I bring to you technical and insightful information on farming as a business. I share with you on sustainable, productive farm practices in your grazing and cropping systems."
Farm workers across Africa will be increasingly adversely affected by rising temperatures due to climate change. Photo: Adobe Stock
The agriculture sector in Africa could lose up to 14 million jobs by
2030 due to heat stress. This was according to a new report by the
International Labour Organisation titled, ‘Working on a warmer planet:
The impact of heat stress on labour productivity and decent work’.
While it was expected that the general labour force in Africa would
increase by 2030, some jobs could be threatened as working hours were
reduced due to heat stress. The agriculture sector was expected to be
one of the sectors that would be greatly affected by this.
According to the report, more than 129 million workers on the
continent were employed in agriculture in 1995, accounting for more than
55% of the total workforce of around 230 million workers.
“Although these [figures] are projected to decrease in all the
sub-regions by 2030, the overall figure is expected to remain relatively
high, with more than 290 million workers working in agriculture by
2030, or 48% of the total workforce, which is projected to be more than
610 million workers,” the report said.
It noted, however, that given the physical nature of labour in
agriculture, which was mostly undertaken outdoors and entailed direct
exposure to heat, workers would be particularly affected by higher
temperatures that were a result of climate change.
It was estimated that global temperatures would increase approximately 1,5°C by 2025.
These high temperatures would make some farming regions unproductive,
leading to the displacement of large number of workers, as they are
forced to leave rural areas in search of better prospects in cities or
abroad.
The study also said that about 1,3% of the total number of working
hours in Africa were lost due to heat stress in 1995, a productivity
loss equivalent to more than three million full-time jobs.
As heat stress intensified, up to 2,3% of total working hours would
be lost by 2030, which was the equivalent of about 14 million full‑time
jobs.
The impact of such productivity losses would impact food production and result in greater poverty and food insecurity.
The report suggested that the long-term options for reducing the
impact of heat stress on agriculture included promoting mechanisation
and skills development policies aimed at increasing the efficiency and
sustainability of food production under new climatic conditions,
complemented by monitoring and awareness campaigns.
Coffee prices on the ICE commodities exchange in New York reached a 12-year low in May this year at US86c/lb (about R26/1kg). Photo: Adobe Stock
To allay the fears of coffee farmers in South America, the focus of
the second conference of the Coffee Producers’ Forum would be on the
current low prices of the commodity.
The conference was due to be held on 10 and 11 July in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
According to Vansula Nogueira, one of the organisers of the forum,
the main objective of the conference was to explore ways to improve the
economic sustainability of coffee producers in the main production areas
across the region.
Since the previous conference in 2017, prices of coffee had fallen substantially.
“We need to discuss alternatives to improve income for farmers,” she said.
Coffee prices on the ICE commodities exchange in New York reached a 12-year low in May this year at US86c/lb (about R26/1kg).
A statement by the forum outlined the major challenges faced by
growers, such as economic sustainability, farming levels, price
volatility on international markets, the increasing demand for more than
50 million bags over the next 10 to 15 years, and climate adversity.
At the 2019 conference, coffee-growing nations in the region will
discuss common interest in this regard, such as the revenue generated by
coffee growers, environmental issues, as well as ensuring the
sustainability of the industry.
“All this so that more than 25 million families who grow beans and
create the drink that satisfies the most diverse tastes around the world
can keep growth and quality scaling [on track],” the statement said.
While prices had risen slightly over the past month, farmers were still concerned that this increase would be unsustainable.
Jose Marcos Magalhaes, head of the Minasul co-operative in Brazil and
the country’s national coffee council, said one of the issues that
needed to be addressed was the way in which crops were sold by farmers.
Magalhaes emphasised that the use of technology to “facilitate and speed up sales” needed to be discussed.
Coffee producers in some countries had also said that finding ways to
control the flow of coffee from producing countries to the main
consuming centres needed to be examined. However, consensus regarding
this issue could not be reached as Brazil opposed the move.
Question: The rainfall was exceptionally high in my area
during late summer and autumn. The grazing looks good, and the cows are
in a good condition, but my calves are not growing too well. What could
the problem be?
Most parasites flourish under wet and warm conditions. Roundworms and
tapeworms, for instance – produce a large number of eggs. These are
excreted in the dung of animals and then need to hatch and develop on
the grazing before they can infect cattle again. Wet, warm conditions
are ideal for the survival and development of young worms on grazing.
During a wet year, the number of parasites on the grazing is much
higher than usual and young animals, such as calves, are especially
affected because they don’t have any resistance to round and tape worms.
This means that most of the young worms ingested when the calves start
to graze will attach and grow to adult worms in their intestines. And
this will affect the growth of young calves severely.
In a wet year, young calves have to be dewormed at 3 and 5 months of
age, because they don’t have any resistance to roundworms and tapeworms
at this age. Over time, cattle build up a resistance to these specific
parasites and that’s why the adult cows are still in a good condition.
Ask a veterinarian for a broad-spectrum livestock remedy that works
against all the kinds of round worms as well as tape worm. Dose the
calves and you’ll see better growth and improvement in condition within
two weeks. If there’s no improvement, the problem needs to be discussed
further with the veterinarian from which you bought the remedy.
One of the greatest constraints veterinarians find when
trying to treat cattle is the lack or inadequacy of handling facilities.
If it is too difficult to constrain cattle, the owner won’t be able to
examine or treat sick animals in time.
The handling facilities on a cattle farm are a direct reflection of
the level of management on that farm. Good handling facilities are a
prerequisite for efficient and safe cattle management.
Easy handling will prevent people from shouting at and hitting cattle
out of sheer frustration, which could have a severe impact on animal
welfare and also result in bruising. If basic good handling facilities
are in place, it would never be necessary to hit animals with sticks or
whips.
CRUSH PENS
The minimum requirement, even if you only own a few head of cattle,
is to have a crush pen. You must be able to handle a cow or bull without
injuring the animal or yourself. If you can’t do that, it would be
better not to own cattle.
The type of crush needed is determined by the type of cattle and the
number of animals to be handled. The height is determined by the type of
cattle.
The average height is 140 cm, but an extra horizontal pole can be
added to the top of the crush to increase the height to 180 cm when
working with very wild cattle.
The average inside diameter of a crush pen is normally 70 cm, but it
can be larger or smaller, depending on the size of the average cow in
the herd, whose weight could vary between 350 kg and 550 kg.
There’s a big difference between the basic handling facilities needed
for 10 head of cattle and those needed for a group of 100 or more. With such a basic facility you can:
Effectively treat a sick animal.
Do ongoing treatments for parasites.
Vaccinate animals regularly.
Provide supplementary licks only to those animals that need it.
All small-scale cattle owners need such a basic facility, but it’s
also suitable for commercial cattle farmers at their watering points.
It’s very helpful for giving emergency treatment – such as assistance
with calving or treatment of a tick-borne disease such as redwater –
when cattle can’t be moved over long distances to the main handling
facilities. Also read: Every cattleman needs a crush pen (10 animals or less) Crush pen and basic handling for more than 10 head of cattle
FUNCTIONALITY
A few basic rules for effective facilities:
There must be holding kraals before and after the crush pen and they
must be connected. Some cattle will always escape from a crush pen and
you must be able to get them back if something like vaccinations is
being done.
The entrance to the crush pen must have one straight side, otherwise it will always be difficult to get cattle to enter.
Gates connecting kraals must always be at the side, otherwise it
will be difficult for a single person to herd cattle from one camp to
the next.
These may seem like basic rules, but on more than 50% of farms I
visit one or more of these rules are not followed, leading to severe
difficulty in handling animals, frustration and injury to animals and
people.
Easy handling will prevent people from shouting at and hitting cattle
out of sheer frustration, which could have a severe impact on animal
welfare and also result in bruising. If basic good handling facilities
are in place, it would never be necessary to hit animals with sticks or
whips. Also read: A well-designed cattle handling facility
This article is a short extract from the Afrivet training course
presented to small-scale farmers and livestock workers on commercial
farms, and first appeared in Farming SA.
After suffering the effects of a trichomoniasis outbreak in 2010,
Afrikan Farms, winner of the ARC’s National Commercial Beef Producer of
the Year award for 2018, decided to switch from running a mixed-breed
cattle herd to a Beefmaster herd. Siyanda Sishuba reports
Afrikan Farms’ Beefmaster herd is almost 2 200 head strong Photo: Supplied
Based near Amersfoort, Mpumalanga, Afrikan Farms is a diversified
commercial enterprise, with cattle farming as its core business. In
2000, through the Vusi Khanyile Family Trust, the Khanyile family bought
farming land on auction and immediately started their operation.
About two years later, the business corporatised with the establishment of Afrikan Farms (Pty) Ltd.
The business comprises four farms, all sharing boundaries, spread over 4
709ha. They are Zwelihle (the centre of the family’s cattle farming
operations), Vaalpoort, Zoetfontein and Broederstroom. The last three
are used for sheep farming and as grazing land.
The management team comprises predominantly people in their 30s.
“Having diverse skills has helped us to manage the farm better,” says general manager Phakade Khanyile, the son of Vusi.
He runs the farm with cattle manager Nsika Shabalala, feedlot manager
Sibongeleni Mthenjwa, COO Siphiwe Kumalo, and technical manager Thinus
de Jager. The directors of the company are Vusi, Ndoni Khanyile and
Mthenjwa. Not just cattle
Afrikan Farms’ activities comprise animal husbandry, crop farming and
apple production. This includes managing a commercial herd of breeding
cattle, sheep farming and an experimental piggery. A cattle feedlot is a
recent addition.
Eragrostis grass is grown for baling, and Kikuyu, clover and ryegrass
are planted for grazing. The farms’ carrying capacity is approximately
1 MLU/2,5ha.
The enterprise has entered into a partnership with a neighbouring farm,
BB Boerdery Agri Trust, to form a subsidiary company called WeGrow
Farming Enterprise, mainly for community development.
This plants 1 600ha to maize (70%) and soya bean (30%), which are
also used for feed production. Planting equipment is shared by both
parties.
The area receives about 600mm of rainfall a year, and rainwater is
harvested. Boreholes and dams are used to augment the water supply.
In 2016, Afrikan Farms introduced a feedlot and finishing system to
supply abattoirs directly and thus enhance profitability. The on-farm
feedlot can carry about 400 cattle at a time, and supplies mainly the
Volksrust Meatco Abattoir.
According to feedlot manager Mthenjwa, the enterprise is doing well
but there is room for improvement. The feeding period is 150 days, and
the gain per animal is 1,8kg/day on average. Breed type and production system
Cattle manager Shabalala explains that when the family established its
commercial herd in 2003, there was a mixture of different breeds on the
farm. About 70% were Red Angus type, and the herd comprised
approximately 400 cows and 20 bulls.
“We started breeding with Beefmaster genetics in 2010 after the area
suffered an outbreak of trichiamoniasis,” he recalls. “We had to source
bulls from other farmers during that time, and decided to focus on a
single breed for our herd. Cattle consultant Barry Symons advised us
that Beefmasters are more suitable for the Highveld region.
The breed was chosen for its adaptability to the tough conditions,
affordability of the breeding bulls, docile calves and a desired weaning
weight.Farming with a uniform breed makes it easier to service the
abattoirs we supply.”
Shabalala says they started replacing about 10% of the bull herd with
Beefmaster bulls annually. Breeding bulls are now kept for five years
to improve genetics in the herd and to minimise transmission of diseases
generally, as well as the devastating effects of venereal diseases such
as trichomoniasis on herd profitability.
Older bulls are sold at auctions.
“Previously, only natural mating was used, but we started implementing
artificial insemination [AI] in the spring of 2014 because we wanted to
push the majority of the cows to calve early. We inseminate half the
herd via AI annually,” he says.
The heifer:bull ratio is 1:30. Immediately after AI is performed, the
bulls are introduced into the herd to give heifers and cows that failed
to conceive another chance, and to service cows and heifers that did
not undergo AI. A single breeding season
‘’Before 2014, an average of about 460 calves were born each year, and that number has doubled,’’ Shabalala says.
The cow herd is currently 1 054 head strong, and there are 60 bulls, 380 heifers and 683 calves.
The herd has a conception rate of about 85%, a calving rate of 80%
and a weaning rate of 70%.“A single breeding season is best for our
environment. The breeding season runs from October to December and
calving occurs between July and September.
Calves are weaned around March. This programme ensures that during
the calving period we have maize available, and it’s close to spring
when the grass turns rich and green.
“The average intercalving period is under 400 days. In the past, the
calving percentage was very low as we didn’t have enough experience of
managing beef cattle. No clear records were kept,” he says.
About 80% of heifers are selected to join the main breeding herd.
After being weaned and backgrounded on the veld for one month, the male
calves are sent to the feedlot for four months until they are sold to an
abattoir or slaughtered.
The weaning weight for calves going to feedlot is between 210kg and
220kg. The target weight when they leave the feedlot is 420kg to 450kg.
The weaning weight for the young heifers is 200kg to 220kg, and they are
kept on the veld for a year and mated in autumn.
Heifers need to weigh above 300kg by the time they are mated. The
heifers that are not due to be part of the herd are sold to the Highveld
Breeders’ Group. Afrikan Farms became a member of the Agricultural
Research Council’s (ARC’s) National Beef Cattle Improvement Scheme in
2016.
Following this, it implemented performance testing and recording.
Within three days of birth, calves are given identity numbers via tags
and brand marks. Two of the farm’s personnel were also sent to the ARC
to attend a course that focused on the use and implementation of best
linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) breeding value technology for
commercial farmers.
Through the course, they also acquired skills that enabled them to interpret an auction catalogue when buying stud bulls. Winning top awards
In 2018, Afrikan Farms won the ARC National Commercial Beef Producer of
the Year award. Every year, the ARC aims to recognise a commercial beef
producer who participates in performance testing and has made great
progress in his or her enterprise through applying performance-
recording technology. Plans for the future
Afrikan Farms sees itself as a developing commercial farming business
that uses sustainable agricultural methods, such as appropriate grazing
practices that promote a healthy ecology, coupled with sound business
practices.
To be sustainable, it recognises that it has to continue employing
these practices over the next three to five years to meet the required
threshold return on the capital invested.
Afrikan Farms has also adopted a number of ecologically sensitive practices to reduce its dependence on fertilised pastures.
For example, it invests adequately in dam infrastructure to ensure
water availability and supply to support the herd and supplement the
limited rain in early spring and late summer.
It is also building relationships with stakeholders in the sector to
help ensure its success, and is seeking to increase its transformation
initiatives involving its employees and development initiatives for the
local community.
It is currently expanding its cattle, sheep and high-value export
crops, and is establishing a 4ha apple orchard on Zwelihle farm. Through
WeGrow Farming Enterprise, the business is in the planning stages of
establishing a piggery unit with 1 200 sows. The long-term plan is to
farm 9 600 sows
Pork producers are stepping up their
campaign to ease regulation of genetically engineered livestock
following an executive order President Donald Trump issued earlier this
month instructing federal agencies to speed up approval of new
agricultural biotechnology.
The National Pork Producers Council is
seeking White House intervention to reverse a Food and Drug
Administration stance that genetically edited animals should be
regulated like drugs and barred from entering the food chain until the
modifications are shown to be safe.
The trade group wants the
Department of Agriculture to be the lead oversight agency, maintaining
that regulatory hurdles risk giving a competitive edge to more
permissive countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Canada and China.
“We
are looking for leadership from the White House to reconvene talks,”
Dan Kovich, the group’s director of science and technology, told
reporters June 25 on a conference call. “There are other legitimate,
viable regulatory pathways.”
U.S. regulatory concerns could slow introduction of an
experimental gene-editing technique to make hogs resistant to porcine
reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, Kovich said.
Trump’s
June 11 executive order instructs the USDA, the FDA and the
Environmental Protection Agency — all of which have jurisdiction over
genetically engineered agricultural products — to review their
biotechnology regulations to streamline the approval process.
Alison
Van Eenennaam, an agricultural Extension specialist in animal
biotechnology and genomics at the University of California, Davis, who
participated in the call, said new gene-editing techniques don’t
introduce genetic material from other organisms and produce similar
risks to conventional breeding techniques, which aren’t regulated.
The
Agriculture Department earlier this month proposed a broad overhaul of
biotech rules that would exempt from regulation genetically edited farm
products with traits “similar in kind” to modifications that could be
produced through traditional breeding techniques.
Pork producers are stepping up their
campaign to ease regulation of genetically engineered livestock
following an executive order President Donald Trump issued earlier this
month instructing federal agencies to speed up approval of new
agricultural biotechnology.
The National Pork Producers Council is
seeking White House intervention to reverse a Food and Drug
Administration stance that genetically edited animals should be
regulated like drugs and barred from entering the food chain until the
modifications are shown to be safe.
The trade group wants the
Department of Agriculture to be the lead oversight agency, maintaining
that regulatory hurdles risk giving a competitive edge to more
permissive countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Canada and China.
“We
are looking for leadership from the White House to reconvene talks,”
Dan Kovich, the group’s director of science and technology, told
reporters June 25 on a conference call. “There are other legitimate,
viable regulatory pathways.”
U.S. regulatory concerns could slow introduction of an
experimental gene-editing technique to make hogs resistant to porcine
reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, Kovich said.
Trump’s
June 11 executive order instructs the USDA, the FDA and the
Environmental Protection Agency — all of which have jurisdiction over
genetically engineered agricultural products — to review their
biotechnology regulations to streamline the approval process.
Alison
Van Eenennaam, an agricultural Extension specialist in animal
biotechnology and genomics at the University of California, Davis, who
participated in the call, said new gene-editing techniques don’t
introduce genetic material from other organisms and produce similar
risks to conventional breeding techniques, which aren’t regulated.
The
Agriculture Department earlier this month proposed a broad overhaul of
biotech rules that would exempt from regulation genetically edited farm
products with traits “similar in kind” to modifications that could be
produced through traditional breeding techniques.
Designed
specifically for South African conditions, the NOVAP Sub-Surface Water
Diffuser facilitates deep root irrigation and supplies water directly to
a plant’s root system.
As no water is exposed to the soil surface, moisture loss through evaporation is dramatically reduced.
Ferdinand de Klerk, NOVAP’s brand manager, says the system was
developed and patented in Cape Town by Jan Nortjé, an inventor who
strives to provide practical solutions to specific problems. “His
insight into technical challenges has led to the registration of various
international inventions,” says De Klerk.
Development started in 2013, and the irrigation system was launched
in April 2017. Trials have shown water-use reduction of as much as 70%.
In a Western Cape trial on 1ha of table grapes, a total water saving of
56,8% and a yield improvement of 31,5% were recorded after the change
from micro irrigation to deep root irrigation.
The NOVAP system is suitable for any type of tree or shrub, including
roses and other perennial scrubs with root systems deeper than 150mm.
Fruit trees, vineyards, as well as nuts and date trees respond
particularly well to this type of irrigation, according to De Klerk. Water table at root level
The system consists of a compact plastic unit installed at the optimal
depth for specific crops, typically 250mm. It supplies water and liquid
fertiliser at a steady rate for maximum uptake, and artificially creates
an underground water table at root level.
Depending on the soil type, a hydrated bulb with a radius of up to
600mm is formed 1,2m deep. The capillary movement of water allows the
moisture to rise 120mm to 150mm above the system.
(Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow sideways and
even upwards in narrow spaces without the assistance of external
forces.)
“The subsurface water diffuser is placed in such a way that the
hydrated underground bulbs overlap. This causes a long, continuous water
table at root level,” De Klerk explains.
Ideally, the unit is attached to a solid feed line with regulated water outlets (drippers) feeding into it.
When the pumps are switched on, water is pumped from the source, such
as a dam, through the main lines to the lands. From the moment it
leaves the original source, the water is never exposed to sun or wind.
“This is why 100% of the irrigation water reaches the plants’ deep
root levels. At the end of an irrigation cycle, all the water drains out
into the soil.
Trials have shown that the soil temperature remains constant at an average of between 18°C and 22°C,” says De Klerk.
Research has found that when the soil temperature reaches 18°C, the
plant can function at an optimal transpiration rate. Transpiration,
which is water evaporation mainly via the stomata, aids the uptake of
nutrient-rich water from the roots, aiding growth.
Deep root irrigation also results in higher chlorophyll content. In
mature vine leaves, an improvement of as much as 7,4% was recorded.
The amount of chlorophyll in a leaf contributes to its transpiration
efficiency. Higher levels of chlorophyll and increased root temperature
work together to improve plant transpiration and fruit development.
“Visually, the differences in foliage growth, fruit size and
colouration of the grapes were immediately evident. A plant’s leaf can
be described as its food-manufacturing facility.
More and larger leaves result in a well-functioning plant, which
obviously results in improved yield and quality,” says De Klerk. Improving efficiency
Deep root irrigation uses considerably less water, and in South Africa’s
dry climate, this is obviously welcome. But reducing water use has two
additional benefits: it helps cut electricity usage, saving money, and
it results in less humidity in the plant foliage canopy due to the dry
soil surface.
Ferdi van Zyl, an independent environmental scientist and consultant
in microbiology, plant pathology and botany, says that water savings of
56% were recorded in a deep root irrigation field trial in a 1ha block
of Scarlotta table grapes in Piketberg.
The block of grapes was converted from micro irrigation to deep root
irrigation in November 2017. In the first season, water use decreased
56%. The deep root irrigated block also showed a visible improvement in
general foliage and grape size, compared with other blocks.
In another trial involving a block of Sweet Joy grapes in Robertson,
water usage declined by 50%. The block was planted to the grapes in
September 2017 and deep root irrigation was installed in January 2018.
“During my visit in December 2018, I noticed the difference in weed
growth,” recalls Van Zyl. “With surface irrigation, all seeds present
have the ideal opportunity to germinate. Deep root irrigation ensures
dry surface soil, resulting in less weed growth and a reduction in the
cost of weed control. Moreover, with water saving of at least 50% on
average, we’re also recording better foliage growth.” Increased soil moisture with less water
In a trial in Porterville, the NOVAP system was installed in a 2ha fig
orchard, and tree growth monitored. The previous double- line drip
irrigation had delivered water at a rate of 13,8ℓ/h/ tree but the deep
root system was set to 8ℓ/h/ tree. The trees were planted in clay-rich
soil on a slope.
According to Van Zyl, despite the fact that the water supply had been
cut by 40%, the soil moisture content increased from less than 40% from
300mm downward to between 60% and 70% from between 400mm and 800mm
deep.
Another advantage was a significant decrease in weed growth around
the trees, which also have larger leaves than the trees in the surface
drip blocks.
Three years ago, WA Hugo started farming dairy goats on 8ha just
outside Lambert’s Bay. Today, he has a herd of 150 goats and produces
various cheese products. Jeandré van der Walt visited him on his farm,
Bettiesville, to learn more about the dos and don’ts of dairy goat
farming.
“I’ve
always been fond of goats. When I was young, we always had goats around
and used to drink a lot of goats’ milk,” recalls WA Hugo, owner of the
farm Bettiesville near Lambert’s Bay.
When the opportunity presented itself in 2016, Hugo therefore lost no
time in pursuing his dream of dairy goat farming and commercial
cheesemaking. He markets the cheeses under the ‘Bettie Bok’ brand.
Hugo points out, however, that starting out in dairy goat farming is not that simple: it takes careful thought and planning.
Husband and wife team WA and Lillibet Hugo.
“You need to ask yourself two questions: why am I choosing goats? And
what do I want to achieve with my goat farming operation?” says Hugo. Finding the best goat
The Bettiesville herd consists of 150 goats, with 75 ewes in milk. Hugo
farms mainly Saanen goats due to their high milk yields and docile
temperament. But he adds that there are a number of breeds to choose
from, such as the Toggenburg and British Alpine.
“Choose the breed you want to farm based on what you want to achieve with your business,” he advises.
When buying dairy goats, Hugo says it is important to look particularly at temperament and the udder.
“Examine the udder of the ewe thoroughly to ensure there are no
lumps. If you can, milk the ewe with your hand. A goat that’s difficult
to milk by hand will also be difficult to milk in the dairy parlour.”
In addition, look for goats with a shiny coat. “Goats with coarse,
dry, curly hair may very well have some underlying health problem.” Housing and enclosures
Before buying goats, ensure that you have adequate housing and fencing, says Hugo.
“Goats, whether raised for meat or milk, need basic protection from
the elements: wind, rain and heat. You don’t need an elaborate barn; a
simple, three-sided shed facing away from the prevailing wind will
suffice.”
Hugo adds that goats are notorious escape artists, and their
enclosures should therefore be constructed from, or surrounded by,
strong fencing that they cannot climb. However, he advises against using
barbed wire as it can injure the goats, especially their udders.
“For me, the ideal combination is a tension wire with an electric wire,” he says. Picky eaters
According to Hugo, the general belief that goats will eat anything is not true.
“In fact, they’re picky eaters,” he says. They are browsers, not
grazers like sheep, and what works for sheep will not necessarily apply
to goats.
Good feeding practices will determine 90% of the quality of the milk, he says.
Hugo’s advice to prospective dairy goat farmers who want to put goats
on pasture is to first take note of what’s available in the area as
well as the average rainfall.
“Here, where we stay, it looks almost like a desert, so we feed our goats daily.”
The Bettiesville goats feed almost exclusively on hay, but depending
on their stage of development they also receive concentrate.
“It’s important to give ewes extra feed during the last few weeks of
pregnancy to improve their condition and milk production,” adds Hugo.
Always provide goats with sufficient fresh water, as they tend to ‘rinse’ their mouths after eating, he advises.
“The water in the troughs can very quickly become dirty and the goats won’t want to drink it. It also affects their appetite.”
Water troughs should be cleaned at least once a day, but preferably twice, especially during the summer months.
Hugo also recommends raising feeding troughs from the ground, as
goats tend to climb on the troughs and trample on their food. They then
refuse to eat it. Medication
Goats should receive their vaccinations and other medication during the
dry ewe stage. This is also an ideal time to groom their hooves; hoof
trimming is important for the mobility and comfort of the ewe.
Hugo advises farmers to consult a vet about setting up a parasite
control plan, especially during the dry ewe period, to prevent excessive
levels of parasite exposure for newborns and the ewe. “It’s also
important to check regularly for, and treat, any external parasites.” Breeding
Dairy goats are seasonal breeders, conceiving exclusively in autumn.
Hugo recommends a ratio of one mature ram to 35 ewes. Young ewes start
breeding when they are about 14 months old and weigh a minimum of 36kg.
“When you’re planning your breeding, keep in mind the gestation
period is about 150 days,” he says, adding that when the ewes come on
heat, the possible kidding date should be noted.
“It’s important to have a kidding plan in order to prepare for the arrival of a large number of kids.”
Hugo’s flock usually achieves a kidding rate of 200%.
Kids are marked for identification immediately after birth. “You
can’t do worthwhile recording unless all animals can be properly
identified,” he stresses.
He records the sire, dam and kidding date of each kid immediately
after birth by writing these details on masking tape with a permanent
marker and tying it around the animal’s neck. This identification number
will be tattooed inside its ear after two months.
When a ewe has kidded, Hugo places the kids in a portable pen measuring 1,4m by 1,4m, made from old pallets.
“Ewes with a strong maternal instinct are prone to steal kids from
other ewes, so to ensure that each of the newborns receives enough
colostrum, the kids must be kept separated with their mothers from the
rest of the herd for the first five days after birth. After five days,
the kids are taken from the ewes and fed by bottle.” Bettie Bok
Hugo converted an old farmstead into an automatic, eight-point milking
parlour and in September 2016 he and and his wife Lillibet made their
first cheese.
He says that for good-quality production, dairy goats should be
milked twice a day, 12 hours apart, seven days a week. A healthy Saanen
ewe should produce between 2,5ℓ and 3ℓ of milk a day.
They produce chèvre (soft goats’ cheese), feta and haloumi.
“Our main clients are health shops. Goats’ milk is enriched with many necessary nutrients and is easily digestible,” he says.
Hugo adds that some consumers believe goats’ milk and goats’ milk
products have an unpleasant odour and taste. To control this, he keeps
the rams away from the ewes, especially after the females have kidded
and are ready for milking. Secure a market
It is a challenge to find a market for the products.
“These are niche products. Secure a market before investing in
facilities or animals. Otherwise, you’ll lose money instead of earning a
profit,” advises Hugo
