Red Meat / Rooivleis - Volume 7, Issue 3, June 2016

Survey participation: Does holistic planned grazing work in South Africa?

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This is your opportunity to contribute to a national study on grazing intensity and holistic management.

The current drought has been responsible for a great deal of stress on both animals and farmers. While farmers are stressed about their financial situation and the responsibility of maintaining a viable farming enterprise, large numbers of animals are stressed due to a lack of nutrients and energy.

Dit is vir my 'n voorreg om myself voor te stel as die nuwe redakteur van Red Meat/Rooivleis. Ek neem die leisels oor van onse vriendelike Karen Grobler, wat nou redakteur is van ad hoc-publikasies hier by Agri Connect.

RPO-kontakbesonderhede

Trends in weaner prices

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The average price of weaners (190 to 240 kg) in March 2016 was 5,2% lower than in the previous month and 1,4% lower than the predicted price for March in the previous report. The effect of the drought can be seen in the price increase from January to February, compared to the decline in 2015 and also the average price over the past three years. April to June is still the marketing season for calves born at the end of 2015 and prices are expected to remain relatively low in these months.

The world grain market has been oversupplied for years now and, after the release of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report on 12 April 2016, it almost feels that there will be no end to this glut. The report presented a bearish view across all global grain and oilseed commodity prices due to large worldwide supplies. Stocks and production are sitting comfortably high across all commodities. The higher grain production and lower prices will translate into cheaper feed costs, which bodes well for the livestock sector in terms of expansion in production, especially on the intensive side.

SAOG verklaar 'n rampgebied weens droogte

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Gauteng Livestock Census, 2016

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Hersiene lewendehaweinvoerregulasies met buurlande tree teen Julie in werking

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OBP hét nou entstowwe, sien uit om wêreldspeler te word

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Struggling farmers warned of increased veld fires risk

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Inligting rondom voer- en waterhulp

Fokus op veilings

Suid-Afrikaners is vuisvoos geslaan deur die aanhoudende slegte nuus oor korrupsie, die wanbesteding van staatsgeld, die oormatige regulering van die ekonomie en swak leierskap in die openbare sektor. Dog wil dit voorkom of die ekonomie binnekort kan begin kop optel. Daar is goeie redes om moed te hou.

Karkastermynkontrakte verhandel alreeds vier maande lank op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs (JSE) onder die landbouproduktedivisie, oftewel SAFEX. Daar is nog verskeie twispunte rakende die doel van hierdie instrument en hoe dit gebruik kan word. Lees hier oor die werking van termynmarkte en om 'n beter begrip te verkry van die nut wat hierdie tipe kontrakte vir die produsent en die verbruiker inhou.

With the lowest total annual rainfall yet recorded, 2015 was declared the driest year in South African history since 1904 (South African Weather Service). Although large parts of the country received good rains in the first half of 2016, this has done little to alleviate, in the short and medium term, the harsh implications of the drought for many areas. Dry-land crop producers and livestock producers have had to deal with the impact of the drought long before the end consumer felt the brunt of it. The RPO initiated an investigation into the true effects of the drought, as experienced by livestock producers on their farms.

Vrystaat RPO en Skaapvleis SA blink uit by Bloemskou

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Droogte knyp steeds

Kalender 2016

Nie alle veeboere is gelyk geskape nie, maar almal sukkel soms. In Nieu-Seeland het skaapboere die afgelope paar dekades baie werk gedoen om hulle nasionale kudde te verminder en produksie te vermeerder. Dit spreek van toewyding, die praktiese aanwending van nuwe tegnologieë en deursettingsvermoë. Daar was definitief spanning en uitdagings - en gewis ook stres. So hoe hanteer 'n mens stres? In Nieu-Seeland lê sommige hul sorge deesdae skynbaar voor 'n spaghettimonster-god neer. Daar is egter beter maniere.

Labour inspectors are appointed by the Department of Labour to advise employers and employees of their rights and obligations in terms of employment, to conduct an inspection of the workplace and to investigate complaints. Here's what you need to know so that you can be ready when they come knocking.

Daar is deesdae 'n hele rits tegnologieë wat jou kan help om voorkomend op te tree om veeverliese weens predasie hok te slaan.

Mense is geneig om dierewelsyn op plase as 'n bykomstigheid te beskou wat deur dorpsmense aangedryf word. Die werklikheid is egter radikaal anders. Onnodige stres dra tot verliese in produksie en reproduksie by, verhoog diere se vatbaarheid vir siektes en bemoeilik die hantering van vee. Dit kos die boer onnodige geld en kan redelik maklik reggestel word al is dit 'n omvattende aangeleentheid wat nie slegs op enkele faktore berus nie. Nietemin is dit 'n feit: stresvrye diere sorg vir gelukkiger boere en verbruikers.

Sheep's tails are docked for various reasons but new information and renewed concerns for animal welfare invite the question as to whether the practice should be reconsidered.

A group of researchers have shown it is possible to develop an effective multiple suckling, intensified calf-rearing system using pure-bred Jersey cows alongside first-generation (F1) Angus/Jersey crossbred cows. The resulting calves were F1 Angus/Jersey crossbred calves and were shown to have a favourable beef production capacity.

Spanning word veroorsaak omdat jy verwag dat die ergste gaan gebeur en jy nie in beheer gaan wees van die uitkoms nie. Veegesondheid, en spesifiek noodgevalle, is een van die groot oorsake van stres by veeboere. Met goed beplande kuddegesondheid kan noodgevalsituasies egter in 'n baie groot mate voorkom word.

The possibility of improving the rate of reproduction in beef cattle by selecting for an increased rate of twinning has been debated with similar degrees of pessimism and optimism since the early days of animal breeding. The latest research shows twinning can increase cattle beef production, but that it requires a high level of commitment to make it work.

Die RPO het reeds in 2012 besef dat daar 'n gaping in die tersiêre opleidingsomgewing bestaan vir die formele opleiding van jongmense wat hulle in 'n landbourigting wil bekwaam, maar om verskeie redes nie voltyds aan 'n tersiêre inrigting kan studeer nie. Vir hierdie voornemende studente is die BathoPele-diploma beslis iets om te oorweeg.

In die vorige uitgawe (Vol.7, No.2: "Ontmoet die skaapvleisverbruiker" - Deel 1, p.92) is 'n prentjie geskets van hoe die tipiese Suid-Afrikaanse skaapvleisverbruiker lyk. Daar is tot die slotsom gekom dat Skaapvleis SA veral verbruikers in die LSM 8 - 10-groep teiken. Maar hoe besluit mens watter kanale gevolg moet word om met hierdie verbruikers te kommunikeer?

If you want to know where to find South Africa's very best meat, read on... On 14 April the best butcheries both nationally and regionally were announced the winners of the 2016 Cleaver Awards at a luncheon in Isando, Johannesburg, attended by senior members of the meat production and retail industry, award finalists, judges and the media.