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No 09

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Zimbabwe

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BEREIK NUWE HOOGTESMAAK JOU LASTE LIG

Tel: 014 597 1010Faks: 086 531 [email protected]@forkliftsnw.co.za

TF42.7 - 100 P27.6EE P40.17EE - Rowweterrein-teleskopiesehanteerder - 4 200 kg laaikapasiteit - 7,1 m maksimum optelhoogte - 40 km/uur padspoed - Hidrouliese transmissie - 74 kW Kubota turbo-enjin (Tier 3) - 405/70-24” bande

- Kompakte teleskopiesehanteerder - 2 700 kg laaikapasiteit - 6 m maksimum optelhoogte - 40 km/uur padspoed - Hidrouliese transmissie - 55 kW Kubota-enjin (Tier 3) - Spesiaal ontwerp vir enige plaaswerk

- Alle terrein teleskopiesehanteerder - 4 000 kg laaikapasiteit - 16,7 m maksimum optelhoogte - 40 km/uur padspoed - Hidrouliese transmissie - 75 kW Kubota turbo-enjin (Tier 3) - 405/70-24” 14PR bande

BEREIK NUWE HOOGTESMAAK JOU LASTE LIG

www.forkliftsnw.com

Sien ons by Nampo, standplaas D20b

14 - 17 Mei 2019 Bothaville

Take farming to new heights

ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 09 1

Forklifts NW are import-ers and distributors of Merlo agricultural telehandlers. They do not only supply the ma-chines, but also provide expert services on telehandlers. Read more about them on page 3.

ProAgri BNZ is committed to bring-ing our readers the latest updates in

agricultural trends and farming techno-logy. We cover a wide range of farming activities including animal husbandry, crop production, mechanisation, and resource management. Furthermore, we stay updated with the activities of the farmers in Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe to provide our readers with relevant information. This edition of ProAgri BNZ is no dif-ferent. With articles ranging from Isuzu’s aid in the fight against COVID-19 to the introduction of agricultural tele-handlers, grain storage solutions, and cattle handling equipment that promotes traceability. In addition to these, we also have ten articles that provide insight into country-specific farming activities such as tobacco farming in Zimbabwe, pork and poultry production in Botswana, and irrigation principles in Namibia.

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Content

As a modern media agency, our readers can also contact us through our various digital and social media platforms. Visit us on www.proagri.co.za or find us on Facebook at ProAgri Botswana, ProAgri Namibia or ProAgri Zimbabwe. You are welcome to contact us through these interactive platforms if you have any queries or suggestions. For all your agricultural equipment needs, visit www.agri4all.com. Remember that you can also receive our publications in digital form. Whats-App your name, surname, country, main agricultural activity, and e-mail address to +27 (0) 84-041-1722 to receive the magazine directly on your phone.

Farm smartly!Jaco [email protected]

Letter from the Editor

ProAgri

Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved. No material, text or photo graphs may be reproduced, copied or in any other way transmitted without the written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or of the editor. We recognise all trademarks and logos as the sole property of their respective owners. ProAgri shall not be liable for any errors or for any actions in reliance thereon.

Lift your farm to new heights with Merlo and Forklifts NWIsuzu and Nelson Mandela Bay Business take hands in healthcare support initiative How to handle your beef cattle Part 8: Lifting apparatus, field pens, hay racks and watering systemsLet Tal-Tec and eWeigh be your solution for traceabilitySpray to protect your crops Part 9: Take good care of your sprayerInvest in your farm with Ensign Storage SolutionsHow to build a dam Part 7: The core of the dam and construction methodsNew Amazone fertiliser spreader thrills Mpongwe farmersMaking profit from poultry Part 2Pig production guide Part 2: Sound management principlesIrrigation made easy Part 2: What happens with water, air and nutrients?Saving Namibia’s livestock industry Part 4 (b): Different rangeland approaches or case studies/best practicesGrow better tobacco seedlings to boost your cropZimbabwe milk production: Steadily beginning to grow again

3.5.6.

11.12.15.16.21.24.27.32.37.

41.45.

EditorJaco Cilliers > +27 [email protected] Preez de Villiers > +27 [email protected] Ackermann > +27 [email protected] ManagerDiane Grobler > +27 [email protected] Pieterse > +27 [email protected] Smith > +27 [email protected] Strauss > +27 [email protected] Swartz > +27 [email protected] Potgieter > +27 [email protected] ManagerChristiaan Joubert > +27 [email protected] Kruger & Esta van NiekerkEnquiriesEngela Botha > +27 [email protected] Schluter > +27 [email protected] du Plessis > +27 [email protected] EditorAnnemarie Bremner > +27 [email protected] ManagerGeorge Grobler > +27 83 460 0402

577 Rossouw Street,Die Wilgers, Pretoria+27 (0)79 515 8708www.proagri.co.za

ProAgriBotswanaBotswana//NamibiaNamibia//ZimbabweZimbabwe

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Lift your farm to new heights with Merlo and Forklifts NWby Jaco Cilliers

The Turbofarmer range is avail-able from Forklifts NW in Rusten-burg, South Africa. With 24 years of experience they have all the right expertise to service your forklifts and telehandlers, and supply parts and the right advice.

For more information, contact Shawn Harris and his team on +27(0)14-597-1010 or send an e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected].

Telehandlers are normally associ-ated with the mining, construction,

and manufacturing sectors, but they are also a valuable asset to any farm, especially Merlo’s telehandlers that are designed and built specifically for the agricultural sector. They have been market leaders in agricultural forklifts and telehandlers since 1996. One of the simple adaptations that Merlo has made to better suit the ag-ricultural market, is to install a revers-ible hydraulic fan that automatically cleans the radiator and prevents it from being clogged by dust. There are two model ranges that were specifically adapted to suit the agricultural environment: The first is the Multifarmer that is equipped with a three-point linkage, a PTO, hydraulic distribution points and a twenty-tonne capacity towing hook.

The second range is the slightly smaller Turbofarmer that is better suited for the small-scale farmer look-ing to expand his farming enterprise. The Turbofarmer 42,7 has a maxi-mum lifting capacity of 4 200 kg and a maximum lifting height of 7,1 metres. It also has an extended reach of 3,7 meters. The Turbofarmer is powered by the four-cylinder Kubota V380D tier 3 engine which complies with European emission standards. The engine deliv-ers a total power of 74 kW and is more than capable to get the job done. The hydrostatic Merlo transmission comes standard with the Turbofarmer, and allows powerful acceleration, flexible manoeuvring, and engine-con-trolled breaking. With 110 litre hydrau-lic oil tank, there is enough hydraulic fluid to operate all the functions of the telehandler safely and effectively. Rough terrain and small spaces are no problem for the Turbofarmer. With all-wheel drive and differential lock-ing capability, it can go where any conventional tractor would be able to. Furthermore, it also has crab steer which allows easy manoeuvring in tight spaces. All-wheel steering is another standard feature on the Turbofarmer, which allows it to easily navigate any difficult environment. The interior of the cab also has a list of benefits for the driver. It has the big-gest cab in its class and comes stand-ard with the patented Merlo Safety System. The multi-functional armrest allows the operator complete control of the machine. It has an electro-mecha-nical joystick command to allow easier use for the operator. The display panel

informs the operator of all the infor-mation that he needs to operate the machine safely and effectively. The telescopic arm is equipped with the Tac-Lock attachment locking sys-tem as an added safety measure. There is a whole range of attach-ments that can be used on the Turbo-farmer range, including bale forks, loaders, grippers for bales and manure forks with claws.

The boom on the Turbofarmer 42,7 can extend to a maximum height of 7,1 metres and lift a load of up to 4,2 tonnes.

Shawn Harris and Morné Petzer from Forklifts NW will assist you in taking your farm to new heights with the Merlo Turbofarmer telehandler range.

The Turbofarmer is equipped with a rear hook that has a twenty-tonne towing capacity.

4 ProAgri BNZ 09


Isuzu is a partner for the long run, particularly when it comes to becom-

ing proactively involved in providing healthcare support to the local commu-nity during the COVID-19 crisis. The company has initially made its 2 000 square metre Vehicle Conver-sion and Distribution Centre (VCDC) in Markman Industrial Township, in Port Elizabeth available to serve as a centralised logistics and distribution hub for medical supplies required by Nelson Mandela Bay’s hospitals treating COVID-19 patients. Isuzu also oversees the receipt and distribution of medical supplies to the relevant hospitals with a dedicated fleet of trucks. This forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber’s Ubuntu COV-ID-19 initiative – a collaborative ap-proach by businesses in Nelson Mandela Bay to proactively mobilise resources to support emergency response readiness activities in the region. Denise van Huyssteen, IMSAf Cor-porate Affairs, Business Strategy and Legal Executive, and leader of the Busi-ness Chamber Task Teams, said Isuzu ensured that there was visibility and accountability in terms of the handling of the medical supplies, donated by partner organisations and businesses in Nelson Mandela Bay. “The receiving of products into the warehouse was managed by our IT Inventory System, as well as the stor-age and dispatching of orders from the warehouse by a group of Isuzu Supply Chain staff volunteers. This ensured that there has been visibility and ac-

countability in terms of the handling of the medical supplies,” said Denise. With the return of production at Isuzu and subsequent need for operations to return to normal at the VCDC, the medical supplies and equipment have now been moved to global transport and logistics company DSV’s facilities located next door to Isuzu’s Struan-dale plant. “DSV is Isuzu’s logistics and warehouse partner and will continue running the medical supply project in partnership with us,” said Tony Pienaar, General Manager of Supply Chain Man-agement and Quality for Isuzu Motors South Africa. “Critical items such as disposable aprons, sanitisers, respira-tors and face masks are currently being stored at the facility.” Isuzu is involved in a number of other initiatives to support the healthcare fraternity in response to the COVID-19 crisis. In April Isuzu undertook the task of renovating the Livingstone and Pro-vincial hospitals in Port Elizabeth to increase capacity to accommodate COVID-19 patients who require screen-ing, testing and hospitalisation. Isuzu's maintenance team and contractors worked around the clock to deliver the refurbished rooms in only eight days. Livingstone Hospital is the dedicated COVID-19 medical institution for hos-pitalisation in the region and through the company’s efforts an additional 135 beds were created, while the old, decommissioned casualty building at the Provincial Hospital was refurbished to accommodate 25 beds to serve as a

Isuzu and Isuzu and Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela Bay Business Bay Business take hands in take hands in healthcare healthcare support initiativesupport initiative

transfer location for COVID-19 patients. “During this time of crisis, we strong-ly believe that it is important that with our partners and stakeholders we all rally together to do what is in the best interests of the city and its people as a whole,” said Denise. Isuzu has also made 15 pick-ups available to First Rand’s SA Pandemic Intervention and Relief Effort (SPIRE) which is directly assisting the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Health Sciences with the transportation of personal pro-tective equipment and medical supplies to support community health workers. Furthermore, through the company’s ongoing relationship with the humani-tarian relief organisation, Gift of the Givers, Isuzu has increased its vehicle support to the organisation to sup-port its COVID-19 interventions, which include food aid and support for critical medical services on the ground in com-munities across South Africa.

Tony Pienaar, General Manager of Supply Chain Management and Qual-ity for Isuzu Motors South Africa was at the helm of the logistical initiative to transport healthcare equipment to communities across South Africa.

Isuzu can also make a differ-ence on your farm. Visit your nearest dealer or look at the range of transport solutions on www.isuzu.co.za.

6 ProAgri BNZ 09

Lifting apparatus, field pens, hay racks and watering systems

How to handle your beef cattle Part 8:

Winter is upon us and all the summer harvests are almost on the market or in the silos. Soon we shall have more time to spend with our animals. The abovementioned accessories will definitely

make the job easier during the demanding winter months. This is the eighth part in our beef cattle handling series, and this month we look at lifting appa-ratus, field pens, hay racks, and watering systems.


Cows are much more at ease in a dark AI facility. The sides, tops and front are made of non-transparent material, so that the compartment has a dark atmosphere inside, which has a calming effect on the cow. A chain can be hooked in behind her to keep her inside. After insemination she moves through a gate at the front or the side.

Hay racksHay racks must only be used for pro-viding the animals with hay and must be designed in such a way that it limits wastage to the minimum. It must pref-erably be portable. Cattle graze with lowered heads and the hay racks must be placed in such a position that they can graze in the same natural position. If animals take hay from high racks with the head and neck stretched upwards, they tend to waste by pulling the hay down. The animal should poke its head through partitions to get to the hay. To a certain extent, this prevents compe-tition of the intake of feed by lateral thrusting movements of the heads. Figure 3 shows typical high hay racks.

Handling pens After thorough consideration, vari-ous components of handling pens can be combined to provide for specific requirements.

Field pens In the commercial cattle industry, it is sometimes convenient to have a num-ber of handling pens in the field. The handling pens make it easier to handle the cattle because they can be handled in the field and do not have to walk great distances to get to handling pens.

Lifting apparatus for lame cattle Many animals become lame and find it difficult to rise. It is usually caused by disease or a poor nutritional condition or the nerves in the pelvis which were bruised after difficult calving. If the animal should remain lying down, the blood circulation is cut off as a result of pressure, which in turn will cause muscle degeneration. The end result will be that, even if the original disease is cured, the animal will still not be able to rise to its feet as a result of the muscle degeneration. The other problem is that the urine and solid excretions must be discharged as normally as possible, namely in the standing position. It is therefore necessary to use the lifting apparatus to keep the animal in the standing position until the disease is cured. It is, however, very important that most of the weight must be carried by the chest portion of the animal and not the abdominal part. Figure 1 shows the construction of the lifting apparatus.

Artificial insemination When artificial insemination (AI) has to be done in a handling complex, a separate crush with the AI facility should be used. The AI facility can also be installed in the hospital camp. The reason therefore is that animals associ-ate the normal crush with instruments such as neck clamps and tilting tables which may sometimes cause pain. This association makes the cow more anxious, and this results in a lower conception rate. Figure 2 shows a typi-cal AI facility. It is essential that the AI facility should be designed and constructed in such a way that the handler has easy access to the animal.

Figure 1: Lifting apparatus.

Figure 2: AI facility

8 ProAgri BNZ 09

from region to region and the figures are not rigid. Table 1 shows the water requirements of cattle under normal circumstances. Total number of cattle dependent on a drinking trough If more than one water point per camp is provided, the water requirement can be distributed over all the water points. Table 2 can be used as a directive for

Table 1: Water requirements of cattle under normal circumstances.

Table 2: Water distribution over watering points.

These pens are simple to use and can easily be erected at watering points in the camps. Cattle usually gather near watering points and will then be close to the pen to be handled. Such a handling facility usually consists of a crush with a neck clamp, sorting pens and a water trough. If possible, a pen should be placed in a spot where it can serve a number of camps. A four-camp or six-camp system can therefore be provided with a single field pen with a watering point. If there are only loose camps, the pen can be laid out in such a way that it has two watering points to serve two separate groups of cattle at a single pen.

Stock watering systemsEach stock watering system usually consists of: • The water source − this is either a

borehole, a fountain or a perma-nent stream.

• Inlet pipe to the main storage location.

• The distribution network to the water troughs − this can include interruptions, pressure releases and buffer reservoirs.

Water requirements of cattle A number of factors, including the time of the year and the nature of the grazing, influence the quantity of water that cattle need daily. It also varies

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Table 1: Water requirements of cattle under normal circumstances

Type of cattle Water requirements per head per day

Small stock 5 Litres

Large stock 50 Litres

Lactating milking cow 90 Litres

Ostrich 10 Litres

Table 2: Water distribution over watering points

Number of water pointsPercentage of stock loading for

which provision must be made at each water point

One 100%

Two 66%

Three 50%

Four 33%

Five 25%


Figure 4: A field pen where cattle can be handled with ease.

Figure 3: Typical high hay rack.

Next month we shall widen our horizons by looking at the handling of cattle in large-scale commercial farming.

Published with acknowledge-ment to the ARC Agricultural Engineering for the use of their Beef cattle handling manual. Visit www.arc.agric.za for more information.

the distribution. It shows the percent-age of the total number of cattle per camp dependent on each water point.

Watering times for cattle The quantity of water needed at a drinking trough daily is determined by the type and number of cattle that drink there. The daily drinking time is determined by the grazing habits of the animals, which are determined by the camp sizes. In large camps, cattle tend to graze in herds and then go and drink as a herd. Drinking takes place in a relatively short time. The water provision network must then be able to provide the full water need of all the animals in the herd in a short time. For design purposes, a time span of four hours, or five litres per animal per hour, is recommended.

In smaller camps, the tendency to herd forming is lower. The animals are usually near the drinking troughs and sufficient water must be provided per day. Ten hours of drinking time per day is recommended for design purposes.

10 ProAgri BNZ 09

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Create a better future for your livestock by knowing your animal's

history. Be part of the solution in the world’s food value chain by enhanc-ing the traceability in the livestock industry through the use of eWeigh and iLivestock powered by Tal-Tec. By just marking your animals with your registered brand mark and a numbering system, you can start the process of creating a database on your farm. Tal-Tec has a solution to manage this data system/application namely iLivestock and eWeigh. iLivestock is a smartphone app that connects wire-lessly to your scale and reader. Your ear tags, brand mark or electronic tag can be recorded onto your smart-phone.

Let Let Tal-TecTal-Tec and eWeigh and eWeigh be your solution for be your solution for traceabilitytraceability

With iLivestock and eWeigh you can weigh, upload a photo and then store the animal's number along with all the necessary information. Typical infor-mation that can be stored includes gestation periods, when the cow will calf, birth dates, inter-calving periods, calving weight and calf number. Even GPS coordinates can be stored so you can track where you last worked with your animals or where they originate from. You can also record the geneal-ogy of your herd. All the calf's information can be re-corded from weaning weight, weaning date or days to weaning. Daily weight gain and inoculation schedule are some of the many fields of data that can be captured. Tal-Tec is South Africa's leading manufacturer of innovative livestock equipment. Designed and manufac-tured at their factory in Brits in the North West Province of South Africa, all their products are built to withstand the rigorous conditions experienced by farmers in Africa. Equally important to Tal-Tec is that they listen to their customers and con-tinually implement improvements and enhancements to the tried and proven products. The result is an unmatched range of productive, durable products for livestock farmers. If it carries the Tal-Tec brand, you can be sure it carries a guarantee of superior quality and reliability. Tal-Tec serves the local and regional markets of Southern Africa, but also welcomes

Greg Talbot, owner of Tal-Tec shows what you need to use the eWeigh system. The cattle crate, eWeigh instrument, ear tags and ear tag reader are all you need to receive the information on your phone.

The latest technology allows you to trace your cattle’s growth every time they are weighed by storing the data digitally.

Tal-Tec has been supplying farmers with durable cattle handling equipment since 1972.

For more information phone Tal-Tec on +27(0)12-250-2188 or +27(0)66-299-7939, or send an e-mail to [email protected] and visit the website for the full pro-duct range at www.taltec.co.za.

enquiries from other parts of the Afri-can continent. Tal-Tec has been in operation since 1972 and has always kept up with the latest demands from the agricultural market. That is why they have adapted to the new demand of traceability us-ing the iLivestock and eWeigh systems. Tal-Tec is dedicated to providing quality products that meet the changing needs of cattle farmers throughout Southern Africa. So, be a leader in the livestock trace-ability field with Tal-Tec and eWeigh.

12 ProAgri BNZ 09

Spray to protect your crops Part 9:

Take good care of your sprayerCompiled by J Fuls (Pr Eng)

Malfunctioning equipment causes end-less frustration, financial losses and

takes the joy and pleasure out of farm-ing. This month we look at the correct procedure on how to take good care of your sprayer. A preventative approach is much smarter than endless repairs. Taking care of your sprayer is very simple and the procedure can be simplified in a few easy steps:

Repair before it breaksWhen something goes wrong, immedi-ately stop spraying and repair the prob-lem. When something small is wrong, it is often possible to repair it without any costs. But when something breaks, it will quite likely cost money to repair. Apart from that, your job will stand still while you wait for spare parts. Keep your sprayer cleanIt is important that the sprayer is washed after every day’s work. Some

Photo: geoff-thomas.com

Your eyes can tell you if something is wrong. Look out for leaks, parts that do not fit well anymore or any-thing that looks suspicious.

Feel how it works. If the handling starts feeling strange, something is beginning to go wrong.

Always listen to your machine. One’s ear is a good tool to find out if everything is still going well. Pay attention to strange noises.

chemicals can leave some dust-like particles inside the sprayer, which may be difficult to clean later. It can also cause some parts to stick. This can cause problems when you want to use the sprayer again.


Rinse the sprayer at least three times.

Make sure it is properly clean.

Remove the nozzle.

Without the nozzle, pump the sprayer very fast to rinse the spray lance and the pump.

Cleaning the sprayer nozzle with wire might damage it permanently. Rather use the hairs of a paint brush to clean the nozzle of debris.

Next month we shall look at the steps to follow to calibrate your sprayer. Published with acknowledgement to the ARC Agricultural Engineering for the use of their manuals. Visit www.arc.agric.za for more information.

Cleaning the nozzle

Apply some grease to the moving parts.

14 ProAgri BNZ 09

Jaco: +27 82 577 8506Esmari: +27 61 342 5566Madalain: +27 83 625 0110Johan: +27 79 818 7714Riaan: +27 79 418 6601

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Invest in your farm withEnsign Storage Solutions

Storing grain on your farm has many benefits. You can keep the grain and

wait for the market price to rise. You also save money on the storage costs you would have to incur to store grain in the co-op silo. Installing your own grain storage facility on your farm is an investment that will pay for itself over time. Ensign Storage Solutions has been a manufacturer and distributor of high-quality storage solutions since 2018. They also specialise in grain handling equipment and water storage products, grain hopper bins as well as automated sheep systems for feedlots. Ensign Storage Solutions relies on their engineering ingenuity and reliability to provide the highest quality products to the Southern African market. Their service is supported by their expert knowledge of the complexities in the grain storage business. Although the company is fairly young, their staff has more than 50 years’ combined ex-perience in the grain and water storage industry. Ensign Storage Solutions can assist any farmer who wants to store his grain to sell at a later stage should it be short term or long term. Different products are available for the different required storage periods. Their solu-tions can be applied to the commercial farmers as well as the small to medi-um-scale farmers. Their products are tailored around the needs and wants of the different scale of farming. One such solution is the mesh grain dam, that consist of a re-enforcing mesh with PVC tarp and PVC top cover. The farmers place the harvested produce in these grain dams to assist with farm loading of trucks and for short term storage until the truck can load. This ensures that harvesting continues without delay. Many farmers use this method to streamline farm loading and to prevent delays in the harvest due to transport availability. The farmer can therefore ensure that the grain comes off the land and is kept in the grain dams until the grain can be transport-ed to the different destinations. The PVC Material used to line the grain dams ranges from 500 gsm to 800 gsm, depending on the applica-tion and request from the farmer. All PVC material used is formulated with UV-stabilisers to assist in the longevity of the product. Unique solutions can

be tailored according to the different needs of the clients. Ensign Storage Solutions manufacture and supply farmers and large co-ops with grain augers for handling grain. There are different models of augers available depending on the needs and applications of the farmers. The stand-ard sizes available are:• 9 metre 40 TPH electrical• 12 metre 40 TPH electrical• 9 metre 40 TPH hydraulic• 12 metre 40 TPH hydraulic

Custom built sizes and capacities are also available on request. These grain storage solutions can be erected for temporary use. Once it is empty, the farmer can remove the auger, fold up the canvas and store it away until the next season when it can be easily erected again. The more permanent structures are built using high-quality 0,8 mm Aluzinc corrugated steel. These structures can easily hold anything from 50 to 150 tonnes of grain. They also provide larger solutions for groups of farmers or co-ops. In this category they are able to supply and construct conventional silos that are built with coated steel and can hold up to 10 000 tonnes of grain. There are also grain bunkers available that has a 250-micron silex plastic ground sheet and 0,8 mm Aluzinc side barriers. The bunker can be covered with a 700 gsm, UV-stabilised ice blue PVC canvas and can hold up to 20 000 tonnes of grain.

For more information visit their website www.ensignss.com or contact Thoniel van der Walt directly on +27(0)72-212-9273.

Ensign SS has a range of water storage solutions that include these water dams built with high quality, 0,8 mm Aluzinc and a corrugated zinc roof. These dams are available in sizes ranging from 3 m to 15 m in diameter with a hight of 1,55 m or 2,3 m.

by Jaco Cilliers

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused havoc in most of the operations of businesses in the SADC region, except those in the agricultural industry. Ensign Storage Solutions continued with their full range of operations even during the most severe restrictions. They have obtained all the necessary permits and COVID-19 prevention procedure certificates in order to pro-vide their excellent service to farmers throughout the region.

The wire mesh dams are built with 6 mm galvanised steel mesh to provide a sturdy structure which is lined with 550 gsm UV-stabilised PVC and has a capacity of 130 tonnes.

16 ProAgri BNZ 09

The core must consist of the densest available material at the site, such

as clay. The material must be moist and well compacted or rolled in thin layers of uniform thickness. If the clay is too wet, the wall will be unstable. The different layers must be built up consecutively as quickly as possible. The core is built up in the centre of the wall for maximum compression, symmetrical sagging and for the best connection with a possible pit wall. Cross sections must remain constant over the entire length of the main wall to prevent unequal sagging. The core must be of sufficient length as the site dictates.

Treating a permeable dam basin• Lay a thick blanket over the entire

basin as indicated in Figure 1. • If the basin is extremely porous,

lay a layer of soil beneath the blan-ket.

• If the soil in the basin consists of sand, clay and silt, plough 250 mm to 300 mm deep when moist and consolidate with animals or mechanically.

• Compact naturally by means of silt deposits.

Drainage of the toe of the wallThe seepage line through the wall is intercepted by a filter drain. It reduces the danger of failing (Figure 2).

The core of the dam and The core of the dam and construction methodsconstruction methods

Water Wise farmers build earth dams: Part 7

Figure 1: Blanket of impervious soil.

The construction method

General guidelines• The topsoil must remain uniformly

moist at optimum moisture quality during construction. It must nei-ther be too wet nor too dry.

• It must be 2% below optimal mois-ture condition for good compac-

tion. To obtain an equal moisture distribution, the use of a sprinkler irrigation system is recommended.

• Build up the earth wall uniformly in layers of 100 mm to 250 mm thick and compact the soil thoroughly to ensure maximum density. For permeable building soil, the layers must not be thicker than 250 mm


and for clay soil, not thicker than 100 mm.

• The wall should be built slightly concave in cross section and hori-zontal or convex in the length of the wall (Figure 7).

• The subsequent layers must not differ much in texture and thick-ness, and must be built up over the entire length of the wall. Change the routes of heavy ma-chinery over the wall to ensure good compaction, or use special implements.

• The soil against the shoulder wall, key wall, cut-off walls and around the pipes must be selected dense material and must be thoroughly compacted by hand or mechani-cally in thin layers at optimum moisture content.

• All concrete or masonry work must be sloped slightly on the earthwork side to ensure proper compaction of soil against it.

• Take care that heavy implements do not damage concrete works.

Use of a tractor and scoop for building earth dam wallsThe following explanation rests on the assumption that the foundation is dense and the building soil of good quality. According to measurements indi-cated on the plan, the base that will be covered by the wall is carefully marked on the site with firmly planted, easily noticeable pegs. The first step in the construction, as mentioned before, is the clearing and preparation of the base of the dam wall. Trees and shrubs are removed. The base is then ploughed, and the en-tire layer of humus is removed. A depth of 200 to 300 mm is usually sufficient. This humus rich material is kept away from the building activities, usually directly downstream of the wall. It is later placed over the entire wall as a final layer. The entire base of the wall is then ploughed again. The coarse surface ensures a good joint between the floor

Figure 2: Drainage from toe of wall.

Heavy implements at work building a dam wall.

Remove and keep any humus far away from the wall during construction.

18 ProAgri BNZ 09

and the building material of the wall. The key trench is then excavated. The key trench is dug on the centre line over the entire length of the wall. The bottom width of the trench for a tractor dam scoop is approximately 3 m. The depth is usually 0,6 m to 1,0 m in the firm soil and the side slopes a minimum of 1 : 1. The purpose of the key trench is to prevent seepage between theoriginal soil and the soil of the dam wall. The soil in the cut-off trench can be used for building the wall. The actual building of the wall can be started on the coarsely ploughed floor next to the key trench, after it has been moistened and thoroughly consolidated. Building soil taken from the dam basin must be taken from at least two locations on both sides of the water course. The loading locations must first be pre-pared. The humus rich topsoil is also kept aside for the final rounding off of the wall. The haulage circuit must be planned thoroughly in a route forming a figure of eight as clearly demonstrated in Figure 3.

The following points are important to ensure efficient and economic work:• If the building soil at the loading

location is hard, it must first be broken with a heavy plough or if possible, with a ripper. If practi-cally possible and feasible and if the moisture content of the soil is too low, wet the soil at the loading location thoroughly beforehand. It is a more efficient method than wetting the soil on the wall.

• Always fill the scoop slope down-wards. It ensures full loads and requires less power. By loading slope downwards, a desirable mix-ing of the soil, which may differ at various depths, is obtained.

Figure 3: The building cycle

Figure 4: Compaction layers and flow lines.

• Load in thin, equal layers, usually 200 mm thick, on a straight route.

• Plan and do excavations and wall fillings in such a way that good drainage is always ensured in case of unexpected rains.

• Load as quickly as possible without overloading the tractor. Load only until the scoop is full.

• Eliminate all unnecessary turns.• Gear changing must be done as

quickly as possible and the correct gear must be selected. Avoid very steep routes.

• The road from and to the borrow-ing area must be well planned and adhered to. The distance to travel must be as short as possible with-out steep slopes, dips, wet patches

and turns, and must be level and hard.

The benefits of a good hauling route are as follows:Minimum wear of the unit, comfort for the driver, higher speed and less kilo-watt needed because of lower rolling resistance, while more cubic metres of soil per hour can be moved.

• Good compaction is obtained by continuously adjusting the path of the implements over the wall.

• As previously mentioned, the lay-ers must not be thicker than 100 mm to 250 mm, (preferably only 100 mm thick). The layers must be placed as shown in Figure 4.


• Ensure good joints between old and new layers after interruptions.

• Moist soils usually reduce the power needed to load the scoop. Therefore, avoid too wet or too dry soils.

Settling of the earth wallProvision must be made for gradual settling of the dam wall during con-struction. Even if the wall is built under favourable conditions, namely of good building soil with the correct mois-ture content, thoroughly placed and compacted, there will still be a meas-ure of settling of the wall, which is in direct relation to the wall height and represents about 5% thereof. Build-

Plant kikuyu grass all over the dam wall to stabilise it.

ing conditions on the farm are not that favourable, and it is practice building the dam wall 10% higher. The construction height of the wall must therefore be sufficient to ensure the minimum total board for which the dam was designed after settling of the wall and foundation.

Protection of the earth wallEvery earth wall is subject to deteriora-tion because of rain, wave action, tram-pling, and wind erosion. Precautions must be taken against deterioration:• Round off the wall in all cases. It

prevents concentration of water on the wall.

• If the climate is favourable, cover the wall 0,2 to 0,3 m thick with a layer of the humus rich topsoil from the base of the wall and the dam basin, which was kept

Animals near the dam can pose a problem.

aside. Fertilise this upper layer and stabilise vegetation such as kikuyu grass to protect the earth wall against rain drop erosion, run-off, and wind erosion. No trees or shrubs should be planted on or near the wall. If such a tree would die, its roots will rot and will leave pipes that can lead to seepage and failure of the wall.

• In dry regions, where efficient plant establishment is not possible, cover the wall in its entirety with a 150 mm layer of gravel and stone.

• One of the following methods can be used to protect the water side of the wall against wave actions:

• Cover the surface with a layer of gravel 150 mm to 200 mm thick and pave with stones.

• Design and build the wall with a flatter waterside slope. Cover the surface with a layer of humus-rich topsoil and stabilise suitable vegeta-tion such as kikuyu on it if the climate is suitable.

• Also protect the bare borrowing lo-cations against erosion, especially outside the dam basin.

• Stock should have no access to the dam site, including the outlet ter-rain and basin of the dam.

Next month we shall look at the connection between an earth wall and a weir, and the enlargement of a dam. Published with acknowl-edgement to the ARC Agricultural Engineering for the use of their manuals. Visit www.arc.agric.za for more information.

20 ProAgri BNZ 09


Contact your nearest authorised Falcon and Amazone dealer. Visit www.falconequipment.co.za to view the other machines that help the farmer to gain bigger yields while saving time and money.

Besides keeping Zambia abreast of the latest agricultural technological

equipment, the new version of the Ger-man manufactured Amazone fertiliser spreader has put large smiles on the faces of the farmers using them. The latest Amazone fertiliser spread-er offers high output, precise spreading patterns and consistent application. It is not on the lower end of the price scale, but the farmers do not mind be-cause it pays for itself in no time. Agrivision Zambia, Somawhe Estate in the Mpongwe farming block of the Copperbelt Province was commissioned by former president Dr Kenneth Kaun-da in 1987. The 4 000-hectare farm with a workforce of 170 employees grows soya beans, maize, and wheat. Last December Agrivision Zam-bia, Somawhe Estate added a second ZG-TS spreader to its fleet and Bruce Robinson, the Crop Protection Manager, does not regret the decision. “The reason why we have gone with it is its ability to be highly accurate in the field. The more accurate you are with your fertiliser, the less you have to apply and the better your yields are because the more uniform the spread, the better the yield,” he explains. “The nice thing about these machines is that they are exceptionally

reliable; the technology that has gone into it is huge. The working parts have been simplified as well, so lots of technology and work simplification makes breakdowns very minimal. In terms of breakdowns and maintenance on these machines, provided we keep the machines clean and we do not do anything out of their scope, we generally don’t have a problem." Robinson says the new machines take under 30 minutes to load, cali-brate, and prepare for the field with the push of a few buttons, whereas the older versions took almost three hours. “The older machines never quite get it hundred percent, but with these machines you get it pretty close. If you spread uniformly in the field, you get a uniform grade. And when it is easier to spread, it is easier to manage your crops in general,” he explains. Fur-thermore, Robinson observes that the technology in the spreaders makes it easier and quicker for the operator to find spreading programmes for various fertilisers. He believes that despite their cost, the latest Amazone spreaders can pay back their money within a single farm-ing season. "This is our first full season using this. We have not done a cost analysis, but just on the virtue of the uniformity of the crop that has come up compared to the older one, you can see a differ-ence,” he says. Robinson has some advice for farmers who may not be too keen on getting spreaders: “If they are plan-ning on going for something that suits their pocket in the older range, they are doing themselves an injustice. Find the money and go for something better because in the long run it saves money, it saves time in the field, works more efficiently, and makes them more productive at the end of the day. And this machine will pay for itself within a short time,” he says. Just next door, Zambeef also has

Save time and money while increasing yields:New Amazone fertiliser spreader thrills Mpongwe farmersNew Amazone fertiliser spreader thrills Mpongwe farmers by Salim Dawood

an exciting fleet of its own Amazone spreaders. Like Agrivision Zambia, Somawhe Estate, Zambeef Mpongwe grows soya beans, maize, and wheat on part of its 11 000-hectare farm. Bruno Mweshi, Zambeef's Mpongwe Arable Farm Manager, says the farm has been using Amazone spreaders since 2016. “The previous machines we used had a lot of parts that needed to be calibrated manually, but with these you simply touch a button to open the gate and change your settings. They are fully computerised and that entails efficiency. It is making our life easier,” Mweshi declares. "The savings we get on time - the time we save on calibration and ap-plying fertiliser - is a benefit on its own. If we spread our fertilisers at the correct moment, the crop will benefit and at the end of the day the tonnage will improve. Therefore, the cost of the machine cannot be compared to what we are gaining in terms of yield.”

Somawhe Estate Crop Protection Manager, Bruce Robinson, is all smiles while operating the ZG-TS 10001 ProfisPro Amazone spreader.

One of the many Amazone ZG-B 8200 Drive spreaders on the Zambeef farm contributing to precision farming.

Somawhe Estate Arable General Manager, Mark Butler, is impressed with the benefits of the new ZG-TS 10001 ProfisPro Amazone spreader every time he walks through his wheat field.

22 ProAgri BNZ 09


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Making profit from poultry Part 2:by Jaco Cilliers

Capital investment is needed for any business. It can often be very

expensive with larger types of live-stock, but it does not have to cost a lot of money to start your broiler busi-ness. Basic equipment can be bought or made from available material. Your ability to manage the broilers effec-tively will play the biggest role in the success of your business.

EquipmentThere are two basic necessities when it comes to broiler production. They need to have adequate feeders and drinking apparatus. Ensuring that the chickens have enough clean water is essential to their survival. The quality and avail-ability of feed has a significant impact on the growth rate, which translates to more money in your pocket in the long run. Feeders need to be closed at the top to ensure that no other foreign objects can be mixed with the feed.

BroodingBrooding means taking good care of small, vulnerable chicks. Chick deaths are very common during their first ten days of life. During this time, you need to ensure that there is enough heat in the coup, especially at night. This is a term which means, keeping chicks warm and comfortable. When your baby chicks arrive, they

Young chicks are very vulnerable to cold. You can expect mortalities of up to 5 per 100 during the first three weeks.

The success of your broiler pro-duction will mostly depend on the quality of the management. Keeping records is an essential part of poul-try farm management.

will need special care. This is the time when you can expect a few chicks to die. In tropical countries it may not be necessary to provide extra heat dur-ing the day but only at night and then only for the first 10 days. Dead chicks should be removed and buried in a hole

in the ground. Sick and weak chicks should be kept separately and given special care.

Health and disease prevention Chickens are fragile and can get sick very easily especially when they are young. There are two major sources of disease:Diet if not correctly formulated can result in the bird getting a metabolic disease due to a nutrient deficiency (vitamins or minerals). Other diseases are caused by minute organisms called bacteria and viruses. It is often necessary to treat the chicks with a vaccine as soon as they hatch which allows them to resist the disease if it occurs. This is normally done at the hatchery. Newcastle disease is present in many countries and chickens need to be vaccinated more than once.

Commercial broiler meat productionChicken meat is very popular through-out the world. It is seen as a healthy meat that is low in fat and rich in pro-tein (lean meat). To prepare for the chicks’ arrival, it is best that you have a time plan or schedule to ensure that:• the house will be thoroughly

cleaned and disinfected.• there are no shavings or litter on

the floor.


• the brooder heater is checked and adjusted (if there is one).

• feeders and drinkers are in place; chicks usually look for water first.

• a small amount of starter feed is scattered on paper on the floor of the brooder so that the chicks can start to eat.

• For the first 7-10 days the chicks will be brooded. Broiler chickens can grow very fast but only when well looked after and given good feed.

• After 3 weeks of age when the house temperature is less than 28 - 30˚C, they grow best. In the tropics, the temperature is nor-mally above 30˚C in the daytime so they will grow a bit slower than usual.

Some chickens will die in the first week, particularly those that are small and weak. You must remove and bury them immediately. You can expect to lose at least 4 - 5 chicks out of 100 in the first 3 weeks. Another two may die later. Mortality can be much higher especially if management and housing conditions are poor. Some broilers, as they get older, may become lame and are unable to walk and get to the feeders. This is partly a breeding problem but may be reduced by slowing growth in the second week by limiting feed intake for a week. Ideally, chicks should be given a bought formulated diet. A commer-cial starter diet should be purchased and fed for at least the first 10 days because they need to get off to a good start. They will have eaten only about 250 g of feed during this time. A grower diet will then be intro-duced by mixing what remains of the starter diet with an equal amount of the grower diet. This will mean that they can adjust easily to the new feed. When the mixture is finished, feed the chicks grower feed only. Check chicks several times a day to see that they are comfortable and have feed and water. Check your chickens frequently. They do not like it too warm. It will be helpful if you have weigh-ing scales so that you can weigh feed given to the chickens and get the live weight of a sample of 10 birds every two weeks caught with a simple leg catcher. This will tell you how well your chickens are performing. Weight gain is weight of bird divided by age in days then divided by the total number of birds to obtain the average weight gain of one bird. Feed efficiency is feed consumed (kg) during a fixed number of days divided by the total weight of all birds (kg) consuming that amount of feed. As a guide, the aver-age weight of your chickens at 6 weeks should be 1 600 g and at 7 weeks 1 750 g. Feed efficiency should be under 2.5 kg feed for 1 kg of weight gain at 7 weeks of age.

MarketingSelling your chickens profitably is es-sential. You can sell them:• alive on a bird or on a weight basis• through a middleman who will take

some of your profit for himself• dressed, plucked, eviscerated

(guts) and organs (lungs, liver, heart) removed.

• to an abattoir for processing• In some regions you will not have

all of these choices.

ManureChicken litter will produce very valu-able manure rich in nutrients. You can:• use it on your garden• make it into a compost• sell it

The mortality rate will decrease as the chickens get older.

Manure not only provides plant nutri-ents but importantly organic matter for the soil, this allows the soil to breathe.

Record keepingIt is essential that you keep good records of feed used, dead birds and the final weight of the chickens. These records will then be used to determine if you made a profit or a loss.

The information used in this article is credited to the training manuals provided by the South African Poultry Association. For more information visit their web-site www.sapoultry.co.za or phone them on +27(0)11-795-9920.

26 ProAgri BNZ 09


Pig production guide Part 2:Sound Management PrinciplesSound Management Principlesby EH Kemm

The management of a business plays a crucial role in its success or fail-

ure. Even more so when dealing with livestock. Managing the different types of feed of animals at different ages, keeping up with the tasks that need to be performed during the stages of pro-duction and record keeping are among the vital aspects of pig production. This guide will provide you with some help-ful hints on managing your pig farm properly.

Piglets from birth to weaningAlmost 50% of the pigs that die on a farm die before they are 14 days old. Good management in the farrowing house, where the piglets are born and kept for the first 28 to 35 days of their lives is therefore of utmost impor-tance. Remember to keep the piglets dry and in a draught-free pen or box where the temperature is high and does not change much. The farrowing pen must be designed

in such a way that the sow cannot lie on top of the piglets. New-born piglets are very sensitive to cold, draughts, wet bedding and floors as well as sud-den changes in temperature. Ensure therefore that everything possible is done to prevent piglets from being exposed to these conditions. A farrowing crate for the sows and a creep area for the piglets should be provided to prevent or reduce deaths as a result of piglets being trampled by the sow or as a result of cold, draughts, etc. Make sure that all piglets suckle a teat as soon as possible after birth to take in colostrum. The first milk produced by the sow immediately after the piglets are born is known as colostrum. It plays an important role in the protection of the piglets against diseases during the first few weeks of their lives. If a sow has more piglets than the number of teats she has, the extra

piglets can be placed with another sow with a smaller number of piglets. This can only be done if the piglets of the sows are born within a few days of each other. Sometimes a sow does not accept her own piglets, usually as a result of birth shock. If this happens, the piglets can be taken away from the sow for a few hours. If she still refuses to accept them, they should be placed with an-other sow if possible. Sows that do not accept their piglets or bite them, must rather be slaughtered. If another sow is not available to rear the rejected piglets, they can be reared artificially. It does, however, take time and hard work, because the piglets do not always grow and perform well. Feed the piglets small quantities

Lactating sows need special care to ensure that they can provide enough and good quality milk to their piglets.

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every 2 to 3 hours. Start by giving 50 ml each time they are fed, so that each piglet takes in 350 ml per day. Gradu-ally increase the quantity to about 100 ml so that each piglet gets 750 ml at three weeks of age. Provide creep meal in a shallow dish or on the floor from two weeks onwards to encourage the piglets to eat meal as soon as possi-ble. Fresh, clean water must always be available in a shallow dish. The piglets should drink water as soon as possible.

Management of the specific treatment of pigletsUmbilical cordDisinfect the umbilical cord after birth with an iodine solution or any other suitable disinfectant to prevent bacte-rial infection.

Tusk clippingPiglets have very sharp temporary tusks (or teeth) at birth which must be clipped to prevent injuries to the teats of the sows during suckling. Use a tusk clipper and do not clip the teeth too close to the gums.

Iron injectionsThe milk of the sow does not provide enough iron to piglets that are reared on concrete floors. Piglets must there-fore be injected with iron when they are three to seven days old to prevent them from becoming anaemic which results in poor appetite and growth

until they start eating meal. In order to handle the piglets as little as pos-sible, clip the tusks and give the iron injection at the same time, about three days after birth.

Water and feedClean, fresh water placed at the back of the pen where the piglets will learn to dung is very important. The sooner they start to drink water the better. Two to three weeks after birth they will start to nibble on feed placed away from the water near the creep area. Creep feed is expensive, and they will not eat much before weaning, there-fore only small quantities of feed must be given from two to three weeks of age. Increase the daily quantity gradu-ally when they start eating to prevent wastage.

Sow managementGood management is necessary to pro-duce a maximum number of pigs that can be sold per sow in one year's time at a maximum profit for the farmer. The management skills of the farmer determine to a large extent how many piglets are reared, how long it takes to rear them to market weight and the cost involved. A farmer with good man-agement skills will:• Feed his pigs correctly, which

means that he will have to know what and how much the pigs must be fed.

• Build pig houses that are efficient and planned in such a way that management is made easier.

• See to it that the pig houses and pigs are kept clean under hygienic conditions to prevent and control diseases.

• Use good breeding material that will breed pigs that are able to grow fast, have carcasses with well-developed muscles (meat) with as little fat as possible and use their feed efficiently.

• Supervise daily and keep records so that it will be easy to make sure that everything that needs to be done is carried out.

Pregnant sowsSows come on heat every 21 days. A sow served by a boar is not always pregnant. The sow must be brought to a boar again 19 days after she has been served for three to seven days to make sure that she becomes pregnant. Sows that come on heat for a second time should again be served. Sows that regularly come on heat after service by a boar must rather be slaughtered. Pregnant sows must be free of internal parasites. Parasite infections will affect the health of the sow as well as her feed intake. The sows can also infect the piglets. Parasite eggs that are excreted in the dung can be eaten by the piglets. Deworm pregnant sows 21 to 28 days before they have their

30 ProAgri BNZ 09

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The bedding in piggeries need to be changed often and kept clean and dry to ensure healthy, growing pigs.

piglets (piglets are born 116 days after service).

Management during farrowingThe farrowing housesPiglets have a low resistance to infec-tions. The farrowing houses must preferably be situated some distance from the other pig houses and a high standard of hygiene must be main-tained. Wash and scrub the farrowing pen properly every time the sow and piglets are removed. Disinfect the pen and leave it to dry for a period of two to three days before placing a sow in it. When a sow and her piglets are in a pen, it must be kept as dry as possible. Use as little water as possible for daily cleaning. Dirty and wet bedding must be removed daily.

The sowWash and disinfect the sow before put-ting her in the farrowing pen four to five days before the piglets are born. Young female pigs that are about to farrow for the first time must get used to their pen. Therefore, put them in the farrowing crate for a few hours per day from about 10 days before farrowing so that they can become accustomed to it. To prevent sows from becoming constipated during this period, green feed such as lucerne or a high-fibre feed, such as bran can be fed. Feed 1 kg bran when they are put in the far-rowing crate for the four days before farrowing.

FarrowingThe sow becomes restless and starts to "make a nest" with the bedding in the crate when she is ready to farrow. Swelling of the vulva is a sign that she is ready to give birth. Supervision during the birth process is necessary, especially when it is a sow giving birth for the first time. When the piglets are born, make sure that they do not get entangled in birth membranes and that they do not suffocate in mucus or amniotic fluid. Keep the sow calm so that she does not trample the piglets to death. Piglets usually break the umbili-cal cord which joins them to the sow. If weak piglets do not break the cord themselves, it is advisable to break the cord with the thumb and forefinger. During the first week after farrowing it is important to pay attention to the following:• Check that the sow is not consti-

pated.• The afterbirth must be discharged

from the sow as soon as possible.• The sow should not develop a fever

as a result of infection.• Look out for milk fever during

the first few (4 to 6) days after farrowing.

• Look out for the development of mastitis that results in hard and inflamed (red) teats.

• Mastitis and a lack of milk (agalac-

tia) can cause the piglets to die of hunger. Immediate attention by a veterinarian is therefore necessary.

Management during lactationThere is a large difference in the envi-ronmental temperature requirements of sows and piglets. Sows must feel comfortable. Very high temperatures will cause the sows to eat less and lose weight. Lactating sows (sows with pig-lets) will produce less milk for the pig-lets, so that the piglets will grow slower. If they lose too much weight, they will also take longer to come on heat after weaning, which means a delay before the next pregnancy period. High tem-peratures are, however, needed for the piglets, particularly for the first seven to ten days after birth. A dry, draught-free creep area (or box) where they can lie is therefore very important. Diarrhoea can be a problem in piglets. If the quantity of feed fed to the sow is increased too soon after far-rowing, it can cause diarrhoea. If the piglets get diarrhoea, do not feed the sow for a day. If the condition does not improve, a bacterial infection can be the reason. The piglets should then be treated with antibiotics.As a general guideline, the tempera-ture in the farrowing house should preferably be 16 to 20 °C and in the creep area as high as 28 to 32 °C

Other management aspectsClean, cool water must always be avail-able for the sow. Provide enough food for the sow, preferably as much as she wants to eat so that she does not lose weight while suckling her piglets. In-spect the sow's udder regularly (pref-erably daily) for hard lumps (signs of infection). If lumps are found, treat the sow immediately. Clean the farrowing

pen daily. Wean the piglets when they are four weeks but not more than five weeks old. Wean the piglets by taking the sow away from the litter (piglets). Move the piglets to the growing pens seven days later. Sows come on heat again three to five days after weaning. Therefore, take them to the boar from three days after weaning once a day until they are served. Sows must re-ceive less feed (about 2 kg a day) from the day after weaning.

Management from weaning to slaughterClean water and feed in a trough, pref-erably a self-feeder, must be available to the piglets after weaning. Piglets sometimes tend to eat too much for a day or two after weaning. This can cause diarrhoea that can be stopped by providing less feed for a few days. If it continues, it may be a bacterial infection and must be treated with an antibiotic. Antibiotics can be mixed into the feed or given, dissolved in water, by way of a teat attached to a plastic bottle fastened to the wall or gate. It is advisable to treat the litter for internal parasites soon after weaning. Always keep the piglets of the same sow together by moving them to the same growth pen seven days after weaning. Piglets coming from different litters will fight one another when placed in the same pen. If it is necessary to put pigs from different sows in the same pen, try to put those of the same size and type together. Do not put one or two new pigs in a large group. Put all the pigs in a new pen that is unfamiliar to them. Spray the pigs with a solution with a distinctive smell. Growing pigs must grow as fast as possible and therefore they must eat as much as possible of the right feed


mixture without becoming too fat. A suitable self-feeder that ensures that every pig can eat as much as it wants, without wasting feed, is there-fore very important. Growing pigs can be sold as porkers when they weigh 60 to 70 kg and are between 15 and 18 weeks old, or as baconers when they weigh 86 to 90 kg and are just less than six months old. Transport pigs to the market when it is cool, e.g. early in the morning or late afternoon. There must not be too much moving space on the vehicle.

CannibalismConditions in the growing pen that are unfavourable such as cold, draughts, concrete floors without bedding, not enough eating space and poor ventila-tion can cause stress to the pigs. Pigs bite one another's tails when stressed. This leads to cannibalism and contin-ued tail biting. Pigs with injured tails

grow slower and may even die if the injuries become more severe. Injured pigs must therefore be removed from the pen, and the wounds disinfected and treated with an antibiotic.

Record keepingKeeping records helps the farmer to manage his pigs effectively and to know which pigs to select for breeding. All breeding animals should be marked permanently by using an ear-number system so that records can be kept for each animal. Records for each sow for the following should be kept:• The date that the sow is served so

that it is possible to know when she must come on heat again if she is not pregnant, or to know whether she is pregnant when she does not come on heat 20 to 25 days after service.

• The expected farrowing date so that she can be brought to the farrowing house three to four days before she is due to farrow.

• The weaning date so that the piglets can be weaned on the right date and that the sow is brought to the boar again for service from three days after weaning. This will also indicate which sows to cull (those that do not come on heat or those that are on heat again within about three weeks).

• The age of the sow and how many

litters she has had so that sows that get too old can be culled.

• The litter size (number of piglets) must be recorded. The total num-ber born, the number born alive, the number born dead and the number of piglets that die between birth and weaning. These records will give an indication of problems concerning fertility or disease.

• The records kept will help to select females to be used as sows for future breeding from big litters and sows that farrow regularly. It is important that sows produce at least two litters every year.

Record keeping will also aid in the biosecurity of the farm, which is an extremely important aspect of pig rearing. Next month we shall discuss the causes of diseases in piggeries and how to prevent or treat them.

We thank the South African Department of Agriculture for the information provided to the readers of Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe in this article series. For more information visit their website at https://www.daff.gov.za/.

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Plant available water is stored in the soil. Water that can be reached by

the roots is sucked up by the plant.

A plant sends down roots to find water in the soil profile and suck it up. The soil must, however, still contain air to allow the roots to breathe. The plant can only draw up water that is close to a living and active root and then only when the plant doesn’t need to suck hard to try to pull water away from a particle of soil.

What happens with water?

The soil acts like a sponge, holding water and then releasing it under (suc-tion) pressure. Plant roots suck water directly from this sponage-like reser-voir.

Irrigation made easy Part 2:

What happens with water, air and nutrients?

by Kevin Scott


The air that plants breathe in is the same as the air that animals breathe out. The plant needs to take carbon-dioxide from the air. The plant then breathes out air that is rich in oxygen, which is needed by animals.

An animal makes use of the oxygen in the air and breathes out air that is rich in carbon-dioxide. Both life forms will die without sufficient air.

A plant uses the air that animals breathe out, together with energy derived from sunlight, to make sugars and starches, re-leasing oxygen back into the atmosphere. An animal uses sugars and starches, together with oxygen to release energy to power the body, releasing carbon-dioxide back into the atmosphere. Both plants and animals use air to process the water and food that they need to grow.

Plant available water can be derived from a number of different sources including rain, irrigation and groundwater.

What happens with air?

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An animal will die without air.

Each part of the plant breathes in air.

An animal breathes air into its lungs. The air is then carried by the blood to the rest of the body

If too much water is applied, or if drain-age does not take place, plant roots will not get air and will suffocate and die. Plant roots need to breathe.

Air is not transported within the plant and each part of the plant that doesn’t get enough air will die. As water moves down through the soil it will force out air. For a short time, the saturated soil has no air. Soils particles attract and hold some water and the rest drains away down-ward. As water drains away, air flows back into the spaces between soil par-ticles.

The plant needs to be able to feed from the soil. With too little water in the soil, this cannot happen. Too much water will wash nutrients away from the roots. A water balance is needed.

The plant draws its food from the soil together with water. Most nutrients tend to move in the soil together with water. If too much irrigation water is applied and water flows downwards to below the root zone, nutrients will also be washed down, out of reach of the roots.

Nutrients

Next month we shall look at the distribution of water. Published with acknowledgement to the ARC Agricultural Engineering for the use of their manuals.Visit www.arc.agric.za for more information.

What happens with nutrients?

Soil, waterand air

Soil and water

Dry soil

36 ProAgri BNZ 09

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The Namibian livestock industry is in decline. There is a large-scale loss

of palatable perennial grasses, widely spread bush encroachment, and Na-mibia is regarded as a country that will be severely affected by climate change. To counter this trend, the Depart-ment of Agriculture, Water and For-estry (DAWF), together with industry partners such as the Namibian Farm-ers’ Union, initiated and developed an innovative rangeland policy that can annually add N$4 billion to the GDP if fully implemented. ProAgri BNZ will publish extracts from the policy document to make sure that all farmers understand this plan that can help them to survive the next drought. The best practices presented in this section are intended to give an idea of methods available and how they have been applied.

Case study 4: Holistic management (b) *Part (a) is in our previous ProAgri BNZ edition. Multi-camp with ultra-high-density grazing (few herds and long recovery)High stocking rate and non-selective grazing

Cattle condition With non-selective grazing, a drop in the body condition of animals must be effectively mitigated because the ani-

Saving Namibia’s livestock industry Part 4 (b):Different rangeland approaches or case studies/best practices

mals are forced to eat grass they would not normally eat. This creates competi-tion between animals, forcing them to eat more. During this process, the shy feeders will drop out. This must be overcome by farming with animals that have a good inherent body condition score; frequently moving livestock to en-sure that they move onto fresh grass; adequate recovery periods to produce improved grass; rumen supplementa-tion; and farming in sync with naturally occurring nutrition. Sound breeding and management practices that select for good body condition score and early maturing animals will result in better production figures. Johann Zietsman, veteran cattle-man and former researcher of the University of Pretoria, believes that small-framed animals have an unfair advantage over large-framed animals because they are more efficient grass converters, fatter, more fertile, and do not need high levels of nutrition to be productive. Johann also says: “If your goal is maximum production per animal, the biggest obstacle is the scale, tape measure and computer … I am not say-ing that one cannot measure at all, but inappropriate criteria for current per-formance testing have to be reviewed and replaced by appropriate selection

criteria.” Communal and title deed – Planned grazing and combined herding (flex-ible but mostly high density, with few herds and variable recovery as grazing intensity can be controlled daily)

Outokotorua grazing area in Ehirovipuka Conservancy

At the National Rangeland Forum in 2018, Amon Kapi said: “Farmers in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia know from experience that it is not only the quantity and distribution of rain that determines the productivity of the grass and their animals, but also the management of grazing and live-stock that makes a difference.” Amon explained the approach of planned grazing and combined herding of livestock, where wildlife and tourism are also important. He shared what the farmers from the Outokotorua graz-ing area of the Ehirovipuka Communal Conservancy are doing to develop syn-ergies between key land use options in the area. “The grazing area has boundaries agreed to by the conservancy and the neighbours, and the ‘camps’ have no fences. All livestock within the grazing area are combined into a single herd, herded daily by herders according to a grazing plan based on the principles included in the National Rangeland

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Management Policy and Strategy Co-ordinating Unit (NRMPS). Currently, the herd being managed has about 500 productive cattle and is herded by four workers. The grazing plan is flexible to accommodate recovery of grass plants, animal performance needs, as well as the impact of animals on the grass.”

The principles of planned grazing and combined herding that the conservancy farmers practice include the following: 1. Having a growing season and non-

growing season grazing plan. 2. Taking livestock to each part of the

grazing area only twice per year: once in the growing season and once in the non-growing season.

3. Allowing for selection and recovery in the growing season.

4. Bringing in as many animals as the land can support in the dry season until the next rains are expected in February.

5. Grazing firebreaks first around the grazing area to prevent fire, and leaving the best grass close to the kraal for the calving season.

Amon also explained the way in which the community manages the herds by joint budgeting and payment of herd-ers. The stockmen on foot control the animals from sunrise to sunset, using low stress livestock handling tech-niques. Their close proximity to the animals does not stress the animals. Although herders are isolated, they are equipped with spotlights, torches, crackers and radio communication. Most of the cattle owners live close to Opuwo or adjacent villages and are able to give good support to the herd-ers. This approach of herding during the day and kraaling at night ensures that there are only a few losses due to predators.

Increased stocking rate and animal performance Having only one herd makes man-agement relatively simple within the conservancy. Bulls run with the cows all year, resulting in high conception rates when the forage is good. Herd-ing the animals reduces the distance they move every day, which conserves their energy. Every evening, the

Registered communal conservancies in the Kunene region.

animals return to lion-proof kraals for the night, where water is provided to ensure that they get adequate water in the mornings and evenings, as well as targeted supplements in the evenings. This approach ensures fresh grass for the animals every day, with the added benefit that the grazing promotes grass growth, ensuring higher grass quality in the following year. In addition, no livestock losses to predators have been experienced over the past two years, whereas livestock owners in neighbour-ing grazing areas experienced up to N$80 000 in livestock losses per month due to lions and hyenas. The water-ing system enables elephants to drink freely without disturbing the livestock. Amon stressed the importance of monitoring animals on a daily basis to see whether they have adequate food, are healthy and free of ticks, or are pregnant. Herd numbers are also checked twice daily for theft and losses. Last year’s drought caused forage shortages, which was worsened by game migrating into the conservancy’s grazing area. Other challenges are ‘grass poaching’ from neighbouring farms; getting and keeping well-trained stockmen; and managing stockmen from a distance. Working as a group and reaching consensus on management affairs is not always an easy task. Amon and the grazing area committee are currently pursuing liaison with conservancies and tour operators to develop mutually beneficial arrangements for sustain-ability.

The rest of the rangeland ap-proaches or case studies will be discussed in our next edition.

*The National Rangeland Manage-ment Policy (NRMP) was approved in 2012. In 2014, the NRMPS Project was commissioned in support of this policy under the Ministry of Agricul-ture, Water and Forestry (MAWF), to address the declining natural resource base in Namibia.

Extract from Reviving Namibia’s Livestock Industry, Regenerative Livestock Production Trends, Key Profit Drivers, Case Studies and Rec-ommendations, NRMP Best Practice Strategy Document (Revised edition from 2012 NRMPS), based on Na-mibia Rangeland Management Policy (NRMP): A

Build-up of soil carbon on the soil surface after using planned grazing and combined herding for 2 years.

Advantages of planned grazing and combined herding The most important benefit of the conservancy’s approach is the good grass production, which ensures excel-lent animal performance and calving percentages. Due to correct kraaling, infrastructure and good herders, com-munal farmers are living in harmony with predators and elephants. An added benefit of farming without fences is that it keeps costs down and increases the value of wildlife tourism. Creating large-scale employment for semi-skilled workers could be another spin-off of the approach.

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Grow better tobacco seedlings to boost your cropby Jaco Cilliers

The tobacco industry of Zimbabwe is one of its major economic role

players within the agricultural industry. Tobacco farmers contribute more than 50 percent of agricultural exports, 30 percent of total exports and nearly 10 percent of Zimbabwe’s GDP according to the Food and Agriculture Organiza-tion of the United Nations. It is however not the easiest of crops that can be cultivated and there are many aspects of tobacco farming that need careful management in order to avoid significant losses due to crop failure. The initial phase of tobacco production is the seedling cultivation phase. During this stage of production there are some key elements that need to be addressed.

The seedThere are different cultivars available that are adapted to the region of your farm. You have to ensure that you

If greenhouses are used to control the ambient temperature that tobacco seeds need to germinate, they also need to allow sufficient sunlight.

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After germination seedlings need to be thinned out to allow each plant enough room to develop. The plants also have to be trimmed regularly 30 days after germination to stimulate vertical growth.

The hardening process where water and fertilisers are withheld and other chemical nutrients are added helps to prevent transplanting shock when the seedlings are planted in the field.

select the correct cultivar that suits the environmental conditions of your farm in order to boost your yield, and also your profit.

Sowing the seed into seedbedsAccording to government regula-tions, the first date at which seeds may be sown in Zimbabwe is the first of June. However, during the weeks of May farmers are busy preparing the seedbeds, ensuring that there are enough minerals in the soil and that the pH-levels are perfectly balanced to promote the germination of the seeds. Tobacco seeds are extremely sensi-tive to soil acidity and the utmost care needs to be taken to ensure that the pH-levels of the soil is correct to meet the needs of the tobacco plants.

The germination phaseAdequate exposure to sunlight and sufficient heat is essential during the germination of the tobacco plants. This can be a tricky situation due to the fact that the seeds are sown during the winter months. Using a greenhouse is advisable in order for farmers to be able to manipulate the ambient tem-perature, but it is also vital that these structures allow for sufficient sunlight to reach the plants.


The thinning-out processDue to the fact that tobacco seeds are extremely small, they are often sown quite close together. For better growth, the plants need to be thinned and replanted about 30 days after the initial sowing. The only way to do this is through manual labour. The more these plants are handled, the more it increases the risk of diseases that can spread. Therefore, it is vital to have strict sanitary measures in place that will be discussed later in the article.

The trimming processOnce the seedlings have been thinned out, they need to be trimmed on a regular basis in order to stimulate ver-tical growth. This process also needs to be conducted with care so that the crown of the plant is not cut, which can stunt growth and cause a delay in production.

Tobacco hardeningThis process can start once the seed-lings have reached a total length of about 15 cm. During the hardening process farmers will withhold irrigation and fertilisers and administer potas-sium sulphate and copper oxychloride. This will lead the tobacco plants to change colour from a dark green to yellow. Hardening the plants is done in

order to prepare them for transplanting to the field. Hardening limits effects of transplant shock on the seedlings.

Managing diseases in tobacco plantsDisease management in tobacco green-houses can be accomplished through the use of adequate sanitation prac-tices that prevent the introduction of pathogens into greenhouses. Control-ling the greenhouse environment by reducing excessive moisture reduces or delays disease infection and spread. Frequent monitoring of plants for disease and solid production practices also help reduce losses to disease. This is according to Davydd Jenkins of Plantforum in South Africa.

SanitationDue to the fact that tobacco is ex-tremely susceptible to various crop diseases, the utmost care needs to be taken to ensure that the neces-sary sanitation standards are upheld. Good sanitation practices will ensure that the plants do not come into con-tact with harmful pathogens that can spread throughout the crop, leaving the farmer with a financial loss. All the equipment used during the sowing and care of the seedlings need to be sanitised with a 50% bleach solution. Plant material, growth medium and dis-

carded trays should never be left lying around the area where the seedlings are grown. If diseases do appear, the infected trays have to be removed and destroyed by burning. Do not simply bury diseased plants as some patho-gens can survive for extended periods in the soil. Scout the plants regularly for any signs of disease. Workers should also be sanitised be-fore they are allowed to work with the seedlings. Workers who smoke or use other forms of tobacco products should not be allowed to come into contact with the seedlings. The most common diseases found in tobacco seedlings are pythium rot, collar rot or rhizoctonia diseases. By producing healthy, strong seed-lings, a farmer can significantly increase the yield of his crop and the success of his business. Proper prepa-ration and good management practices in the early stages will save time and money later in the cultivation process.

Sources used: https://www.plantforum.co.za/ba-sics-to-growing-tobacco-seedlingshttp://www.fao.org/Photo credits: Pixabay.com

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Zimbabwe milk production: Steadily beginning to grow again

Dairying in the smallholder sector in Zimbabwe is practiced for

profit making, feeding the family and to produce manure to support crop production. Large-scale dairy producers are contributing 97%, while the remainder is coming from small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe used to produce ap-proximately 260 million litres of milk per year in the early 1990s, however, production of raw milk has drastically declined to levels below the annual national demand of 120 million litres, implying a deficit of 45 million litres. This could be because of the recent drought and the devastating effects of Cyclone Idai in 2019. According to figures from the Dairy Services, total raw milk supply for the first half of 2019 was 39,2 million litres representing a 13% growth compared to the same period in 2018. Government is targeting milk pro-duction to rise and is hopeful that by 2022 Zimbabwe will be self-sufficient in milk production. The trends in milk production has been declining (Table 1); this results in ample opportunity for the smallholder dairy sector to contribute positively and immensely to local milk production.

Sources for the article: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/dairy-producers-to-lever-age-on-government-initiatives/https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/boost-for-national-milk-production/Table 1 is extracted from Smallholder Dairy Farming: A solution to low milk

production in Zimbabwe. Washaya S1* and Chifamba E2, 2018

Government and We Effect’s dairy projectZimbabwe’s milk production is set to improve after the government, in part-nership with We Effect Zimbabwe and other partners, launched a four-year dairy project worth US$8 million last year. The project is expected to in-crease the country’s annual milk output. The scheme benefits 4 000 small-scale farmers and is part of a US$45 million European Union funded Zim-babwe Agricultural Growth Programme

(ZAGP). The project included a national milk mapping exercise to guide the imple-mentation. The ZAGP could map the traditional milking areas and identified at least 33 districts where the project can be implemented. The areas with the highest milk production densities are Umguza, Kwekwe, Marondera and Groromonzi. The project’s target districts were identified through milk densities, dairy cow numbers and distribution, biophysical characteristics and dairy infrastructure.

Dairies paying duty in foreign currency The Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) decided in 2019 the sector will leverage on the policy measures exempting dairies from pay-ing duty in foreign currency for certain selected inputs to boost productivity as well as enhance its contribution to economic growth. Government exempted twelve food and beverage companies from paying duty in foreign currency when import-ing certain raw materials necessary for their production processes in a move expected to boost production and consumption of locally manufactured goods. “The amendment to the Customs and Excise through Statutory Instru-ment 170 of 2019 exempting dair-ies from paying duty for some of the critical imports is indeed a welcome development for our dairy industry,” Kudzai Chirima, ZADF Chairman said in an article on Zimbabwesituation.com. “This is so, because the exempted companies will find it easier to im-port the required and specified raw materials without the hassle of try-ing to secure foreign currency from the interbank market, given that the products they manufacture from the same raw materials are sold locally in local currency, especially in the face of critical foreign currency shortages in the economy.” This will make the benefitting compa-nies more competitive, expand their production and boost their income.

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