his opinion on the reason why John Deere 5E Series Tractors are so popular: “John Deere’s utility tractors are built to give you the best performance while saving you money on fuel and maintenance. These tractors are designed to perform in the harshest conditions; John Deere trac tors always show up ready to handle any task you give them.

“The 5E tractors are built to work longer and smarter, they are designed to provide a low cost of ownership through reduced fuel consumption and less maintenance costs compared to others in their class.

“We ensure that there is at least one or two 5E Series tractors available at

each branch. Once you have seen it, you will not be able to say no. Every farmer needs a 5E workhorse tractor on his farm,” Cobus concludes.

Wide range offering

“Not only are the 5E tractors a hit in Zambia, we have recently introduced the 5D series tractors to the market, They are also doing exceptionally well, especially amongst the new-era farm ers. Our 6B, 6M and 8R tractors are also becoming very popular.

“Not only do we provide top class agricultural equipment, but also con struction equipment for all segments of the industry, from TLBs to bulldozers, from small excavators to large ADTs, our machines work hard to help you succeed,” states Cobus.

Financing options

Customers wishing to finance either agricultural or construction equipment can reach out to John Deere Financial for tailor-made financial solutions for purchasing John Deere products.

John Deere’s goal is to provide supe rior customer care and quality prod ucts. They are always ready to handle any task. John Deere’s utility tractors, machinery and equipment are just what you need for a job well done.

For more information, visit their Facebook page (www.facebook. com/TataZambiaEquipment), or LinkedIn profile (www.linkedin.com/ company/tata-john-deere-zambia), or send an e-mail to jd.zambia@ tatainternational.com. Contact them on (+26)076-217-2412, or visit them at Plot 26593, Kafue Road.

The John Deere Zambia team.

John Deere’s 5E tractors: Your ultimate workhorse.

John Deere: Ready for any job on the farm!

Soil research equipment from Van Walt South Africa

It goes without saying that the welfare of your soil is intrinsic to agricultural health because when soil is healthy, it provides the nutrients and moisture crops need. A healthy soil can help to mitigate the impact of climate change by acting as a carbon store. In fact, soil is the second largest carbon sink after the ocean, capturing more CO2 than forests and holding three times more carbon than the earth’s at mosphere. You only need to look at the giant slab of carbon-rich peat, discov ered in central Africa and described as the 'lungs of humanity'; its demise with the release of some 30 billion tonnes of carbon will accelerate global change.

But our soil is under constant threat. Climate change and the increased oc currence of extreme weather has led to more droughts as well as more flood ing. Rising sea levels not only threaten our habitats, but can also contaminate our soils and cause erosion. Some ag ricultural practices have also reduced the quality and quantity of our topsoil.

It is easy to see why soil research has grown in importance in the agri cultural sector. Soil is a finite resource so we must conserve what we have. Sampling, measuring, and monitoring our soils is the foundation of bringing about change and improvements in agriculture.

Among other things, soil research addresses nutrient management, sus tainability, and agricultural efficiency. It can take many forms, but whatever your requirement is to investigate your soil, you will need the right equipment.

The Van Walt Group has been offer ing soil and sediment sampling equip ment for more than forty years. Now from five offices across three conti nents, we offer equipment for sampling and collecting soil and sediment sam ples, monitoring the chemical make-up of soils and, crucially, the moisture content of a soil — parameters vital for soil welfare.

“Equipment from our US manufactur er, AMS Samplers Inc, is the best avail able when it comes to soil sampling,” says Jani van Gend, Director Van Walt SA (Pty) Ltd.

“When we first opened our new office in Stellenbosch just over two years ago, we were careful to find a supplier whom we could trust and who offered excellent equipment when it came to soil research. AMS not only has one of the largest selections, but the quality is excellent, their service is prompt, and the support and equipment advice is superb. We confidently offer this equipment to our customers knowing they are getting the best available.”

For basic soil research, Van Walt’s

augers for the collection of disturbed soil samples are strong and come in a vari ety of sizes and shaped heads for differ ent soil types. We can help you choose the right auger or auger kit to make taking soil samples quick and easy.

Soil probes, including our range of step probes, have been designed to provide a simple, fast, and economic method of sample collection for soil profiling, moisture determination, and chemical analysis.

Our soil range also includes more specialised soil testing equipment like pH probes for continuous on-site moni toring, or our unique, highly accurate on-site Soil Redox Electrode to meas ure the redox potential in soils.

For soil moisture we have equipment from Rhizons for soil solution sampling – increasingly important in agricul ture to check if plants can access the water and nutrients needed for healthy growth. Plus, we have a range of soil moisture sensors, many connected to our telemetry, to give accurate soil moisture data directly to your desktop, tablet or mobile.

For soil research where an undis turbed soil sample is needed, our selection of Soil Core Samplers allows samples to be collected in a liner or directly into the body of a soil core sampler for immediate examination of the sample. AMS’s Gas Powered Core Sampling Kit is a powerful, nondestructive, low disturbance site inves tigation tool for collecting soil samples down to 2,4 metres.

More specialised soil sampling kits are available, like AMS Bulk Density Soil Sampling Kits which come with everything required to take an accu rate interval specific core sample to a depth of 0,91 metres. The rings are ideal for laboratory studies and for undisturbed core samples.

For more information on Van Walt’s extensive range of soil research equipment visit: www.vanwalt. com/za or call them on (+27) 021518-1347.

Rumax hammermills fit your needs and your pocket

by Maryna Steyn

The round bale mill

The round bale hammermill is the larg est of the hammermills that Rumax produces. It is large enough to handle an entire round bale and only takes approx imately seven minutes to chop up the bale. It is powered by a 37 kW motor.

PTO hammermill

Rumax also produces a PTO-driven hammermill that can be paired with an auger that fills bags, containers, or feed mixers. It can attach to any trac tor with a three-point hitch.

As an addition to any of the hammer mills, an auger can be attached to the machine to move the milled product to where it needs to go, such as a storage facility or into a feed mixer. This means that it reduces the dust even more!

Steel pants can also be added to the outlet to assist with filling bags. It works with a simple flap that sends the material either left or right.

You can discuss the sieve require ments with Rumax when investing in your hammer mill.

Concentrate mixers

Concentrate mixers are a great add-on product. Rumax produces a half tons mixer, powered by a single-phase 3 kW motor. There are also 1 t and 1,5 t mix ers that use 5,5 kW motors. In addition, for large operations such as factories or farmers that produce mineral licks, there is a mixer with two tonnes capac ity which has a 7,5 kW motor.

It mixes quickly, between two to eight minutes, and needs little maintenance. Farmers can request that a scale is mounted on it as well.

The BD 55 c is one of the most popular hammermills due to it being small, but having a high milling capacity.

Special auger attachments can be added to the hammermills to transport feed or milled food products to bags, containers, or mixers.

Rumax walks with their clients

P

reparing feed for animals can be a tedious daily task, but with a ma chine manufacturer like Rumax in your corner, this task will be done efficiently and without hassles. Rumax manu factures hammermills, feed mixers, concentrate mixers, pellet machines, as well as muck spreaders and pruning machines.

Within each product category, Rumax offers a wide range of products to en sure you find the product that is right for your farming needs.

Hammermills

When milling, Rumax hammermills pro duce little to no dust – a characteristic unique to their machines. They also have a lower energy use, which means a lower electricity or diesel bill.

BD32

The smallest of the hammermills, the BD32, is has a 3 kW motor. It can be manufactured with a single-phase, three phase or diesel-powered motor. Due to its size, the BD32 is popular amongst households and smallholder farmers. It is also ideal for milling

spices or products for human con sumption. The BD32 is the only ham mermill Rumax produces with a 220 V single-phase motor.

This machine has a milling speed of approximately two tonnes per hour.

BD55c

The most popular Rumax hammermill is equipped with a 7,4 kW motor. This machine has a milling speed of 3,5 t/h.

BD55

The BD55 has a motor of 22 kW and has a milling speed of 11 t/h. This machine is usually also paired with an auger because of its milling speed and capacity. Bags cannot be filled at a rate that meets the output; therefore, this hammermill is recommended to farm ers with larger farming operations and higher milling requirements.

BD90

The BD90 is the largest in the BD-se ries and offers a high output of milled materials. It runs on a 37 kW motor and produces 15 t/h, meaning it is mostly used in industrial settings.

The Rumax team regards it as a big honour when clients return to them for more machinery and advice, because it means they satisfied the farmer’s needs and understand his agri-busi ness. “We are proud of the relation ships we build with every client. We cherish that aspect in our customer service,” Jaco says.

He encourages everyone looking for a hammermill or concentrate mixer to call him and discuss the requirements for every machine. “You can even send a ‘please call me’ and I will phone back,” he laughs.

Every customer is like a friend to us, and we want to help that friend to find the right machine for him or her,” Jaco explains. “We want to have that con versation about what the farm needs, we want to talk about how to provide you with the machine that does the job you need it to do.”

Call Jaco today to discuss the needs of your farm! Reach him on +27(0)82-335-3970 or +27(0)-23-3426070. You can also send an e-mail to jaco@rumax.co.za. To find out more about Rumax machines, visit their website at www.rumax.co.za.

Rumax's concentrate mixers can mix quantities from 0,5 to 2 tonnes.

Tradecorp is a global reference in the field of biostimulants and crop nutrition specialist, developing and manufacturing first-class, innovative solutions that are marketed in more than 60 countries worldwide.

Tradecorp is a global reference in the field of biostimulants and crop nutrition specialist, developing and manufacturing first-class, innovative solutions that are marketed in more than 60 countries worldwide.

Its commitment is to provide the farmers the maximum number of abiotic stress management solutions to achieve maximum crop yield potential and profit for their crops.

Its commitment is to provide the farmers the maximum number of abiotic stress management solutions to achieve maximum crop yield potential and profit for their crops.

fertilization of boron and molybdenum demanding crops (tomato, soya beans, potatoes, cabbage, root vegetables and beans);

To provide the required amount of boron and molybdenum in one spray -

economical solution; for abundant plant flowering and pollen

The yield (more pods, more seeds in them); if the soil is extremely acidic or too alkaline.

In extremely light sandy soils; if prolonged drought; to simulate physiological processes in the plant and increase their productivity.

Guaranteed contents

Soya Beans

Potatoes

Crops

are

soluble in water .

in

From 2 weeks

fertility of pollen, the firmness of the fruit and transpiration of water in the plant.

efficacy,

on

Debunking the early disease problem in legumes

F or some time now, Syngenta Zam

bia did not have an alternative seed treatment solution for soya bean in Zambia other than DIVIDEND® Ex treme. They had been providing some third-party products to supplement the limited portfolio in Zambia. In other markets like LATAM and Europe. Syngenta is the leader in seed treat ment solutions. In Zambia, Syngenta has been carrying out some trials for APRON® Plus Beans; a seed-applied fungicide and ATUVA®, an inoculant.

The team started registering this portfolio some three years ago riding on the successes recorded in South Africa and the increasing challenges of soya bean early diseases. They started registering their own brands in this space and APRON® Plus Beans was the first to be registered. Early last year, they started the registration of ATUVA® ,

by Felix Tembo

an inoculant for soya bean. After registration, the team decided to have a double product launch in collaboration with other local partners. This was a cross-functional activity which was conducted in Mkushi; an area with the highest concentration of commercial farmers that cultivates soya beans, maize, wheat, and other crops. The event was opened with welcoming remarks by Given Mudenda who is the BA Head for Southern Africa Business Area (SABA). This was followed by product presentations.

The presentations were in four parts; Felix Tembo and Chimfwembe Kuyokwa presented APRON® Plus Beans. The results from Zambia were consistent with South African results which were showing consistent increase in yields from fields treated with APRON® Plus Beans. Fields treated with the products

were showing an average of 10% yield increase compared to the untreated.

Farmers got engaged and asked questions about the product, including when the product would be available in the country.

Later on, Ignacio Ardanaz presented ATUVA®. The presentation again was exciting and engaging. Farmers were on hand to ask questions including those bordering on soil health. To make it more exciting between presenta tions, Menti quizzes were conducted, and several farmers won different prizes, including free products and many other goodies.

The presentations were wrapped up by Wayne van Rensburg who shared with the farmers how to store and protect seeds. He further went on to demonstrate how soya bean seed can be protected with APRON® Plus Beans. The quality of the seed was so appreci ated by the farmers that they contin ued to inquire how they could source the GEPETTO treaters.

After all the presentations, the team mingled with farmers who kept on ask ing questions and commending Syn genta for their technologies. During the event, the sales team managed to get several orders for both products, and we are now awaiting the grand arrival of the products for the main season which starts in October. To sum it up, the event was a success, and farmers are already asking about these products.

Farmers following the demonstra tion on the GEPETTO treater by Wayne.

Wayne, the AME Technology Lead demonstrating the SCI services provided.

Farmers attentively listening to the presentations.

Felix Tembo, Seedcare Key Account Manager.

Chimfwembe Kuyokwa, the Field Scientist presenting the local results of APRON Plus Beans.

Whether you farm big or small:

pany is also in the ETG stable. Through our fertiliser distribution points, for ex ample in Zambia, the agri input branch es can also bring in the mechanisation to deliver a complete presentation."

ETG Logistics has the mechanisation answer you need

Whether you plough and plant from horizon to horizon, or just a small patch of green fodder or silage maize for your livestock, all farmers have one thing in common: they need reliable im plements that meet their unique needs.

ETG Logistics (ETGL) offers several implements to provide exactly what you need. In their collection of brand names, you will surely find an imple ment fit for your farm.

This distributor of farm implements has a large and growing footprint in Af rica. In the three months after NAMPO Bothaville, in South Africa, there are already a host of developments between the seven brand names that form part of the larger group.

KragDag and other expos bring implements and farmers together

At another expo in South Africa, namely KragDag, ETGL made their appearance once again. "We like what the KragDag expo stands for: inde pendence. Do something for yourself; don't just sit and wait for others. This is a theme that also runs through the product ranges of ETGL," explains Francois van Eeden, Marketing Lead for ETGL. "Whether it is a gigantic tractor for commercial farming or a small trac tor for your smallholding, we have both and more. There are even motorcycles for getting around on the farm." The distributor is a one-stop shop for all your farm's mechanisation needs.

At their exhibition at KragDag, various implements were on show: Big tractors from Belarus, small, compact tractors from VST, implements from Shaktiman, quad bikes from TGB and ordinary motorcycles from TVS. Even a modified tuc-tuc from TVS with good carrying capacities for short distances representing the Falcon Gas brand — another member of the ETG group.

"For us, it is about providing tools that help you be independent. That's why we're here at the expo," Francois explains.

by Maryna Steyn

According to Francois, one of the things that attracts people to ETGL's brand names is the various offers within which you can protect your risks: "You do not put all your eggs in one basket. You have different imple ments from reliable manufacturers that work for you."

Traders who would like to become agri-dealers can sell anything from a plough, right through to a tractor. You can then supplement this with quad bikes as an additional income stream.

VST delivers compact implements for smaller jobs on small or large farms.

ETGL's experts are at your service: They are Manhav Jadhu, Morne Tewitz, Francois van Eeden, Hans Greyling, Diyaksha Sebejan, Bray Hyland, and Brian Mumford.

Apart from KragDag 2022, they already have quite a few shows behind them for the year. During July there was the Chobe show in Botswana, and another show in Zambia. At the end of August, they were back in Botswana in Gabarone, and in September you can see them in Zimbabwe.

"This year, the compact tractors are more popular. The Shaktiman baler we have here is available at a special price of R170 000 including VAT. We have also received a lot of orders for motorcycles."

ETGL ensures that there are always experts at the shows to answer all your questions. "Farmers want to ask questions, so I have the respective brand heads here during the show. We respect our market — our farmers — and we ensure that we can offer them advice from the people who know the products best," says Francois.

"We recognise a farmer as an agri cultural businessman. He is an econo mist, a strategist, a financier; he is a smart, practical thinker; he is a doer. This is who you have to be able to ac commodate at a show.”

From NAMPO to now

Since NAMPO in May, several traders have joined the group. “Our network has grown across Southern Africa. We have opened a branch in Zambia, we are in the process of opening a branch in Botswana, and we have appointed dealers in Zimbabwe. We are also involved in discussions with people in Mozambique," says Francois.

"We are part of the Export Trading Group (ETG), which has existed since 1967. We have operations in 49 coun tries, and we originated in agriculture, including things like fertiliser production and distribution. Kynoch fertiliser com

On the horizon for ETGL ETGL recently successfully completed their discussions with Ashok Leyland as well. The Indian manufacturer has agreed with ETG to be their distributor in six African countries. The first units were shipped, and arrived in South Africa in early August.

"Pick-ups, trucks and buses will soon be introduced to the public. The pick-up is one of a kind, with a car rying capacity of two tonnes! Direct competitors cannot carry such loads. It remains within the gross vehicle mass limit of under 3,5 tonnes, which means that you do not need a heavy vehicle driving licence," said Francois.

It also features new-generation diesel technology with a three-cylinder supercharged engine. “This has not been seen before! Farmers who wish to invest in these pick-ups can also purchase optional service plans."

There are also trucks with a carrying capacity of between 4 and 20 tonnes on the horizon.

The yellow TVS King Kargo is spe cially designed for the sister brand, Falcon Gas.

To find out more about ETG's small, powerful and compact tools, as well as the wide variety of products they offer, visit their website at www.etgldistribution. com. Contact them at (+27)-65138-4567 or send an e-mail to info@etgldistribution.com.

Novatek supplies quality feeds for Africa, from Africa

by Robert Kanyembo

Novatek Animal Feeds is the largest animal feed producer in Zambia, and has been in operation since 2008. The company produces a large variety of sci entifically formulated feeds and custom mixes for all feed types, including pet food. With two production facilities lo cated in the capital city Lusaka and one on the Copperbelt Province at Mpongwe, Novatek is strategically located with a large retail and distribution network to serve farmers all over Zambia.

Novatek exports feed to Southern, Central and East African countries with great success and supplies a full range of technical services on nutrition, feed ing programmes and animal husbandry to its customers. Novatek strives to be the leading supplier of technologi cally advanced animal feed products in Zambia and is also the only feed pro ducer with an ISO 22 000 Food Safety Management System Certification.

The commissioning of the new Mpongwe Feed Plant on the Copperbelt Province has given Novatek Animal Feeds added production capacity. The plant has both pellet and extruder lines. The extruder line is a state-ofthe-art plant that brings with it im

proved aquafeed and pet food quality.

Novatek has been working on con tinuously improving the quality of its aquafeeds. A lot of work has also gone into Research and Development, espe cially in fish nutrition. The Nutrition ist Team has improved the aquafeed formulations to give the feed extra palatability and improve the fish’s gut health. The commissioning of the new aquafeed plant necessitated Novatek to effect new prices on all its aquafeeds. Novatek revised the prices downwards on 8th September 2022.

Contact us today for all your quality

aquafeeds in Zambia through our numerous distribution channels near you and also in the export market. Our commitment is to serve you better as you feed your livestock for prosperity.

Quality feed for Africa from Africa

,

For more information, contact Novatek by sending an e-mail to Robert Kanyembo, National Sales Manager, on salesmanager@ novatek.co.zm or contact him on +260 971 252 522. Visit their website on www.novatekfeeds.com.

Feed your horse the best with Tiger Animal Feeds

by Given Hamanungu, Senior Technical Advisor

Owning a horse can be an incredibly rewarding experience. However, certain decisions must be made by a farmer to be prepared for this under taking. You must make sure that you can give your horse the exercise and food it needs.

Exercise for the horse takes various forms. Riding, driving, lungeing, and turning out the animal are all satisfac tory methods. If the horse is kept out doors, it will exercise to some degree by walking around. Stabled horses should be taken outside for at least 60 minutes each day.

Horse Maintenance ration

Objective: The ration is formulated to supply all the nutritional requirements to maintain the condition of the horse dur ing periods of limited activity. This ration contains extra choline for hoof strength.

Feeding recommendations: Feed according to the horses’ condition and exercise level.

Estimated intakes: 5 kg/animal/day with roughage and water ad libitum

Animal Feeds produces the Horse Sport ration.

Horse Sport ration

Objective: The Horse Sport ration is high in energy and protein in order to improve the performance of active horses, for example horses used to play polo and polo crosse. This ration also contains extra choline for hoof strength.

Feeding recommendations: Feed according to the horses’ condition and energy level

.

Estimated intakes: Approximately 4 to 5 kg/animal/day with roughage and water ad libitum.

Active horses will do well with Tiger Animal Feeds’ Horse Sport ration.

Nutrient Quantity Unit Max/min

Take good care of your horse, then your horse will take good care of you!

Tiger Animal Feeds can help you with good information and feed for your horse.

Active horses

With sport horses, high expectations are often involved. Especially in higher level competitive sports, they are subjected to particular stresses and strains. In cases of poor performance, health issues are often the cause. In order to meet the high performance demand from the active horse, Tiger

The Tiger Animal Feeds Horse Manage ment programme includes course work in horse farming management, feed ing and nutrition, basic reproduction, horse behaviour, horsemanship and exercise physiology.

Contact Given Hamanungu on +260-97-540-3834 or +260-96793-3568, or givenhams@gmail. com for more information.

Cattle breeds Part 4

Santa Gertrudis

Robert Kleberg Jr of King Ranch in the United States developed the Santa Gertrudis cattle breed.

Kleberg's 400 000 ha ranch had 6 000 Hereford and Shorthorn cows. These animals grew well, but strug gled to adapt to South Texas's climate, insects, and diseases.

Therefore, they decided to develop a new composite breed. In 1920, a bull calf would become the foundation sire of the whole Santa Gertrudis breed. His name was Monkey, and his genetic composition was 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Shorthorn.

Because of the Brahman, the offspring were better suited to production condi tions, and the Shorthorn made them grow quicker and produce better meat.

Santa Gertrudis became the first synthetic breed recognised by the USDA in 1940. The breed's name comes from one of King Ranch's early names: "Los Cerros de Santa Gertrudis".

of age and may babysit each other's calves while the mother grazes.

Dark red, smooth coats and wellhooded eyes prevent cancer and pink eyes. Strong legs help them to travel far in search of food and water. The breed belongs to the Bos taurus group.

Production regions

Santa Gertrudis adapts to a wide range of climates, whether hot or cool, bushy or sparsely vegetated.

Use

While Santa Gertrudis cattle can be kept in closed herds on their own, they are also used in crossbreeding programmes to improve meat quality, maternal traits, and hardiness in other breeds.

Shorthorn

Teeswater and Durham shorthorn cat tle were bred in North East England from Teeswater and Durham cattle. Comet, a famous bull, produced supe rior offspring that made him a legend in cattle breeding. The breed's name comes from their short horns.

The Shorthorn is a medium-sized breed with a red, roan (a mixture of red and white), or sometimes a white coat. As a dual-purpose breed, the cattle can be used for milk or beef production, and their size depends on the production environment. Shorthorn cows average 500 kg and bulls 950 kg.

High fertility, easy calving, milk pro duction, docility, early sexual maturity, and mothering ability are the breed hallmarks. The Shorthorn has been used to create 52 new breeds, includ ing the Bonsmara, Santa Gertrudis, and Beefmaster in South Africa. The breed belongs to the Bos taurus group.

Production regions

As a result of the breed's adaptability, it is produced all over Southern Africa. The breed is able to finish off on the veld, producing top grades of quality and tender beef.

Use

The breed can be used in closed herds on its own as well as in cross-breeding programmes to improve the qualities of indigenous breeds. The ability to grow quickly and easily is said to be passed down by both bulls and cows.

Meat quality

Because the Shorthorn is an English breed, its meat has a lot of marbling, which means it has a lot of flavour.

Santa Gertrudis are medium-framed cattle, with mature cows weighing 500 to 700 kg and bulls weighing 900 to 1 100 kg. Strong maternal traits help cows produce small calves, an average size of 36 kg, which grow to 230 kg as weaners. Cows’ average milk produc tion is of top quality and has a high butterfat content. Cows can produce high-quality calves up to 15 years

Performance tests show that the breed is one of the fastest growers, gaining 1,6 to 2 kg per day. They also have superior feed conversion, with many bulls consuming less than 6 kg of feed per kg of weight gain. The breed is perfectly adapted for feedlots because of their excellent grading and weight gain potential.

Meat quality

The breed is the "number one per former on veld and feedlot," according to Santa Gertrudis SA, with slaughter percentages among the highest of all breeds, averaging around 65 percent. The meat is of excellent quality as well.

Shorthorn bull. (Image source: beefshorthorn.org)

Santa Gertrudis bull. (Image source: hefteranch.com)

Santa Gertrudis cows and calves. (Image source: gyranda.com.au)

Shorthorn cows. (Image source: beefshorthorn.org)

by Natasha Kruger

Simbra

The Simbra is a new breed of cattle that was created in the United States in the 1960s by crossing Simmentalers and Brahmans to get the best qualities of each breed.

South Africa registered the first Simbra in 1986. It was a mix of the Simmentaler's meat and milk produc tion and the Brahman's resistance to disease and hardiness.

Simbra cattle must meet strict physical and performance require ments to be registered, which is why they're so popular in Southern Africa. Fertility is prioritised.

Simbra cows weigh 450 to 580 kg and bulls 600 to 800 kg. The produc tion environment affects the size of the cattle. In areas with abundant feed, cattle will be slightly larger than in poorer areas.

Simbra cattle have a small hump and larger ears than European breeds. Breeders are creating polled lines.

Simbras are brown or red with white faces. Third and fourth-generation animals must have pigmented eyelids to prevent eye and skin cancer. Curly and woolly-coated animals cannot register because they do not thrive under stress.

Production regions

In temperate regions, where weaner production is important, the Simmen taler percentage will be higher, while the Brahman percentage will be higher in more strenuous conditions. Most of the animals are produced by South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. The breed produces beef efficiently, espe cially in extensive systems.

Uses

Using a Simbra instead of a crossbreeding system ensures that you always have the best mix of Simmen taler and Brahman. It is also easier to manage a herd as a result of this. They are used in commercial herds for crossbreeding, and to produce calves that feedlots want.

Meat quality

The quality of the meat might be con sidered as better than Brahman meat.

Simbra bull. (Image source: twitter. com)

Simmentaler

Southern Africa's beef industry uses Simmentalers. The breed's name comes from Switzerland's Simme River Valley.

The Simmentaler has good muscle and little fat. Cows weigh an average of 480 kg and bulls weigh 650 to 950 kg, depending on environmental condi tions. The breed belongs to the Bos taurus group.

Simmentaler cattle have smooth coats in gold, red, white, black, or red in Europe and America. South African animals are white and dark red, with well-pigmented eyes. Cattle are calm and easy to handle.

The breed was developed to produce meat, milk, and draught animals. In the 1950s, Namibian cattle produced most of their income from cream.

Production regions

Simmentalers gained popularity in South Africa only in the 1960s, af ter interbreeding tests revealed their superior performance. Simmentalers were imported in large numbers from Namibia, and later from Germany and Austria. Imports fell after 1975 as a result of the development of locally adapted Simmentalers, which are now produced all over the country.

The Simmentaler Cattle Breeders' Society of Southern Africa was founded in 1964 by breeders from Namibia and South Africa, and since then, it has been the first to move away from subjective animal judging by combin ing performance testing figures with appearance in the show ring.

Uses Simmentalers excel in closed herds and when mixed with other breeds to cre ate hybrid power. Because of the way Simmentaler bulls accelerate growth in other breeds, producing weaners that fetch premium prices due to their high demand in feedlots, Simmentaler SA refers to them as the "king of cross breeding". The cows have outstanding maternal qualities.

Meat quality

In crossbred cattle, Simmental cattle provide good growth, a large frame, and thus a higher beef yield. With white fat and excellent marbling, it improves the meat's quality.

References

Southafrica.co.za. (2022). South African Beef Breeds. [online] Avail able at: https://southafrica.co.za/ south-african-beef-breeds.html

Loubser, A., Schutte, N. and Hofmeyr, I., (2007). Cattle breeds of South Africa. Pretoria, AgriCon nect, Pages 97-165.

NoseRing®

Simbra cow and calf. (Image source: kamab-simbra.com)

Simmentaler bull. (Image source: agriland.ie)

Simmentaler cow and calves. (Image source: agriland.ie)

Poultry farming

by Tisha Steyn

Poultry health

Chickens get sick very easily. Disease can kill your whole flock overnight, so it is important to make sure that you do everything you can to keep them healthy.

The two most significant diseases are Newcastle disease (ND) and avian influ enza (AI), also known as bird flu.

Newcastle disease

Newcastle disease is always present, and it becomes active at the beginning of the wet season. Day-old chickens are usually vaccinated with eye drops by the supplier, but they must be revaccinated at intervals throughout their lives.

When an outbreak is expected, a trained person must vaccinate the birds at least a month before the out break. The vaccination is inexpensive and if dosed correctly, it can save your flock. It is good to remain informed about diseases, as precautionary measures can save your business.

Avian influenza

Different strains of the H5N1, a highly pathogenic or infective avian influ enza, referred to as AI or bird flu, are particularly dangerous to all poultry species, including chickens, ducks and geese. It even affects ostriches.

It also affects wild birds, which are believed to spread the disease. Espe cially migratory water birds can bring bird flu to your flock from far away.

Strict biosecurity measures must be

Healthy chickens appear alert and not listless, their eyes are clear and the colour of their wattles and comb in most species are bright red. (Source: Pixabay)

Left: The best way to ensure a healthy flock is to buy day-old chicks from a reputable supplier.

(Source: Pixabay)

Sick chickens lose their appetite and do not eat, which causes them to lose weight and condition. (Source: Pixabay)

Wild migratory waterbirds are be lieved to spread bird flu. (Source: Pixabay)

followed to prevent this disease from spreading, and infected birds must be culled and the carcasses destroyed. Thousands of chickens have been culled as a result of this disease, for which no vaccine exists.

Some of the strains can infect and kill humans. From January 2003 to 31 March 2022, altogether 863 cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus was reported to the World Health Organisation in eighteen countries. Of the 863 cases, 455 (53%) were fatal.

Prevention is better than cure

It is better, and cheaper, to prevent a disease, than to try and stop it once your flock is infected. In most cases all the birds will either die or will have to be culled.

Good management, which includes timely inoculations and biosecurity measures, can protect your birds from some diseases and help them to per form well, whether they are broilers or layers. Sick chickens do not grow at the rate they should, which means they will not turn feed into either meat or eggs, which means you will make a loss.

Good management

Good management includes a pro gramme on your farm to control disease and measure the growth of your chick ens against standards set by the indus try. Record-keeping is the way to know whether you are successful or not.

On-farm disease control programme

Controlling disease on your farm con sists of three steps, namely:

• disease prevention;

• early detection of sick birds; and

• treatment of identified disease conditions.

Disease prevention

One supplier

Start your flock with good quality chicks from a reputable and preferably only one supplier. If you must source chicks from more than one supplier, it is best to keep these day-old chicks in separate brooders.

Chickens need sufficient fresh, cool water without contaminants to remain healthy. (Source: Pixabay)

The day-old chicks should already have had their first vaccination against Newcastle disease and bronchitis on the farm where they were hatched.

If they have not been inoculated against Newcastle disease, the vaccine must be administered at the age of ten days by means of their drinking water, and again at the age of twenty days. At the age of fourteen days, medication against Gumboro disease must also be administered through the drinking water.

Gumboro is a highly infective viral disease that affects the immune system of young chickens. It can last more than fifty days in contami nated feed, water, manure and insects, and longer than four months in the poultry house after an infected flock had been removed.

This is only a directive, and a veteri narian or the suppliers of the vaccine must be consulted on the type of vaccines and methods and times of administering them.

Vaccination

Vaccination works best when the pos sibility of disease is minimised through a properly designed management plan and biosecurity measures. On its own, vaccination won’t protect your chickens against devastating disease or poor management. It is therefore best to develop a vaccination programme for

your chickens in consultation with a poultry veterinarian. The vaccination programme must be based on the local diseases and the availability of vac cines, and every bird must receive the correct dose of vaccine.

Warning signs of infectious diseases

Here are some warning signs of the most common infectious diseases in your chickens, namely respiratory diseases, diarrhoea and nervous sys tem problems.

Respiratory diseases

Respiratory problems are very com mon in chickens and can be caused by several pathogens like fungi, bacteria, viruses like avian influenza, and para sites like mites.

The chickens will display difficulty breathing with their beaks hang ing open, and they could be making wheezing, snoring or clicking noises. They may also sneeze or cough, have swollen sinuses and wetness around the nostrils and eyes.

If chickens do not have an appetite as a result of these respiratory diseas es, they may show weakness and lose weight and condition.

Diarrhoea

The sure signs of diarrhoea, also known as scours or dirty vent, is loose and watery droppings with a different colour than usual, and it may contain signs of blood. As a result of the loose droppings, the feathers around the vent (backside) become dirty and stick together.

Diarrhoea often leads to depression, lack of appetite, loss of weight and condition. If it is not properly man aged, the affected chickens may die.

Nervous system problems

Rodents such as mice and rats should be kept away from the poultry house and especially the feed, as they carry diseases. (Source: Pixabay)

The legs of the poultry are affected, causing lameness or crippling, caus ing them to limp or refuse to move. It may also include paralysis, with heads and necks pulled over their backs or twisted to the side, while they stare upwards or limp around in circles.

These conditions may be caused by viral diseases such as Newcastle dis ease or Marek’s disease. This disease is caused by a highly contagious viral disease of the chicken herpes fam ily. It suppresses the bird’s immunity to other diseases such as coccidiosis. Coccidiosis is a common intestinal disease caused by several species of parasites, which damage the intesti nal lining and prevents chickens from absorbing nutrients from food.

Steps to take

Most often there is no treatment for these conditions, especially if they are caused by a pathogen-like virus.

It is therefore important to ensure that preventative measures like vac cinations and biosecurity measures are in place.

Early disease detection

Disease problems can occur even under the best conditions. To detect disease at an early stage, you must measure your chickens’ growth by comparing it to known standards set by the industry. If they do not compare well, you will know that something is wrong, and you can investigate the reason. Once you have figured out what the problem is, or even before, call a veterinarian or state animal health services.

Thousands of ostriches had to be culled as a result of bird flu, which cost the ostrich industry lots of money. (Source: Pixabay)

Problems with the nervous system also cause problems with blood supply, mental problems like depression, and respiratory infections.

The birds must be inspected and measured against production stand ards. You can watch them to see any problems, but it is best to weigh sam ples and keep record of all information.

Weighing

Chickens must be weighed on a weekly

Sick chickens must be removed from the rest of the flock to avoid infect ing the rest. (Source: Pixabay)

growth period.

About five to ten percent of the total number of chickens must be weighed

one time, so in a broiler with five hundred chickens, twenty-five to fifty chickens must be weighed.

weigh only the largest ones, but

them at random.

expected target mass of broilers at different ages:

• do they cough?

• are they lame and cannot walk around; and

• were the carcasses rejected at the abattoir?

Disease investigation

To be able to detect disease, you must know what to expect from your chickens at each age. When you sus pect something is wrong, seek veteri nary advice as soon as possible so that pathogenic viruses and bacteria can be isolated.

It is important to keep up to date with local and regional health concerns in order to prepare for the unexpected.

Ill health in your birds can be caused by a variety of causes and in teractions. Use a systematic approach when trying to determine the cause of health issues.

Investigate these factors:

Space: Are there too many birds in the poultry house, are there enough feeders and waterers so all of them can reach the feed and water, and are there any limiting obstacles?

Sanitation: Is the inside and outside of the poultry house clean and well maintained, are there any pests and rodents and how are they controlled, are dead birds removed immediately, and is the wet litter regularly replaced with fresh material to avoid a build-up of worms and other parasites? How well is the poultry house and surround ings cleaned and disinfected before a new batch of chickens arrive?

References

Signs of distress

Besides their body mass, you can check for these signs to find out if something is amiss:

• what did the day-old chicks look like when they arrive — were they perky and inquisitive, or listless?

• what was their average weight after one week?

• how many of your chickens died per day and per week?

• how much food did they eat?

• how much water did they drink?

• how much weight did they gain per day?

• how many eggs did your laying hens lay?

• how successful did they turn the feed they eat into growing?

• are they moulting (losing their feathers)?

• does your chickens seem dull and listless?

Feed: Do the chickens have the right quantity and type of feed suitable for their age and purpose, what is the nutritional content and how palatable is the feed, does the feed contain con taminants or toxins, how much are the chickens eating or have they stopped eating?

Light: Is there adequate lighting with the correct intensity in the poultry house, and are the birds uniformly ex posed to it so that they can grow and develop efficiently?

Litter: What type of litter is used, how thick is it and is it properly dis tributed to cover the whole floor, or is it wet and smelly and containing toxins and contaminants that can cause viral and bacterial growth?

Air: Is the poultry house well ventilated, but not draughty, is the temperature and humidity suitable, or does the air contain contaminants and toxins?

Water: Do the chickens have enough clean, cool water without any contami nants or toxins, and are they drinking enough water?

Arbor Acres broiler management guide. (2009) Aviagen https://eu.aviagen.com/assets/ Tech_Center/AA_Broiler/AA-Broil erHandbook2018-EN.pdf

Cilliers, P.F. (July 2000) Smallscale poultry housing in South Af rica. ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering.

Cilliers, F. (Project manager) (2001) Small-scale broiler house (combined). ARC-Institute for Agri cultural Engineering.

Clarke, S. (n.d.) Ten things every chicken owner should know about Marek’s disease. thisNZlife. https://thisnzlife.co.nz/10-thingsevery-chicken-owner-knowmareks-disease/

Family poultry training course trainee’s manual. http://www. sapoultry.co.za/pdf-training/train ers-manual-poultry-course.pdf

Human infection with avian influ enza A(H5) viruses. (1 April 2022) Avian Influenza weekly update number 838 World Health Organi zation. www.who.int/docs/default-source/ wpro---documents/emergency/ surveillance/avian-influenza/ai20220401. pdf?sfvrsn=30d65594_220

Lera, R. (2020) Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro) in laying hens. Hendrix Genetics layinghens.hendrix-genetics. com/en/articles/Infectious_Bur sal_Disease-IBD-Gumboro-Gum boro_disease-disease-poultrychickens-laying-hens-poultry_dis eases-black_chicken-brown-chick en-white-chicken/

Mormina, K. S. (n.d.) Coccidiosis: What backyard chicken keepers should know. The Chicken Chick. https://the-chicken-chick.com/coc

Technews: Less is more with sustainable farming

by Annemarie Bremner

Gator made from recycled parts

A bonnet made from plastic bottles pulled from the Mississippi river, and a storage compartment made from ground coconut are only a couple of the surprising materials used to make this concept Gator.

The result of four years of collabora tion between John Deere and Ford’s sustainable materials team, the goal in developing the prototype was to exam ine ways of turning waste into viable machine components.

The brief was to build a Gator using renewable, recycled, and recyclable materials.

“It was difficult because we had to work within our current framework of production tooling,” says Keith Shanter, Senior Materials Engineer. “We weren’t going to invest in new tooling for a product that won’t go to market, but we did everything we could to find sus tainable materials that were suitable replacements.”

In the end, the wide variety of differ ent materials used included soya beans for the roof, doors and seat foam. Flax and hemp fibre, wheat straw and maple wood were selected for interior panels,

and exterior door panels were made from sugar cane with maize cob filler. A rice hull filler was used for the dash board, and the grab handles are made from recycled fishing nets.

Deere has no plans to take the concept to the production stage, but one compo nent from this project that is in Gators produced today is a defrost louvre made of recycled tyres. (Source: John Deere)

Kverneland introduces a flexible front hopper

Suitable for applying a wide range of fine to larger seeds and fertiliser, the f-drill front hopper can be combined with different implements and for operation in various working widths. Seeding and fertilising in one pass is possible, as well as the combined appli cation of seeds and companion crops.

In spring, the f-drill can be used as a fertiliser hopper with the Optima F or, for example, in combination with the Kultistrip for strip tillage. When joined with a power harrow drill combina tion, it can be used as an additional seed hopper for sowing companion or spring crops. In summer and autumn, the hopper can be combined with a power harrow. Working width of the coulter bar is from 3 to 6 m and power requirements are from 78 to 127 kW.

Available in two sizes and two ver sions, the f-drill compact has a capacity of 1 600 litres and the f-drill maxi up to 2 200 litres. The standard version

is equipped with one Eldos metering unit. Higher application rates can be achieved by the duo version, as two El dos units distribute two times up to 400 kg/ha of one type of fertiliser or seed. The company says that high volumes are ensured by the venturi system with no need for a pressurised system.

The f-drill can be connected to any ISObus compatible tractor for fully func tional use by the tractor’s own terminal.

And more news from Kverneland: More maize with less fertiliser Pudama is the name of a technique that enables precision spot fertiliser placement below maize seed during planting. Kverneland says that it allows fertiliser rates to be reduced by up to 25% without affecting yields.

Developed in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences in Co logne, and currently fitted to the Optima TFprofi SX precision drill, the Pudama configuration sees seed and fertiliser ap plications synchronised by a sensor.

Suitable for operating at speeds of up to 15 km/h, at maximum speed it applies 25 fertiliser spots per second. Kverneland claims that the technique results in greater nutrient absorption because fertiliser is only applied where it is needed, and it prevents excess ni trate and phosphate from leaching into water systems.

A limited number of the Optima TF profi SX with Pudama will be available next season (fully available for 2024). Kverneland says that the technology will eventually migrate to other Optima models. (Source: Kverneland)

Limited edition Massey Ferguson tractors

Massey Ferguson has introduced a range of limited edition S series trac tors as part of its 175th anniversary celebrations. Customised at the Beau vais factory in France, all 175 'specials' are equipped with the top-spec Exclu sive specification.

Finished with bright red bonnets and fenders, the grey stripes put the iconic ‘Little Grey Fergie’ at the heart of the distinctive design. The tractors also come with a dedicated 3D metal lic chrome decal along with the 175 limited edition logo.

All top S series models are available as limited edition Exclusive versions. These include the 5S.145 Dyna-6, 6S.180 Dyna-VT, 7S.180 Dyna-6, 7S.210 Dyna-VT, 8S.265 Dyna-7 and 8S.305 Dyna-VT. Available to order now, the limited edition tractors also come with numerous personalised cab details and an individual gift pack for every customer.

“With strictly limited production, we expect these very special tractors to sell out quickly,” says Massey Ferguson Marketing Director Jérôme Aubrion. “Like many of our past iconic models, they will be treasured by owners and are set to be highly prized by collectors for years to come.” (Source: AGCO)

Rabbit farming part 8: Rabbit slaughter and meat marketing

by Natasha Kruger

Among domestic livestock, rabbits are one of the most productive. On the same quantity of feed and water a cow will produce 500 grammes of meat while rabbits can produce three kilogrammes.

The production of fryers Producing one kilogramme of market able fryer (dressed weight) requires a commercial concentrate supply of 5,7 kg (from conception to harvest). From conception to 3 to 4 months of market ing age, a doe and her litter of six to eight require about 82,8 kg concen trated food. Roughage and roots are also provided on a daily basis (about 1 to 1,5 kg total per day).

The rabbit should always be fed ad libitum during the growth phase from weaning to slaughter. If the breeder uses balanced concentrates, medium-sized animals will typically consume 100 to 130 g per day. The rabbits will gain 30 to 40 g per day under ideal circumstances, so consuming 3 to 3,5 kg of feed will result in a gain of 1 kg in live weight. Young rabbits that need to gain weight can also be fed cereals and fodder alone or with a suitable concentrate.

The mortality rate in the fattening to slaughter period should be very low, as long as the breeder does not neglect the animals. Even though preventive hygiene (cleaning and disinfecting) is very important in the fattening station, the breeder often pays more attention to the nursery.

If rabbits are kept for longer than three months, the buck must either be castrated or kept in individual cages. It is customary to separate the males and females of a litter at 45 days to two months of age in order to prevent future breeding. Although they may stay in groups, the females will require a larger cage than they did before three months. A doe’s milk supply will dwindle if her offspring are left with her for more than two months.

Learn to castrate the bucks that are not going to be used for breeding to limit fighting in the colony. Castration is the only way to guarantee top-qual ity meat and fur. It takes time, skill, and patience. In addition, it maximises the amount of space and feed that can be used.

To ensure proper growth from day one to two months old, be sure to provide a sufficient quantity of highquality feed in both roughage and con centrates. Young rabbit carcasses that weigh less than 1,7 kg and are at least three to four months old are ideal for quality pelt production and tanning.

The Hopper Popper is used to dislocate the cervical spine of the rabbit. (Image source: wolfforce58205, YouTube)

How to slaughter rabbits

If you can not deliver the rabbits to a certified abattoir and you have to do your own slaughtering, you can use a device called the Hopper Popper. The rabbit's head is slid into the v-shaped slot and then pulled. Strictly speaking, this procedure breaks the rabbit's neck by severing the spinal cord (cervical dislocation). If you are unsure about animal culling, the Hopper Popper will make it easier.

Breeders who butcher their own live stock need to maintain proper stand ards of hygiene and conservation, such as cold storage. The required installa tions are relatively expensive. There is also a need for workers who can only put in a few hours per week.

Intensive meat-rabbit production techniques are usually incompatible with production standards for quality fur pelts. The raw skin, on the other hand, only accounts for a small fraction of the value of the animal as a whole. Thus, more and more frequently, rab

This is a Hopper Popper device. The rabbit’s neck is inserted into the V-shaped slot in the bottom device and broken. The legs are placed in the top device for skinning and butchering. (Image source: The Original Hopper Popper, Facebook)

bits are slaughtered at an age or time of year when their coats have not fully developed.

This usually occurs between the ages of 10 and 12 weeks, during which time the infant coat is still present or the subadult moult is beginning. They are not suitable for fur because they are too thin and prone to shifting.

Rabbit meat preparation

Cutting and packaging of meat: 1. To package the whole rabbit fold the back legs of the rabbit into the chest, exposing the liver and kidneys.

(Image source: pixabay.com by Andrew Martin)

can distort it so that it won't fit in a carton. Some processors chill carcasses in wire trays to ensure proper packaging shape.

2. You can also cut and divide the carcass in portions, almost the same as chicken cuts.

Consequences of not butchering stock

The breeder may draw from a reserve of fattening animals that have passed the typical age for sale for personal consumption or stock replacement. Any delay in the standard slaughtering age for any reason, such as keeping the rabbits alive for gradual home con sumption, can result in disaster, with the death of all the animals.

In farm rabbitries, the mortality risk from accidents, epidemics, and other factors get higher the longer the ani mals are kept.

Rabbit marketing Rabbit breeders may struggle with marketing, but global food shortages could increase demand. It also happens that rabbit producers can not always meet the demand for rabbit meat.

The animals are either sold as car casses or alive. For strains like the New Zealand White and Californian, rabbits raised in rational production systems are sold at around 70 to 90 days old at weights of 2,3 to 2,5 kg. In large-scale production systems with less balanced feeding (four to six months at most), the rabbits can be sold much later.

When raising rabbits, develop quick marketing prospects. First, sell it to your family, neighbours, local towns, and cities. Hotels, restaurants, super markets, and open markets can buy dressed rabbit meat. Vendors sell rabbit barbecue to commuters. Marketing rab bit meat to all demographics is crucial.

The information provided in this article is credited to: Nurturing the roots of change in rural Kenya in cooperation with Bonnie Ami Holt at the Mitahato Education and Development Fund. For more information visit www. mitahatoedf.com/ or contact them on +254-728-082887.

Lebas, F., Coudert, P., de Rocham beau, H. & Thébault, R. (1997). The rabbit - Husbandry, health, and production. ISBN 92-5-103441-9. Available at: https://www.research gate.net/publication/38977233_ The_Rabbit_Husbandry_Health_

Processing of condiments Part 21: Grape vinegar

V inegar is the sour liquid obtained by naturally fermenting the juice of any fruit, cereal or sugar substances.

Fermented grape juice, that is wine, is used as the starting material to which the vinegar plant (yeast culture) is added. The wine undergoes an acetic fermentation by micro-organisms of the Acetobacter spp., which converts the alcohol to acetic acid.

Process description

1. Fermentation of wine for vinegar Wine is pumped into fermentation tanks or wooden barrels. The tanks are insulated to ensure that an even temperature is maintained during the incubation. Small and medium proces sors make use of a stock solution that is referred to as the mother of vinegar or the vinegar plant. It consists of a tank with some vinegar to which fresh wine is added, and left to ferment.

The barrels must contain some air to allow for oxidative fermentation to take place.

This is a slow process and the reac tion will stop naturally when the acidity reaches 6 to 8%. When the process is complete, about half of the vinegar is drawn off and, fresh wine is added and the process repeats itself. Largescale production involves inoculating wine with the acetifying bacteria under controlled conditions with abundant air supply to undergo the fermentation reactions. This usually takes between 1 and 2 days. The resulting raw vinegar is filtered and pumped to storage vats (often containing beech chips) where it matures for several months.

2. Filtration of grape vinegar

The vinegar is filtered to rid the solu tion of any suspended matter present to give a clear-coloured liquid. A rotary vacuum filter can be used. A rotary

vacuum filter allows for a continuous clarification process. A filter cloth is attached to the surface of a perfo rated drum to which a vacuum can be applied. The drum rotates slowly and a pre-coat of processing aid (filtration aid) is applied. The vinegar is sprayed on the outside of the drum and passes through the processing aid and cloth to the inside from which it is pumped.

The plastic material used must be resistant to the acid level of the vinegar and not contain substances that will migrate to the vinegar.

3. Filling and sealing of grape vinegar

The vinegar is filled into retail plastic bottles or large barrels/tanks. The plastic material used must be resistant to the acid level of the vinegar and not contain substances that will migrate to the vinegar. The containers are her metically sealed. The containers used may be pre-printed or undergo label ling after sealing.

4. Pasteurisation of grape vinegar (optional)

The packaged product may be pasteur ised in hot water using batch heaters to raise the internal temperature to 85 °C for three minutes to produce a commercially sterile product and thus extend the shelf life.

5. Cooling of grape vinegar (optional)

The pasteurised product is cooled to approximately 25 °C by passing the containers through a cold water mist ing tunnel or by immersion in cold wa ter. In either case, care must be taken not to give the containers a thermal shock by using too cold water in order to prevent the cracking of containers. The bottles are allowed to dry naturally or are blow-dried and stored at ambi ent temperatures.

6. Labelling of packaging (optional)

The packaging material or containers that are not pre-printed are labelled and coded with the necessary infor mation. Various labelling and coding systems are available, depending on the type of label and container used.

Ancient African food Part 5.2:

Marama, lablab and bambara beans

Legumes are a staple in many developing countries. Besides being a valuable source of protein, it also enriches the soil in which it grows. In this series, we highlight traditional crops that can contribute to providing nutritional meals to people.

Marama bean (Tylosema esculentum)

The marama bean is a native of the de serts of Southern Africa, where it thrives in poor soil and harsh conditions.

The plant produces seeds that are on par with peanuts and soya bean regard ing nutritional value, while the high protein tuber below the earth is larger than sugar beans and more nutritious than yams or potatoes.

However, the plant has not been domesticated, and the valuable quali ties are therefore not utilised. It has a long way to go before anyone can truly capitalise on its qualities.

Roasted seeds have a nutty flavour like coffee beans or cashew nuts. It is also used as a substitute for almonds in cooking. The seeds are boiled with maize meal, or ground into flour for making porridge or as a drink that tastes like coffee or cocoa.

Nutritional value

The seeds have a protein content of about 30%, much like the soy bean, while the edible oil content is about 40%, much like the peanut.

Cultivation

The plant occurs at an elevation of up to 1 500 m. it grows best at annual daytime temperatures of between 22 and 30 °C but can tolerate 16 to 50 °C. It prefers a mean annual rainfall of 300 to 600 mm, but can tolerate as little as 150 mm and an abundant 1 600 mm.

The plant is extremely drought re sistant and survives droughts by stor ing water in the tubers, which shrinks during dry years.

It grows best in a sunny spot in deep, loose, and sandy soil with a pH of 5,5 to 7, but it can tolerate 5 to 7,5.

Lablab bean (Lablab purpureus)

The marama bean is perfectly suited for drought conditions.

The immature seeds and stems are used as a vegetable or in soup. Young tubers have a pleasant, sweet taste that has been described as similar to artichoke, and it is either baked, boiled or roasted.

The lablab bean (Lablab purpureus) is a climbing vine belonging to the family Leguminosae.

The lablab bean (Lablab purpureus) is a climbing vine belonging to the fam ily Leguminosae.

The bean is popular in southern India, where the pods and seeds sup ply much of the daily protein intake. Although its origins lie in Africa, it is quite unknown on the continent at present. It could, however, provide valuable nutrients in the African diet.

The leaves are either cooked like spinach or dried for future use. The flowers are eaten raw or cooked in soups or stews.

Young seedpods and immature seeds can be eaten raw or cooked as a green vegetable like French beans or in a vegetable curry.

The mature seeds are edible but must be properly cooked. It has a mild flavour, is rich in protein and is a valu able staple food.

The seeds can be prepared as tofu or be fermented into tempeh in the same way that soya beans are used in Japan. The seeds can also be sprouted and eaten raw like mung bean sprouts.

Nutritional value

The immature seedpod contains 3,2% protein, 0,8% fat, 5,4% carbohydrate, and it is rich in vitamin B1. The leaves contain up to 28% protein when dried.

Cultivation

The plant prefers well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. It will tolerate fairly poor soil, as long as it is welldrained and with a pH of between 5,5 and 6.

It grows best in a warm, sheltered position at temperatures between 28 and 30 °C, but can tolerate a tempera ture of as low as 9 °C.

Some varieties are drought resistant. The plants grow quite fast, and young pods are ready to be harvested from 70 to 120 days after sowing.

Bambara bean (Vigna subterranean)

The bambara bean (Vigna subter ranean) is a member of the family Fabaceae. This plant, also known as bambara groundnut or nut, originated in West-Africa.

It has been cultivated through the ages in tropical regions south of the Sahara and is grown in Eastern Africa, Madagascar, and parts of South and Central America.

The beans are dug from the ground like peanuts and are usually boiled, roasted or fried, ground into flour and used in many traditional dishes.

Nutritional value

At present the bambara groundnut is ignored and neglected, but the proteinrich, nutritional bean is a complete food with enough proteins, carbohy drates, and lipids to contribute greatly to the health of communities. The seed proteins contain more of the essential amino acid, methionine, than nearly all other beans.

It produces a food of exceptional nu tritional quality, so a little goes a long

way toward building and maintaining a solid foundation of good health.

All in all, this tasty protein-rich bean promises to benefit the people most in need and hardest to reach through con ventional development programmes.

Cultivation

The bambara groundnut thrives on any well-drained soil, but light, sandy loam with a pH of 5 to 6,5 is most suitable. The crop also does well on poor soil that is low in nutrients. An abundance of soil nitrogen favours vegetative growth of the crop.

In Zambia, it gives the best yields on ploughed fields and a level seedbed, but in high rainfall areas with wet conditions, it can be planted on ridges. It is cultivated both as a single crop or intercropped with maize, cowpeas, and melons.

In Tanzania the plant is grown in small, mono-crop patches in traditional farming systems along with millet, sorghum, maize, beetroot, and tuber crops, as well as other legumes.

In Zimbabwe, the nuts are usually grown in sandy soils either as a single crop or in a mixed stand with maize, cotton, or sorghum.

Lablab seeds are a good source of protein.

The bambara bean grows underground like a peanut.

by Tapuwa Mashangwa

Here is an opportunity!

The main asset utilised for farming in Africa is soil, a mixture of or ganic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms for that sustain plant growth.

The optimum use of this resource has however been minimised over the past years due to several dynamics, namely lack of structured funding from financial institutions for agricultural projects due to the absence of collateral from startup farmers; high costs of land prepara tion and posterior agronomic activities (fertigation, irrigation, nematode, in sect, pest control); the drastic effects of climate change; lack of well-developed market synergies to promote the sale of agricultural produce and the lack of properly qualified expertise to manage agricultural projects.

As technology is consistently changing, the emergence of hydroponic farming could provide the long-term sustainable solutions we have been seeking as a continent. Hydroponics is the practice of crop growth in mineral nutrient solutions, and it is a subset of soilless culture. Hydroponic systems can be subdivided into the following production technique categories: Nutrient Film Technique (NFT); Dutch/Bato Bucket Technique; Raft/Deep-Flow Technique (DFT); Slab/ Hanging Gutter Technique; Aeroponics and the Ebb and Flow Method.

Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) in volves the movement of a very shal low stream of water containing all the dissolved plant nutrients being recirculated past the roots of plants in a watertight gully (or channels).

The Dutch/Bato Bucket Method uses two or more growing containers con nected to the similar irrigation and drainage lines. This is an incredible water- and nutrient-efficient method, ideal for growing heavy-feeding and vining plants like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.

In the Raft/Deep-Flow Technique (DFT) water supplies nutrients to plants via ponds. Plants are grown in drainage channels with a 4 to 6 cm nutrient solution running continuously, and the roots of plants continually sub merged in the nutrient solution.

In the Slab/Hanging Gutter Technique soilless substrates in a gutter (plastic or metal) are placed in a support system or suspended above floor height with plant

roots growing in a nutrient solution.

The Aeroponics Technique involves being given nutrients from a mist that is sprayed onto the roots of plants. Crops are grown suspended in the air. The plants are contained in a humid atmos phere where frequent misting delivers a nutrient-rich solution right to the roots, keeping the crop from drying out.

The Ebb and Flow Method involves flooding the growing area with the nutrient solution at specific intervals, which then drains back into a reservoir containing a pump on a timer. This type of flood and drain hydroponics system is ideal for plants that are used to alter nating periods of dryness to wet.

The current global use of hydroponic systems is distributed as follows: 36% under the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT); 18% under Dutch/Bato Bucket Technique; 14% under the Raft/DeepFlow Technique (DFT); 8% under the Slab/Hanging Gutter Technique, 8% through Aeroponics; 3% utilising the Ebb and Flow Method and 13% of hydroponics is being done under other types of production systems.

Regions currently dominating the hydroponics market are North America, Western and Eastern Europe, as well as Northern Asia, followed by Southern Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and lastly South America and Africa.

For Africa to also compete on this global scale and reap the benefits of hydroponic production systems, the farmer should have access to loans corresponding to his level of opera tion. Financial institutions can disburse loans in which the collateral for the hy droponic project is fixed, and the sale of the produce is guaranteed by con tracts to the relevant wholesale, retail, and or direct buyers and middlemen.

Input supply companies and insur ance can collaborate to ensure that the project runs well. Input supply compa nies can have their products paid for by a financial institution or non-govern mental organisation funding the project, and the insurance firms can insure the project against catastrophes common in agricultural production systems.

Hydroponic farming:

• Allows large tracts of land to revert to the natural landscape, restoring ecosystem functions and services

• Remediates black water to create a much-needed new strategy for the conservation of drinking water

• Take advantage of abandoned and unused urban spaces

• Allows year-round food production without loss of yields due to climate change or weather-related events

• Eliminates the need for large-scale use of pesticides and herbicides, thus promoting organic farming

• Provide a major new role for agro chemical industries, for example, designing and producing safe, chemically defined diets for a wide variety of commercially viable plant species, and

• Creates an environment that encour ages sustainable urban life, promot ing a state of good health for all those who choose to live in cities.

The current market value of hydropon ics stands at 9,5 billion US dollars and is expected to have a market value of 12,1 billion US dollars by 2025. As a continent, we have to be able to participate in this space to spur the growth of gross domestic product (GDP), create employment and improve the functionality of agriculture within Africa’s countries.

The history of pig production be gins with humans domesticating pigs from wild boars independently in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) and East Asia around 9 000 years ago.

A team led by Laurent Frantz at the University of Oxford, UK, analysed the genomes of more than 600 modern pigs and wild boars. According to the research, after initial domestication in Anatolia, the ancestors of European pigs interbred with at least two dif ferent populations of wild boars that ranged between Europe and Anatolia.

Pigs from East Asia seem to have interbred with local boars too. Despite this wild mixing, domestic pig genomes show signs of positive selection at regions that include genes involved in behaviour and anatomy.

In this century, pig farming is mainly undertaken for food and skins. Prepa rations of pig parts into food specialties include sausage (and casings made from the intestines), bacon, gammon, ham, skin into pork crackling, feet into trot ters, head into a meat jelly called head cheese (brawn), and consumption of the liver, chitterlings, and blood (blood pud ding or brown pudding).

Pig skin is used for gloves, provid ing a nice luxury glove leather due to it being so thin. Pig suede leather is used for items like leather jackets, hand bags, and gloves.

Before delving into the process of pig farming, the terms used in the pig production industry must be under stood. A piglet is any immature pig. A sucker is a pig between birth and weaning. A weaner is a young pig re cently separated from the sow. A runt is an unusually small and weak piglet,

1:

by Tapuwa Mashangwa

Where did it start, and how to begin

often one in a litter. A boar is the male pig of breeding age. A barrow is a male pig castrated before puberty. A stag is a male pig castrated later in life (an older boar after castration). A gilt is a young female not yet mated, or not yet farrowed, or after only one litter, and a sow is the breeding female, or female after first or second litter.

Pigs for slaughter are classified as follows:

• A suckling is a piglet slaughtered for its tender meat

• A feeder pig is a weaned gilt weighing between 18 and 37 kg at 6

to 8 weeks of age that is sold to be finished for slaughter

• A porker is a market pig between 30 and about 54 kg dressed weight

• A baconer is a market pig between 65 and 80 kg dressed weight. The maximum weight can vary between processors

• A grower is a pig between weaning and sale or transfer to the breeding herd, sold for slaughter or killed for rations

• A finisher is a grower pig over 70 kg live weight, and

• A backfatter is a cull breeding pig sold for meat, usually refers to a cull

sow, but is sometimes used in refer ence to boars.

In some markets (such as Italy), the final weight of butcher pig is in the 180 kg. They tend to have hind legs suitable to produce cured ham.

One of the most important factors to consider before starting any agricultur al project is to understand the market to supply. Usually, the market to supply is determined in the project proposal.

Due to a myriad of factors, every location has its preferred state of de mand of pig meat. Once that has been established, one can then research the costs involved in the production system and whether the capital will be raised by the farmer alone, a collective of farmers, a non-governmental or ganisation, a financial institution or by an investor (an individual or company) who can be dormant or active when it comes to the running or management of the project.

The factors to consider are infrastruc ture, space allocation, environmental permission and biosecurity, manage ment staff, training, feed, slaughter, and the logistics for the operation.

Infrastructural needs will look at houses for production stages (mat ing, farrowing, weaning, growing, and finishing) biosecurity, feed warehouse, machinery warehouse, staff quarters, slaughterhouse or area (if need be)

and security.

Space allocation leaves a great deal of opportunity for designs to evolve through the cooperation of the farm family, craftsmen and perhaps engi neers and architects. The planning will involve careful evaluation of factors such as family or farm culture and social life, climate, government regula tions, available materials, and the skills of local craftsmen.

Infrastructural needs of a piggery include the different houses suitable for each production stage. (Source: Pixabay)

One of the main reasons to farm with pigs is to produce meat. This includes ham, bacon, sausages, and sausage casings from the small intestines.

Everything your farm needs, in one place

The planning process will result in unique designs that may differ greatly from one area to another. However, only if the planning process aims at producing designs which are within a cultural and environmental context in terms of general layout, materials, construction, and details, will they contribute to develop an indigenous building tradition that pursues the na tive architectural heritage.

Environmental permissions have largely to do with management of farm operations in a way that protects the environment and helps maintain the

economic viability of the piggery pro duction venture.

Biosecurity will look at methods of reducing the odds of infectious dis eases being carried onto the piggery farm by people, animals, equipment, vehicles, or other means.

For the selection of management staff and training, it is necessary to ensure that the recruitment process is properly executed through the iden tification of the job vacancy, planning for the job recruitment, publicising the job hiring, reviewing applications, and choosing the most qualified, and by

finally examining the background of the most suitable applicant(s).

Feed plays one of the most crucial roles in piggery as it highly determines the state of health of the animals. Moreover, quality feed contributes to a better feed conversion ratio (FCR). Feed must possess all the nutritional requirements for different production stages (mating, farrowing, weaning, growing and finishing), and should be sourced from a reputable supplier or manufacturer.

Slaughter must be performed in an efficient and effective manner, ensuring that the quality of the pork is not compromised. Options for slaughter include the lethal injection, free-bullet firearms, captive-bolt stunning followed by bleeding or pithing, percussion stunning, electrical stunning, and carbon dioxide gas stunning.

For logistics, animals need to be moved for several reasons includ ing marketing, slaughter, re-stocking, from drought areas to better grazing, and change of ownership. Typically, methods used to move animals are on hoof, by road motor vehicle, by rail, on ship and by air. Generally, the majority of livestock in developing countries are moved by trekking on the hoof, by road and by rail.

PIPES DOUBLE HOLES

Vryheid

better yield and stronger crops in your next harvest!

better yield and stronger crops in your next harvest!

better yield and stronger crops in your next harvest!