The Dairy Mail - Volume 17, Issue 4, April 2010

Roll of Honour

Power price hikes announced

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Kragsubsidie vir boere ondersoek

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Nuwe plan om boere te behou

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Minimumlone verhoog

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Nog 10 jaar vir grondeise

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Slenkdalkoors eis vee in Vrystaat

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Things looking up for dairy farmers

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Optimism as dairy prices recover

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UK report assesses milk processors

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New dairy cattle welfare code

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Better vaccines against RVF

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USDA rules on organic dairy

Milk production during January 2010 was the same as in January 2009. Production during 2009 was 3,3% less than during 2008. Fewer dairy products were imported during 2009 than during 2008 (-3,3%). Exports decreased by 2,3% compared to 2008. Producer prices are higher than during the same month in 2008. The department of agriculture's farm requisite price index for April 2009 was 1,4% higher than during April 2008.

Good management and maintaining high levels of hygiene, are the keys to good udder health in a herd. Stress leaves the cow more vulnerable to diseases such as mastitis and, on top of production stress, heat stress can further weaken the immune system. The result is a higher susceptibility to infections - of which mastitis is the front-runner.

Throughout history the farmer has had an uphill battle. If it is not the climate, it is politics, bad neighbours, natural disasters, disease or rock-bottom producer prices. When one thing is right, the next obstacle blocks the road to riches. The one saving grace, however, is a love for agriculture. As a dairy producer, this love should run very deep and must be coupled with a healthy outlook on life, a positive attitude and a sense of reality.

Legende word vereer

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Local vs imported dairy

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IDT training in full swing

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Plaaswerf-projek in Wes-Kaap

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The Dairy Mail visits Bloemfontein

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Jeugskou by All Africa Dairy Expo

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Innovasie nodig vir voedselsekuriteit

Milk Producers' Organisation contact details

AADS&E 2010 : 12-16 April 2010, Mentorskraal, Jeffreys Bay

Aan 'n ieder en elk wat voer geskenk het aan medeboere in die droogtegeteisterde Suid- en Oos-Kaap - baie dankie! Elke krieseltjie voer wat ontvang is, het verligting gebring en is met groot vrug aangewend.

The international dairy situation has improved substantially since mid-2009. Agricultural producers can expect higher prices during autumn and winter, but they should be careful as there are still some substantial risks that may influence future prices.

Die Melkprodusente-organisasie (MPO) se Instituut vir Suiweltegnologie (IST) tesame met sy vennote, voorsien landwyd die nuutste inligting en tegnologie aangaande melkbeesboerdery aan kommersiële melkprodusente. By die suiwelinligtingsdae word tersaaklike en nuwe inligting aangaande melkgehalte, dieregesondheid, melkaantekeninge, voeding, weiding en melkwinning voorsien. Werkers van kommersiële melkprodusente word opgelei in melkhigiëne, melkwinning, hittewaarneming en dieregesondheid.

Produsente is maar alte bewus van die implikasies wat die land se wette vir landbou inhou. Maar hoe kan jy verseker dat jou boerdery altyd aan die regte kant van die wet staan? The Dairy Mail het met die Landbouwerkgewersorganisasie (LWO) se Louis Kluin gaan gesels, om meer uit te vind oor die wetlike aspekte van arbeidsverhoudinge in die landbousektor. Louis verduidelik dat daar ten minste vier wette is wat direk op die landboubedryf enarbeidsverhoudinge betrekking het.

While this is not the original 35% hike Eskom applied for, it is still a hefty burden on milk producers, whose input costs are high to start with. Last year, Eskom increased its tariffs by 31%. That, together with the latest tariff increases, will move South Africa from its position as one of the cheapest energy suppliers in the world a few years ago, to one of the top ten most energy-expensive countries.

In the January and Feburary editions of The Dairy Mail, we presented the data for perennial ryegrass evaluation trials at Cedara in KwaZulu-Natal and Outeniqua in the Eastern Cape. The last set of data is from Elsenburg in the Western Cape. It will be noted that perennial ryegrass performs very differently in this a winter rainfall area.

"Dit is wanneer plaaswerkers inkoop in 'n projek omdat daar duidelik en tasbaar vir hulle ook voordeel in is, dat mens weet jou harde werk is besig om vrugte af te werp."

Anders as in die melkbeesbedryf in Suid-Afrika, is melkbokke seisoenale produseerders wat 'n geen-produksie tyd van sowat drie maande elke jaar meebring. Die natuurlike voortplantingsiklus beteken dat telers en melkproduseerders hul besigheid kan beplan volgens hulle ooie se droëen lamtyd. The Dairy Mail het met melkbok- en Jersey-kenner, Poena van Niekerk van Omikron Boerdery, gesels oor melkbokke se teelseisoen.

The correct use of the colostrometer to determine colostrum quality, is essential. The colostrometer is a very simple instrument designed to float in a sample of colostrum.

A cow in standing oestrus is restrained and the bull to be tested is allowed to mount and serve the female as many times as he wants to in a 20-minute period.

Why am I writing about an essentially spring and summer disease in April? There is so much that must be done before the spring, and availability of some of the vaccines, including those for Rift Valley fever, may become a problem before then. So, get in early!

The concentration of somatic cells in milk is directly related to the bacterial infection of the udder. An effective way to monitor the infection status of the herd, is to test the bulk tank somatic cell count (BTSCC) or the individual somatic cell count (SCC) of a cow on a daily basis.