Reflection

At the end of 2009 we look back at the year and reflect on what happened, both positive and negative. We had a tremendous growth in the wool price, albeit from a very low base earlier this year.

The world recession took its grip on South Africa, but it has officially lifted and we have entered positive growth for the last quarter of the year. We struggled with drought in the biggest part of South Africa and it has not released its grip yet. The Eastern part of South Africa is wet and the western parts very dry. We had a below average minister of Agriculture who was replaced earlier this year by one who is a vast improvement. Fertilizer and fuel prices went up and down and so the list goes on. Up and down, the up gets offset by a down and what you lose on the swings you make up on the roundabouts. Just as you think things are on an even keel a problem arises, gets resolved and so life goes on. I am told that we are getting to grips with a free market in agriculture and we are trading in the global village. This is the way of the world; there is no other show in town.

As organisation we achieved some goals and we failed in others. For some we received credit and others took credit in other terrains. We came in for some stick in some areas by influencing situations we perceived to be in our interest. Some places we burned our fingers and in other places we did things right. We are getting to grips with the free market around us and defining our position in our industry. I would like to think we are coming of age, defining our parameters and the parameters of those around us. The vice-president jokingly refers to our situation by saying that the rest of the industry cannot pull the wool over our eyes anymore; we have become streetwise. We play the leading role in the South African wool industry, of that I am convinced. It's been a good year, we have made our influence felt and will continue to be the driver in 2010.

It's holiday season and let us slow down, reflect on the past year and plan for 2010. Its not going to be easy, its going to be the same rollercoaster ride we have become used to, up and down, boom or bust, but at the end of the day things always turn out for the best. Maybe a little richer, maybe a little poorer, we made it through 2009, 2010 will offer the same challenges.

Lastly and most important, in all that we achieve, in all that we don't achieve, in all things that give us joy and all things make us sad, for the times we need to be strong and the times we must be weak, the times we must be bold and the times we must not, all the glory and recognition to Almighty God, Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Plaashonde is natuurlik ook weer `n wye groep wat alles kan insluit van ou Wagter wat die werf oppas, tot by die ounooi se skoothondjie... Ons kry spoorsnyers op jagplase, voëljaghonde, jakkalshonde, maar seker die mees bekende is die skaaphond wat byna alles soos skape, beeste en selfs volstruise bymekaar maak.

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Livestock- and Game Producers' Organisations had a meeting recently in Port Elizabeth with the objective of establishing an Industry Forum to collectively address the problem of damage causing animals. An agreement between the organizations was subsequently formalised by the establishment of the National Damage Causing Animal Forum (NDCAF)

Petrus de Wet from NWGA will chair the forum. The establishment of the Forum follows on statistics that was released by ALPRU, stationed at the University of Free State, indicating the biggest stock losses in SA history as a result of damage causing animals over the past year. An estimated R1.108 billion is involved. Representatives from the Red Meat-, Wool-, Mohair- and Game Industries were involved in establishing the Forum, which will focus on management of damage causing animals where predation of one animal on another is involved. An invitation to Milk- and Ostrich producers will also be extended to join the Forum.

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Verteenwoordigers uit die rooivleis-, wol-, bokhaar- en wildprodusente-geledere het onlangs 'n werkgroep gestig om die probleem van skadeveroorsakende diere aan te spreek. 'n Uitnodiging is ook aan melk- en volstruisprodusente gerig om by die inisiatief in te skakel. Die werkgroep hoop om wetgewing en beleid gesamentlik te beinvloed, en sal slegs gesprek voer met partye wat verbind is tot 'n werkbare oplossing. Daar sal nie gehoor gegee word aan drukgroepe wat boikotte voorstaan nie.

Petrus de Wet is die voorsitter van die werkgroep.  

Lewendehawe- en wildprodusente organisasies het onlangs in Port Elizabeth byeengekom om 'n werkgroep te vorm ten einde hul kragte saam te snoer om die probleem van skadeveroorsakende diere doeltreffend te kan aanspreek. Hiertydens is 'n samewerkingsooreenkoms tussen die verskeie organisasies geformaliseer.

Dit volg op statistieke wat onlangs deur ALPRU, gesetel by die Universiteit van die Vrystaat, vrygestel is en daarop dui dat die veebedryf die afgelope jaar die grootste verliese in die geskiedenis gely het as gevolg van skadeveroorsakende diere. Hierdie verliese is op R1,108 biljoen bereken en veral kleinveeprodusente word hierdeur geraak. Hierdie verliese sluit nie die skade in wat deur die grootvee- en wildbedrywe gely is nie.

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HO de Waal

ALPRU/UV

Die afgelope jaar is almal bewus gemaak van die omvang en impak van skade wat deur roofdiere, veral die rooijakkals en rooikat aangerig word. Daar is min twyfel dat die twee spesies tans wyd oor die land versprei is. Daar is egter geen data oor hulle huidige nasionale verspreiding en veral die grootte van die populasies nie.

Roofdiere soos luiperds, jagluiperds en bruin hiënas rig ook skade aan maar dit is sporadies en meestal ook net tot sekere gebiede beperk. Die wel en weë van veral die luiperd word dikwels op sensasionele wyse aan die publiek opgedis. Die pogings om die charismatiese luiperd te beveilig is prysenswaardig maar die benadering om skade deur luiperds te verminder verskil radikaal van die vir middelslag roofdiere soos die rooijakkals en rooikat, daarom vorm dit nie verder deel van hierdie bespreking nie.

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Smiley de Beer

Die impak van klimaats-verandering is fisies besig om die wêreld se gebruike ten opsigte van produksieprosesse en koopgewoontes uit te daag.  Eko etiket standaarde word toenemend in die handel van goedere vereis  en regerings plaas met wetgewing druk op bedrywe om die uitlaat van koolstofgasse in die atmosfeer te beperk.  Dit is ’n  feit dat ekosisteme agter-uitgaan en dat ons voortbestaan, soos die wêreld daaraan gewoond was, bedreig word. 

Die aanvaarding van rentmeesterskap van die omgewing is belangrik en in eerstewêreld lande aanvaar besighede dat praktyke wat ‘n negatiewe impak op die omgewing kan hê verminder moet word. Hulle beskou dit en die ontwikkeling van “etiese� teks-tiele as voorvereistes vir maatskappye om in die toekoms te floreer.

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Moederseienskappe in skape

Dr. Dave Midgley

 Dit bly seker een van die mooiste gesigte as 'n ooi wat pas gelam het omdraai en haar lammetjie skoonmaak en daarna vir hom of hulle help om te begin drink.

Wie het haar geleer?

Hoe weet sy wat om te doen?

 Ons praat van moedersinstink, en ek gaan nou poog om hierdie wonderlike Skeppingsdaad in eenvoudige mediese terme te verduidelik.

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2008 / 2009

Die Jaar 2008 het natuurlik besonderse hoogtepunte gelewer.  'n Wêreld Skaapskeerkampioen, rekord wolpryse gedurende die eerste helfte van die jaar, die Eko-wolprogram met die Kode vir Beste Praktyke (SA is wêreldleiers op die gebied), uitstekende resultate in die NWKV ontwikkelingsprogram en verskeie ander hoogtepunte in die nasionale en internasionale arena weerspieel die beeld van 'n trotse bedryf.

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Prioriteite vir 2009

Petrus de Wet - NWKV President

Met die aanvang van elke nuwe jaar stel ons vir onsself doelwitte en kyk ons na die vooruitsigte vir die volgende 12 maande. Ons  wonder wat ons alles hierdie jaar op onse pad te wagte kan wees.  In ons organisasie werk dit presies dieselfde.  In Januarie vergader die dagbestuur wat bestaan uit die nasionale voorsitter, ondervoorsitter, provinsiale voorsitters en algemene bestuurder. Hierdie groep maak  planne vir die jaar wat voorlê.

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Did ewe know?

Sheep become nervous and difficult to handle when stress hormones are elevated, so it may be useful to avoid loud or shrill noises when handling or moving sheep.
The sheep can amplify and pinpoint sound with its ears. Sound arrives at each ear at slightly different times with a small difference in amplitude which the auditory system can process into a directional signal. This can be further refined by moving the ears, head or the entire body. This skill is probably almost as important as sight and smell for keeping the sheep,  as a prey species, alive.