Maart / March 2019
NWKV Nuusbrief 71 / NWGA Newsletter 71

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
Facebook
 

HEARTWARMING BOOK TELLS STORIES OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE
 
The Wool-Classer, the Shearers and the Golden Fleece, written by Errol Moorcroft tells of the experiences of a young student at an agricultural college who accompanies a team of sheep shearers as part of his diploma in wool grading.
Can be ordered from David Hilton Barber and costs R240 including delivery.
 
HEILBRON BAAT BY WOLSKAAPREPRODUKSIEKURSUS

Die Vrystaatse dorpie Heilbron het gehoor gegee aan die behoefte van ’n reproduksiegroepering en het hul eerste byeenkoms aan die einde van Februarie gehou. Die 16 deelnemers was vol entoesiasme en NWKV se produksie-adviseur, Bom Louw, is gevra om al sewe modules op een slag met hulle te behandel. Heilbron is een van agt groepe wat in die Suid-Vrystaat gestig is en daar word reeds beplan vir die aanbied van ’n skaaphanteringskursus vir die groep se arbeiders.

Louw spog met 14 reproduksiegroepe wat oor Suid-Vrystaat, KwaZulu-Natal en Mpumalanga strek. Meer as 200 boere neem deel aan die reproduksie-opleidingsprogram, waar belangrike vaardighede aangeleer word om ooikuddes met selfvertroue te bestuur.

 
INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE FULL OF LOCAL SA NEWS

The following uplifting stories feature in the latest edition of the International Wool Textile Organisation’s (IWTO) publication:
 
  • “Save the Sheep”, a community project where a group of women in Sutherland is raising funds to help drought-stricken farmers.
  • “There is a future for wool”, which is the message that IWTO President Peter Ackroyd communicated to South African producers during the Philipstown Maiden Ewe Show in 2018.
  • “The Ram Project”, highlighting the NWGA’s genetic improvement project that is benefiting rural sheep farming communities.
  • “The girl who wanted to shear”, sharing 17-year old Kaylie de Jager’s story, which serves as inspiration to young shearers.
 
Read the digital version of the magazine https://iwto.digitalmag.co.za/issue3/

 
SA WOOL MARKET REMAINS RESILIENT DESPITE CHINA SUSPENSION

Despite China's decision to suspend wool imports from South Africa in February following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in January, the South African wool market remained resilient, underpinned by good demand from Europe.

The Cape Wools Merino indicator closed the month almost unchanged compared with the first sale of the month at R218,17/kg (clean).

Although this is 8,4% down on the opening sale of the season, the indicator is almost 18% above the same sale the previous season.

Economists say wool, as a natural and renewable fibre, is still in demand at retail. But according to the wool five-year forecast of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Outlook 2019, the Australian market indicator (EMI) will cool off slightly in 2019–2020 due to higher than expected volumes of wool coming onto the market as flock rebuilding commences.

It is based on the predicted number of sheep shorn and overall wool production both rising by about two per cent.

However, ABARES projects the EMI to increase again in 2023–2024 due to strong global demand in major wool-consuming markets for high-value woollen textiles and clothing.

It states that major markets such as China, the European Union and the United States will underpin the strengthening of global demand for wool. 

The Australian sheep flock is also predicted to rise by nearly 12 per cent by 2023–2024 to 74,2 million head, compared to the current 66,1 million.
Source – Cape Wools SA

 
NO CHANGE IN EAST CAPE LEADERSHIP

A vote of confidence was evident in the election of NWGA leadership earlier in the month at Aloe Grove Guest Farm in Queenstown, where both the chairman and his two vice chairmen were unanimously re-elected.

During the Annual General Meeting of the East Cape NWGA and RPO, HB van der Walt was re-elected and entered his third year as chairman, while Niel du Preez and Lawrence Maduna are assisting in their capacity as vice chairmen, representing the commercial and communal farmers respectively. Maduna was further elected as vice chairman within the RPO, taking over from Kirmish Dyokolwana.

Close to 50 delegates attended the AGM where both NWGA and RPO delivered respective chair, financial and communal reports.

 
TEN SPYTE VAN NEGATIEWE OMSTANDIGHEDE, IS OOS-KAAPSE WOLBOERE POSITIEF

Oos-Kaap NWKV voorsitter, HB van der Walt, het tydens hul jaarvergadering vroeër die maand verslag gedoen oor aktiwiteite die afgelope jaar.

Produksie-omstandighede is gekenmerk deur strawwe droogte en daar word spesifiek gedink aan die boere in die westelike en suidelike dele waar daar min of geen reën geval het nie. Van der Walt het juis verlede jaar melding gemaak van die effek van die droogte toe hy verslag gedoen het dat produksie in die Oos-Kaap in die 2016/17-seisoen gestyg het tot 18,15 miljoen kilogram. Sy voorspelling was heel akkuraat toe produksiesyfers vir 2017/18 bekend gemaak word en die Oos-Kaap-syfers wys dat wolproduksie gedaal het tot 12,97 miljoen kilogram. Die huidige droogte gaan beslis ’n verdere negatiewe effek in die 2018/19-seisoen hê, sê van der Walt.

Aangesien die aanvraag vir kwaliteitwol steeds hoog is, is dit belangrik dat boere tydens skeertyd in die skeerhok is om klasstandaarde te handhaaf of te verbeter. Met die verbod van woluitvoere na China en die gepaardgaande belangrikheid van naspeurbaarheid, gaan hierdie kritiese bestuurspraktyk asook die algehele handhawing van die Kode van Beste Praktyke al hoe belangriker word.

Op die kommersiële front is daar groot waardering vir produksie-adviseurs Juan Venter en Kobus Grobler om uitvoering te gee aan produksie-adviesdienste, en bestuurslede word aangemoedig om van hulle gebruik te maak. Daar is met groot opgewondenheid verslag gedoen oor meer as 250 boere wat die reproduksiekursus bygewoon het, met positiewe terugvoering oor die inhoud van die kursus.

Within the communal sphere, van der Walt reported that there were 1 195 active shearing sheds that delivered wool during the 2017/18 season. Of these, 943 fall in the communal farming areas in the Eastern Cape, with an estimated 40 000 individual small-scale producers.

Although there are currently 10 production advisers operating in the five regions, concern was expressed over their ability to reach a large number of shearing sheds that require their services to enhance the success of those sheds.

Lawrence Maduna, vice chairman for the EC is one of two emerging farmers who qualified to join the ranks of the commercial breeders who breed genetic material for the ram project. Through the Genetic Improvement Programme, 3 000 quality-bred rams are annually introduced to improve the genetic potential of communal flocks. As a result of this programme, wool statistics show remarkable progress with 5,4 million kilograms valued at R3,8 million being channeled through the formal market.

 
NEW LEADERSHIP FOR THE FREE STATE

The NWGA Free State Provincial Congress, held on 13 March 2019 at Amanzi Private Game Lodge in Brandfort, saw 143 attendees, representing a variety of stakeholders in the wool industry, 102 of whom were producers. The theme for the congress, “New thinking in sustainable wool sheep farming”, was addressed by a variety of specialist speakers.
 
President of the Döhne-Merino Breeders' Association Koos Vosloo shared his knowledge of applying best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) breeding values to improve the accuracy of selection as well as the benefits of sharing good genetic material among group breeders. He further emphasised the importance of organised agriculture to enable farmers to interact with government and the industry.
 
Dr Liezel Wasserman addressed the prevalence and possible treatment of diarrhoea in lambs during the first three weeks after birth. Willie de Jager from Nedbank shared insights into current economic factors pertaining to agriculture, as well as the future demands on resources. Dr Chantelle Erwee from Zoetis addressed the congress on reproduction management principles. Four specialist subjects were presented to all congress attendees in breakaway sessions. Producers enthusiastically engaged in lively discussions with speakers. With the recent focus of wool buyers on the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) and on industry compliance to the Cape Wools Code of Best Practice for the wool industry, Izak Klopper, who has been the NWGA’s shearer training manager since 1997, shared practical experience of effective shearing practices with producers. Jan Louis Venter and Bom Louw, NWGA Free State production advisers, advised producers on reproduction management.
 
Free State farmer Theron Swanepoel, who has enjoyed extensive success with his intensive lambing system, shared practical guidelines for the effective implementation of these systems with producers. Dr Didi Claassen, chief state veterinarian and specialist pathologist from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shared insights into the effect of controlled diseases on the production and export of wool.
 
Herman Archer, a farmer from Trompsburg, who served as Free State deputy chair since 2013, was elected as new provincial chair, and Dennis Louw, a farmer from Jagersfontein, who has served on the NWGA Free State Executive Committee for the past four years, was elected as deputy chair.
Back row (FLTR) – Louis du Pisani (Production Advice and Development Manager), Cobus Uys (WC), HB van der Walt (EC), Othard Klingenberg (KZN), Japie Celliers Jr (MP), Fanie Dippenaar (NC) and Herman Archer (FS)
Middle – Patti Myburgh (Finance Manager), Lawrence Maduna (EC) and Bonita Francis (Communications)
Front – Billy van Zyl (Nat. Vice Commercial), Guillau du Toit (National Chairman), Sipiwo Makinana (Nat. Vice Communal) and Leon de Beer (General Manager)



HEARTBEAT OF THE NWGA

The NWGA Executive Committee welcomed Herman Archer, newly-elected chairman for the Free State into the machine room of the organisation. The Committee comprises national and provincial leadership.

 
FEBRUARY: CHALLENGING MONTH IN TERMS OF ANIMAL HEALTH IN SA

The key points from the February report on livestock disease trends as informally reported by veterinarians belonging to the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa (RuVASA) are:
  • Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) overspill in Limpopo, which has resulted in our losing our FMD-free status. Working hard to regain our free status. Do your part to comply with movement control.
  • Test and vaccinate animals for Bovine brucellosis.
  • Late rains have fallen in many areas, which leads to an increase in internal parasites, ticks and insects.
  • Increase in African and Asiatic redwater, heartwater, anaplasmosis, bluetongue, lumpy skin disease, ephemeral fever.
  • Be prepared for Rift Valley Fever outbreak.
  • Huge African horse sickness outbreak.
  • Be prepared for winter – lack of roughage – read article by Prof. H.O. de Waal.
  • Update vaccination programmes – consult your veterinarian.
 For the detailed report and previous reports go to www.ruvasa.co.za and click on Disease reporting
Copyright © 2019 Agri Connect, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list