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November 2018
NWKV Nuusbrief 67 / NWGA Newsletter 67
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Inform us about events in your area or if you want to receive the newsletter. Contact Fanie van Rooyen at
082 388 0626 or send an email to fanie@agriconnect.co.za or Bonita Francis nwga@nwga.co.za or
call 041 365 5030.
Remember to visit our Facebook page.
The link is https://www.facebook.com/pages/NWGA/679678912058277
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YOUNG SHEARER SHOWS OFF HER SKILLS THANKS TO EC WOOLGROWERS
The National Woolgrowers’ Association of SA (NWGA) was approached by the Komga Show Committee to get involved in one of the oldest agricultural shows in the country by sponsoring the flight ticket of a champion shearer to perform at the show.
Kaylie de Jager, Grade 12 learner of Swartland High School in Malmesbury was rated the best girl shearer and was placed seventh overall in the National Shearing Championships in Bloemfontein last year. Kaylie was keen to demonstrate her shearing skills and as the Komga show was held during the school holidays, she was able to attract large numbers of youngsters and proved to be a huge inspiration.
The Show Committee expressed much gratitude towards the Eastern Cape Communal Woolgrowers Association for sponsoring the flight ticket. This gave Kaylie the necessary opportunity and exposure to show off her skills and thereby hopefully encouraging more youngsters to get involved in shearing.
The NWGA is excited about the future of young shearers and wool classers in South Africa, as these careers create many job opportunities. It is the responsibility of the industry to ensure that there are enough well-trained shearers in the country, with close to 15 million sheep that are shorn annually in South Africa.
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FREE TRIAL PERIOD FOR ONLINE ANALYTICAL TOOL
Cape Wools SA launched an online analytical tool. The system consists of two sections, namely for non-producers to mine sales data on a generic basis, and a section focussed on producers.
The producer section is directly linked to a producer number and all data associated with that number. The system is now live on the Cape Wools SA website and can be accessed by following this link: https://bit.ly/2KzhCj2 (length and micron matrix).
To register for your first 14-day free trial period, please provide your email address and producer number. Once your details are confirmed, your account will be activated, and you will be notified accordingly via email. Please make use of this opportunity to explore the system.
After the 14-day free trial period, the service is available on subscription at an annual fee of R2 399,99 (including VAT).
You can also view the new online service for production statistics at this link: https://bit.ly/2PUYxhk (wool production analysis).
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2018 SHEEP SHEARING CHAMPIONSHIPS
RSG Landbou talked to Izak Klopper, NWGA Manager: Shearer Training, about the most recent shearing championship held in Bloemfontein, where qualified shearers and wool classers were chosen to compete in the National Championships in April 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVHbi6avV_o&feature=share
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HISTORIC FIRST FOR PREDATION MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA!
A single document containing detailed and current insight and knowledge into the complex situation of predation management has been finalised and was launched at the Nelson Mandela University earlier in the month.
In this historic first (nationally and globally), the Scientific Assessment for Livestock Predation and its Management in South Africa will form the basis for contemplating policy development. It will also strengthen Government’s resolve to develop evidence-based policy and to recognise that in many complex situations, such as with predation on livestock, there is no silver-bullet solution.
The partnership of Government, industry, stakeholders and leading researchers emerged to resource and formulate the Scientific Assessment, and it shows the strong commitment to address the conflicts around livestock predation management.
During this event, Prof. Graham Kerley of the Nelson Mandela University provided an overview of the assessment. He felt confident that the document would contribute towards reducing conflict besides sustaining both agricultural production and biodiversity.
Sipiwo Makinana, who represented the wool industry, highlighted the plights of emerging livestock farmers regarding predation and acknowledged the outcome of the assessment, namely that commercial and communal livestock farmers face similar predation challenges.
Guillau du Toit, chairman of the Predation Management Forum (PMF), welcomed the assessment. He referred to the chapter on policy and recommendations to Government as the most essential part of the study, given that regulations and legislation, which impact the production practices of livestock and wildlife ranching producers, need an overhaul. He thanked Prof. Kerley and his team for the inclusivity of the process and the involvement of many researchers, authors and reviewers.
The implications of the findings for Government were welcomed by both the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). Mr Joe Kgobokoe, representing DAFF, and Ms Mancotywa from DEA acknowledged the need for both a strategic national research programme to provide evidence for policy development and closer cooperation between policy developers, livestock managers/farmers and researchers.
This assessment is aimed at helping agricultural and conservation policymakers and managers to arrive at improved approaches for reducing livestock predation, while contributing to the conservation of our natural predators. The PMF would like to thank all the role players who made the publication possible.
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WAT IS DIE BESTE MANIER OM NA WOLSKAPE OOR TE SKAKEL?
Wolskaapboerdery is tans op ʼn hoogtepunt. Baie boere wil daarna oorslaan, maar met die huidige hoë pryse van wolskaapooie is hulle onseker of dit ekonomies geregverdig is. Die NWKV se produksie-adviseurs beskik oor rekenaarprogramme wat produsente met die besluit sal kan help.
Die programme is gebaseer op verskillende opsies om na wolskape oor te skakel. Kliek hier om die volledige artikel te lees: https://bit.ly/2TMHpbI.
Die NWKV het adviseurs by vyf van die streekkantore. Skakel gerus met die adviseur naaste aan u vir bystand en advies met die gebruik van die rekenaarprogramme.
Bloemfontein – Jan Louis Venter (083 650 1131)
Caledon – Jannie Fourie (083 564 1105)
Carnarvon – Gawie van Wyk (083 270 3161)
Harrismith – Bom Louw (082 652 2243)
Middelburg – Juan Venter (079 693 1953)
Queenstown – Kobus Grobler (072 593 5601)
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DAMES REPRODUKSIEGROEP – ENIG IN SY SOORT!
Die Wesselsbron-distrik is saai- sowel as skaapboerderykontrei. Hier is die mans werksaam op die saailande en die vrouens, vanweë hul fyn aanvoeling vir diere, bestuur die skaapboerdery. Vir hierdie rede is daar ’n reproduksiegroepering wat net uit vrouens bestaan, waarvan een nog ongetroud is en saam met haar pa boer.
Jan Louis Venter, NWKV produksie-adviseur, het die eerste byeenkoms gereël vir 1 November. Die dames was entoesiasties oor die vooruitsig wat die kursus bied, naamlik om lammeroeste van ’n hoë gehalte te lewer en daardeur winste volhoubaar te verhoog.
Die praktykgerigte opleidingsprogram bied aan elke wolboer die geleentheid om die bestuursaspekte en -vaardighede wat die grootste invloed op die ooikudde se reproduksie het, aan te leer en toe te pas.
Die groepering sal tussen vier en sewe keer tydens die opleidingsperiode bymekaar kom.
Die moontlikheid van die stigting van ’n studiegroep na afloop van die kursus word ook in die vooruitsig gestel.
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ELEKTRIESE HEININGS WERK VIR PREDASIE (’N BOER SE VERHAAL)
Ons vra boere om ons te vertel van die roofdierbestuurspraktyke waarmee hulle sukses behaal in hul spesifieke boerdery-omgewings en -omstandighede. Verlede maand het Pieter Albertyn, wat in die Struisbaai-distrik boer, verduidelik hoe kuddediere soos alpakkas baie doeltreffend is om roofdiere weg te hou. Vandeesmaand fokus ons op elektriese heinings.
Anton Marx, ’n bestuurslid van die NWKV Vrystaat, boer vanaf 1991 saam met sy pa op die plaas Karroo in die Brandfort-distrik met hoofsaaklik Dohne Merino’s en ’n klein aantal beeste.
Die jaar 2000 het ’n kruispadbesluit genoodsaak, aangesien die Marx’e nie meer volhoubaar kon boer vanweë hulle verliese deur ongediertes nie. Anton het hul BKB-agent gevra om ’n koper te kry vir hul ooie om sodoende te kan oorskakel na beesboerdery. Die agent het hom egter oortuig om nie ’n emosionele besluit te neem nie, maar eers al die opsies te oorweeg. Hy het begin navorsing doen oor die verskillende bekampingsmetodes en besluit op elektriese heinings.
Waarop het hy sy besluit gebaseer en hoe het hy begin?
Hy het ’n paar boere besoek, maar hulle kon nie werklik help nie, want elektriese heinings was in daardie stadium ’n redelik nuwe metode van ongediertebeheer.
Anton het begin met net die omheining van sy lamkampe om die verlies van lammers te beperk. Sy metode in foto 1 (“offset bracket”-metode) was aanvanklik effektief, maar die jakkalse het vinnig geleer om bo-oor die drie drade te spring. Hy sit toe weer twee kragdrade in die bestaande heining, wat ook nie 100% effektief was nie. Alhoewel verliese wel afgeneem het, was hy nie heeltemal tevrede nie. Hy besluit toe om al die drade af te breek, die grondoppervlak korrek voor te berei en die heining te span soos op foto 2. Dit was ongeveer 12 jaar gelede en hierdie spanmetode word nog steeds met groot welslae gebruik.
Moniteringsplaas – hoekom daarby betrokke?
Gedurende sy omheiningsproses het Anton betrokke geraak by die NWKV en die moniteringsplase wat deur die bekende “jakkalsfundie”, Niel Viljoen, bestuur word. Volgens jaarlikse inligting en statistiek sal Niel beaam dat elektriese heinings beslis een van die doeltreffendste metodes van ongediertebeheer is, mits jy jou heinings op die regte manier oprig en nie kortpaaie kies nie.
Onderhoud en instandhouding is uiters belangrik en moet so gereeld as moontlik gedoen word.
• Inspekteer heinings ten minste een keer per week (nie eers wanneer die jakkals gevang is nie, want dit is gewoonlik wat gebeur).
• Spuit heinings een of twee keer per seisoen met gif, afhangend van die reën.
• Blokke moet verkieslik nie groter as 400 ha wees nie, want as die jakkals wel inkom, is dit net soveel makliker om hom te beheer.
Wenke
• Slegs 2,24 volversinkte staaldraad
• Vergelyk pryse van verskillende verskaffers vir al jou benodigdhede
• Gebruik soveel as moontlik van jou ou heining se ysterpale en sparre
• Koop die regte “energiser”
• Plaas jou “energiser” so na as moontlik aan jou heining
• Spuit voortydig die plantegroei onder jou heining
Minder verliese, meer geld in die sak
Die rede waarom Anton elke seisoen ’n nuwe blok span, is omdat hy die sukses van die elektriese heining aan sy sak kan voel. Sy buurman beaam dat indien hy sy heining op skuld sou span, hy dit binne twee jaar sou kon afbetaal. Aanvanklik klink dit na ’n duur proses, maar as jy dit teen al jou verliese opweeg, is dit maar ’n fraksie daarvan. Indien dit enigsins sou moontlik wees, sou Anton van die dag wat hy die plaas betree het, elektriese heinings gespan het.
Hy deel ’n praktiese voorbeeld: gedurende Aprilmaand se lamseisoen het hy geen lammers binne die heining verloor is nie, maar aan die buitekant van die heining het ’n hele paar groot ooie gesneuwel. Elektriese heinings het ongetwyfeld sy passie vir skaapboerdery weer laat opvlam. Kontak hom gerus by 083 518 3803.
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KNOW THE STATUS OF ANIMAL DISEASE
Visit https://www.ruvasa.co.za/ and click on Disease reporting to find reports on state-controlled and notifiable diseases. These monthly reports on livestock disease trends are informally reported by veterinarians belonging to the Ruminant Veterinary Association of SA (RuVASA), a group of the SA Veterinary Association. Herewith an extract from the October report:
October has been described as the prettiest month of the year by the Afrikaans poet, Louis Leipoldt,. The Jacarandas of Pretoria are proof thereof. By the time you read this, rain has hopefully fallen in the summer rainfall area.
Rain with a rise in temperature is also a signal for farmers to be aware of the increase in internal and external parasite numbers. Information received from veterinary practices, as depicted in the tables in this report, confirms this.
It is extremely important to check lambs, pregnant ewes and calves for signs of infestation with internal parasites, i.e. pinkish eye, mucous membranes, bottle jaws, diarrhoea and weight loss. Your veterinarian can assist you by doing faecal egg counts. It is also important to choose effective anthelmintics, as some farms have worms that are resistant to certain anthelmintics. Contact your veterinarian to assist you by performing faecal egg count reduction tests.
Tick and fly numbers, as reported, are also on the increase and so are the tick-transmitted diseases, i.e. African redwater, Asiatic redwater, anaplasmosis and heartwater. As blue tick-resistance is rife, an effective acaricide active should be chosen. Tests can be done to help you choose the correct active.
There has been a slight increase in the occurrence of insect-transmittable diseases, i.e. lumpy skin disease, ephemeral fever (three-day-stiff sickness) and bluetongue. Fortunately, no report of Rift Valley fever has been reported yet.
Venereal disease, trichomonosis and vibriosis were reported from most provinces. These diseases can cause huge economic losses to cattle farmers and biosecurity measures should always be implemented.
The following bacterial diseases, for which vaccines are available, were reported: blackquarter, botulism, pulpy kidney, lamb dysentery, swelled head, red gut, blood gut, tetanus, pasteurellosis, salmonellosis, bovine brucellosis, ram’s disease, leptospirosis, E. coli and enzootic abortion. Consult with your veterinarian to determine your risk and decide on a vaccination programme.
The following viral diseases were reported: BMC (snotsiekte), rabies, BVD, IBR, rota and corona virus, EBL, orf and warts.
Protozoal diseases reported were: African and Asiatic redwater (killer disease), coccidiosis and cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidiosis in combination with pathogenic E. coli is causing huge losses of young lambs and calves. Biosecurity measures and high-quality colostrum to offspring should be pursued on all farms to prevent these losses. Discuss measures with your veterinarian.
Toxicities reported were: cardiac glycoside, gifblaar, inkberry, tulip, Cynanchum, Lantana, Senecio, Acacia nilotica, vemeersiekte, chinkerinchee, rye grass, mycotoxicosis, diplodiosis, syringa berries, water contamination, urea, snake bite, blue-green algae, copper, lead, hypo and glyphosate.
Due to drought conditions numerous animals suffered from protein and energy deficiencies. Downer cows, retained afterbirths, uterine prolapses, dystocia, vitamin A deficiencies and eye problems were reported.
Lung infections in animals were reported from all provinces where dust and fluctuations in temperatures played a major role as contributing factors.
For details of other diseases and conditions read the full report:
https://www.ruvasa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/10-Monthly-disease-report-October-2018.pdf
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