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Pig Farming: Back to the Future
It’s 2035, and the changes in the pig industry have been radical! We see an average of 22 piglets per sow born alive with each weaning 18 piglets, amounting to an impressive 44 piglets per sow per year (PSY). Our farm output is at levels that have exceeded all...
Going beyond feed for over 35 years
The Schentke family farm is a third-generation dairy farm located near Thornpark on the outskirts of East London, a region that supplies 20% of South Africa’s milk production. This father and son team boasts a 250-cow herd with followers on a 52 ha area under...
Solving common problems in your broiler house
There are a number of things that could go wrong in your broiler house which could negatively influence the performance of your birds. Luckily there are also easy solutions to these problems. Here we look at some problems and their solutions. Problem: My broilers are...
End-of-sale to house resting: Explaining the 7-day process
Here we look at how a broiler house should be cleaned and maintained in the seven days following the sale of the last bird.
Warning signs of infectious diseases in poultry
Here we will look at warning signs in sick broilers, what preventative measures should be in place and who you should contact.
What is biosecurity and why is it important?
Chickens are highly susceptible to picking up diseases, which makes it vital for broiler farmers to implement biosecurity measures on their farms.
Poultry vaccinations: Here’s what you need to know
Poultry vaccinations are important for the prevention of specific diseases and maintaining your chickens’ optimal health and safety.
Want to know more about the inside of an egg? Egg-cellent!
So you’re interested in learning more about the inside of an egg? Find out how nutrition affects the growth of the eggs that your chickens are producing.
What not to feed your chicken
In this article we look at some of the foods that should not be provided to your free range chicken flock, as well as the reasons why.
What you should know about broilers and layers
Poultry farming, and especially farming with chickens, can be broken into specific industries such as layers, broilers and broiler breeders. Here
‘s what you should know.
How to maintain a healthy poultry house
A poultry house has a number of functions, including protecting your birds from the environment and unfavourable conditions. Here’s what you should know.
Want to learn what chick scoring is? Look no feather!
Chick scoring is important for any hatchery, commercial or otherwise, to evaluate the conformity and vitality of their newly hatched chicks to ensure their health and risk of mortality. In many cases the Pasgar score is the perfect means to objectively examine your...
How to candle an egg
The candling of eggs entails holding an egg up to a light source in order to inspect the contents. For the most part, candling takes place to detect whether eggs have been fertilised or not.
Take a quack at duck farming, here are the benefits
Although not as popular as poultry farming in South Africa, duck farming has a number of advantages and benefits. Ducks are widely available all over the word, and their many breeds make them useful for a number of reasons. Meat and egg production: Like chickens,...
Pregancy Diseases | Hypocalcaemia
Pregnancy toxaemia is also referred to as ketosis and is a metabolic disorder commonly found in pregnant ewes, and may lead to weak lambs or even fatalities
Pregancy Diseases | Pregnancy Toxemia
Pregnancy toxaemia is also referred to as ketosis and is a metabolic disorder commonly found in pregnant ewes, and may lead to weak lambs or even fatalities
Importance of water for livestock
One of the factors that will most impact the intake of feed, is the amount of good quality clean water that the animal has access to.
Breeding Habits of Ostriches
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Like chickens, ostriches are oviparous, which means that they lay eggs that hatch outside of their bodies. But unlike chickens that may lay an egg a day, ostriches have a completely different tactic for hatching young. In this...
Wildlife/ Game Feeding and Supplementation | Part 2
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In their natural environment, wild game species have little need for supplementary feeding. This is because their free-ranging habits enable them to pursue more nutritious grazing and therefore satisfy their nutrient requirements....
Wildlife/ Game Feeding and Supplementation | Part 1
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In their natural environment, wild game species have little need for supplementary feeding. This is because their free-ranging habits enable them to pursue more nutritious grazing and therefore satisfy their nutrient requirements....
Foot-and-Mouth: Why it’s such a big deal
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On 7 January 2019 an outbreak of Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the Vhembe district of Limpopo caused a temporary suspension in the country’s FMD-free status, according to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. With...