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Services

Publication | Info packs | Legislation

• Animal Health

 

Anthrax: 

Anthrax is a highly contagious disease of domestic and wild animals as well as of humans . The causes, symptoms and control are discussed.

Bees: 

The capensis problem.

Brucellosis: 

How to identify and treat this disease.

Congo fever: 

Congo fever is transmitted by the bontlegged tick. Symptoms and protection against the disease.

Johne's disease: 

Paratuberculosis, or Johne's disease, affects cattle, sheep, goats and certain wild animal species. Symptoms and control.

Lungsickness (CBPP) 

Lungsickness, or contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), is a disease of cattle in Africa. This info pak provides basic information on the disease.

Lungsickness (CBPP) 

A more advanced guide to the disease.

Mastitis: 

Mastitis can lower milk production.

Mastitis: 

Mastitis kan melkproduksie baie benadeel (Afrikaans).

Parasitic cysts and lesions in organs: 

Parasitic cysts in meat can cause diseases in people.

Rabies - a killer disease: 

Rabies affects all warm-blooded animals, as well as man.

Rabies - the law: 

Vaccinating your pets. What the law requires.

Tapeworm: 

Beef tapeworm also infects humans. Prevent contamination.

Tapeworm: 

Beesvleislintwurms en masels (Afrikaans).

Tick-borne diseases: 

Diseases spread by ticks such as heartwater, redwater and gallsickness.

• Beef Cattle

 

Guidelines

 

Castration: 

How to castrate beef cattle.

Dehorning: 

How to dehorn beef cattle.

Legal identification marks: 

How to mark your cattle.

Weaning of calves: 

How to wean beef cattle.

 

Manuals

-  Establishing and managing small herd of beef cattle
-  Guidelines for animal traction
-  Weaning of calves
-  Guidelines for urban and peri urban
-  Guidelines for planning and construction  of a feedlot
-  Beef cattle management

• Food safety

 

Safe meat: 

Buy meat from a butchery, supermarket or spaza shop.

• Goats

 

Information

 

Cashmere : 

New marketing opportunities.

Goats: 

Goats have many uses.

Vaccination programme: 

Goats are susceptable to a number of diseases. A good vaccination programme can keep them healthy. 

Manuals:

 

- Status of the South African Goat Industry

 

- Milk Goat Model
• Livestock

 

Exports: 

All the procedures to be followed when you want to export fresh meat from South Africa.

Health: 

Is my animal healthy?

Imports: 

Importation of animals and animal products is subject to compliance with the relevant import requirements, as stipulated on the veterinary import permit.

Slaughterings: 

Slaughterings and consumer confidence.

Terminology: 

Explaining some technical terms in the Animal Improvement Act, 1998 (Act No. 62 of 1998). Livestock Development Strategy

• Pigs

 

Information

 

Boer met varke: 

'n Inleiding tot varkboerdery. Rasse, reproduksie, voeding, produktiwiteit, seleksie en algemene versorging van varke word kortliks bespreek (Afrikaans).

Farming with pigs: 

An introduction to pig farming, looking at breeds, reproduction, feeding, productivity, selection and general care of pigs.

Health: 

How to know if your pigs are healthy. 

Manuals:

 

- 

Keeping pigs safe in swine fever

- 

Management programme for small farm piggery

• Poultry

 

Information

 

Muscovy ducks: 

Muscovy ducks have a number of advantages over other poultry.

Newcastle disease: 

Newcastle disease is a serious disease that poses a constant threat to poultry in Southern Africa.

Manuals:

 

- Household broiler production
• Rabbits

 

Information

 

Keeping rabbits: 

Farming with rabbits is becoming increasingly popular. 

Manuals:

 

- Household Rabbit Production
• Sheep

 

Breeding: 

Breeding in sheep and goats.

Dipping: 

Hints for dipping sheep.

• Aquaculture

 

Manuals:

 

- Database of fish farms within the provinces outlining threats and opportunities

 

- Aquaculture 2006

Info packs available at the ARC

 

• Manuals and Books available per order from the ARC www.arc.agric.za
• Beef Cattle Manual
• Beef Production Manual
• Dairy Cattle Manual
• Dairy Herd Improvement in South Africa
• Diseases of Ostriches and other Ratites
• Heating of Broilers & Broiler Housing
• Introduction to Poultry Production
• Manual on Housing for Pigs
• Mastitis by koeie
• Mutton
• Ostrich Diseases
• Pig Production in South Africa
• Small-scale broiler house
• Small-scale milking shed
• Small-scale poultry housing in South Africa

About Us | Animal Improvement | Small Stock | Livestock Production | Veld,Forage and Wildlife Ranching Division | Animal and Aquaculture Production | Services | Links

The core functions of each of these fields are to:

• The core functions of each of these fields are to:
• To provide information and advice on production to internal and external clients.
• To co-ordinate production data inputs for country reports to SADC and to the FAO
• To Coordinate the various fields activities such as National Working Groups
• Liaison within stakeholders such as Provincial Departments of Agriculture, producer organizations and others
• To develop technical info packs in the form of manuals, production guideline etc.
• Identify potential projects for the resource poor and new entrant farming sector
• Input on issues such as breed evaluation, integrated farmer settlement plans etc.
• Service International Joint Commissions

Dairy

Dairy farming in SA focuses on raising female cattle for long-term production of milk which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy for processing and eventual retail sale. Most dairy farms sell the male calves borne by their cows, usually for veal production, rather than raising non-milk-producing stock. Many dairy farms also grow their own feed, typically including corn, alfalfa and hay. This is fed directly to the cows, or stored as silage for use during the winter season. Additional dietary supplements are added to the feed to increase quality milk production.

They are different breeds of dairy cattle that are farmed with in SA. The most popular breeds are the Holstein (Friesland), the Jersey, and the Ayrshire, but there are other breeds like the Guernsey, Milk Shorthorn, S.A. Dairy Swiss, Dexter, and the Simmentaler which are less popular in S.African dairy farming.

Large Stock

In the context of AP, large stock refers to equine and beef cattle
In the context of AP, large stock comprises of beef cattle and equine (donkeys, horses and mules). Beef cattle production was part of all community throughout the world dated centuries back. Equines also play important role as working and performing animals. Donkeys play vital role in the lives of most rural community as a means of transport, while horses are mainly used in as performing animals in the multimillions horse racing industry.
Beef cattle producers vary from highly sophisticated commercial (who rely on high technology) to communal subsistence producers (who rely on indigenous knowledge and appropriate technology). Three major groups of beef cattle farmers therefore co-exist in South Africa . These groups consist of:

• The commercial beef producer (mostly white farmers), where production is relatively high and comparable with developed countries
• The emerging black beef cattle farmer, who own or lease land.
• The communal beef cattle farmer, who run his cattle on communal grazing land.

Current status of beef cattle

TABLE 2.1 : Estimated Cattle Numbers in the RSA (Thousands – 2002)

Province	Total Cattle	Commercial Dairy	Beef and Dual Purpose
				Communal
Eastern Cape	3 197 (22.9)*	315 (19.8)	612 ( 9.2)	2270 (40.0)
Free State	2 320 (16.6)	293 (18.4)	1962 (29.4)	65 ( 1.1)
Gauteng	276 ( 2.0)	75 ( 4.7)	201 ( 3.0)	N/A
KwaZulu Natal	2 805 (20.1)	318 (20.0)	955 (14.3)	1532 (26.9)
Limpopo	1 181 ( 8.5)	18 ( 1.0)	420 ( 6.3)	743 (13.0)
Mpumalanga	1 375 ( 9.8)	154 ( 9.7)	701 (10.5)	520 ( 9.1)
Northern Cape	491 ( 3.5)	25 ( 1.6)	466 ( 7.0)	N/A
North West	1 816 (13.0)	114 ( 7.2)	1 154 (17.3)	548 ( 9.6)
Western Cape	501 ( 3.6)*	280 (17.6)	203 ( 3.0)	18 ( 0.3)
TOTAL	13 964	1 592	6 674	5 696

 

Percentages are presented in brackets

Performance trends regarding beef cattle production between commercial and communal.

Measure	Communal	Commercial	Recommended
Average calving %	40%	65%	85%
Pre-weaning mortality rate	50%	4%	2%
Post-weaning mortality rate	15%	2%	2%
Calves weaned p.a	5	16	21
Calves available for sale (after replacement)	2	15	20
Average weight	150	180	205
Price per kilogram	R 3-50	R 8-00	R 8-25
Potential monetary value	R1 050-00	R21 600-00	R33 825-00
Potential monthly income	R87-50	R1 800-00	R2 818-00

 

 

Breeds Gallery

Afrikaner Angus Beefmaster Bonsmara Boran Brahman Braunvieh Charolais Dexter Drakensberge	Gelbvieh Nguni Pinzgauer S A Guernsey S A Hereford Sanganers Simmentaler South Devon Sussex Tuli

 

Equine
SA Boerperd

Arab Horse Breeder	Hackney Pony
Friesian	SA Miniature Horse
Kaapse Boerperd	South African Quarter Horse
Nooitgedachter	SA Vlaamperd
Percheron	SA Warmblood
Saddle Horse	Thoroughbred
Hackney Horse	Welsh Pony
Paint Horse

Articles

Management

• A decision making model for stable beef production
• Bloat Prevention and Treatment
• Developing And Managing Small Herd Of Beef Cattle

Nutrition

• Proximate chemical composition and fatty acid profiles
• Alternative Feeding for Drought Stressed Beef Cow Herds
• Ammonium Treatment of Low Quality Forages For Beef Cattle
• The effect of different calving seasons on animal performance
• Cottonseed for Beef Cattle Rations

Reproduction

• Breeding Soundness of Beef Bulls
• Assisting the Beef Cow at Calving Time

About Us | Animal Improvement | Small Stock | Livestock Production | Veld,Forage and Wildlife Ranching Division | Animal and Aquaculture Production | Services | Links

 

The Small Stock field as in AP context encompasses three species i.e. sheep, goats, and rabbits. These species have been farmed with from time immemorial with numerous breeds developed through rigorous breeding and selection programmes to improve productions inevitably bettering profitability of operations thereof.

In this age these species are a target towards food security and income generation initiatives as they are easy to keep and manage particularly by women and children within poor communities.

SHEEP

Breeds Gallery

The SA Animal Improvement Act lists registered sheep breeds found in the country. The indigenous breeds are described in the Field guide of SA Farm Animal Genetic Resource which is being updated by the ARC.

Africana	Istrian	Ille de france
Afrino	Karakul	Persian
Damara	Leicester	Romanov
D ormer	Lincolin	South down
Dorper	Meatmaster	Suffolk
Dorset	Merino	Van rooy
Friesian	Nguni	White dorper
Hampshire	Pedi

 

Articles

Health

Internal Parasites Over the years have been a problem in small stock, sheep in particular. Prof. Gareth Bath and his team developed a strategy for a full worm control called FAMACHA. This strategy is a simple way to decide which sheep needs treatment as this aid the reduction of the amount of treatment to be used thereby slowing the development of worm resistance to remedies (Files: USING THE FAMACHA, FAMACHA1, FAMACHA2 )

Production and Supplementation

A survey of Karakul sheep farmers in Southern Kalahari, Botswana: management practices and constraints to improving production.
The carry-over effect of supplementation in the previous year on the production of South African Mutton Merino ewes
The effect of frequency of supplementation on the production of South African Mutton Merino ewes grazing wheat stubble

Goats, prior to the SA Democracy, have been overshadowed by sheep. They were often included in statistics figures for sheep. The humble goat offers a wide range of benefits to its keeper as its milk and meat provides nutritional advantages over that of cattle. The goat also yields other products such as skins, cashmere and wool which are further processed to trendy products.
The value of goats is so vast particularly for remote and poor communities as it would address issues of food security and small scale production which given proper management and marketing will inevitably provide income to better the poor families’ livelihoods. This species is easy to be managed and handled by women and children. The National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) investigated the potential for the South African Goat Industry

Breeds Gallery

The SA Animal Improvement Act indexes registered goat breeds. However there are many breeds of goats all over the world. The S A indigenous breeds such as the famous Boer goat, Savannah, Kalahari Red are world renowned and most sought after for their superior characteristics such as adaptability, hardiness, good maternal instincts, meat production, high reproduction rate and etc.

Alpine	Saneen
Angora	Toggenburg
Boer Goat	Kalahari red
Gono altai

 

Conference Proceedings

Reviewed popular scientific papers of the 8th International Conference on Goats

Breeding

• Preliminary assessment of Boer and Kiko does as maternal lines for kid performance under humid, subtropical conditions
• Polymorphism of the as1-casein, ?-casein and ß-lactoglobulin genes in the Hungarian Milk Goat
• Genetic assay of Caprine arthritis encephalitis in the Hungarian goat herd
• Genetic variation of three commercial and three indigenous goat populations in South Africa
• Genetic characterization of the Blanca Andaluza goat based on microsatellite markers

Dairy Goats

• Dairy Goat Production Handbook
• Milk Production from the Indigenous Malawi Milk Goat
• Manufacturing and Marketing of Goat’s Milk - Kefir
• Milk Production from the Indigenous Malawi goats
• Milk Hygiene
• Effect of supplementary feeding with maize bran on the milking potential of the Malawi Indigenous goat
• Factors influencing milk quantity and quality in Assaf sheep and goat crossbreds
• Milk Production From Goats For Households And Small-Scale Farmers In South Africa

Dairy Goats

• The Productivity of Tethered Goats in Tanzania
• Biological factors influencing the nature of Skins and Leather
• The air drying of hides and skins in the arid and humid tropics
• Sheep and goat health management study - Tanzania
• Study on the impact and control of disease of tethered goats in Morogoro Region, Tanzania
• Prediction of Carcass Composition of the Indigenous Malawi Goat
• Tethered goats less work
• Appropriate livestock extension
• Body weight and preweaning growth rate of pure indigenous, Toggenburg goat breeds and their crosses under smallholder production systems in Kenya
• Sustainable genetic improvement of goat meat and milk production in Kenya: A case of the Meru and Tharaka-Nithi Dairy and Animal Healthcare community-based Breeding Programme.
• Growth rate of pure indigenous breeds, Toggenburg and their crosses
• Critical Linkages: Livelihoods Markets and Institutions
• Livelihoods and rural poverty
• Pro-poor livelihoods: addressing market/private sector gap
• Women and improved livestock production
• Planning and evaluation with Landless people
• Browsing height selection of small stock
• Carbohydrate supplementation
• Comparison of textural properties of low-fat chevon, beef, pork, and mixed-meat sausages
• Requirements of meat and milk goats
• Feed intake and growth of Saanen kids
• CLA supplementation on milk yield and composition in Saanen goats
• Effect of dietary protein degradability on production
• Characteristics of lactating Saanen does
• Goat Meat In Human Nutrition
• Factors Affecting The Profitability Of Different Goat Farm Sizes In Hungary
• A Review Of The Current Status Of Goat Research And Development In South Africa
• Production and reproduction characteristics of South African indigenous goats in communal farming systems
• Effect of sex, age, and pre-slaughter conditioning on pH, temperature, tenderness and colour of indigenous South African goats
• Post-mortem metabolic status, pH and temperature of chevon from indigenous South African goats slaughtered under commercial conditions
• A comparison of the OFDA2000 with conventional mid-side testing of mohair
• The origin and description of southern Africa’s indigenous goats
• Seasonal variation in semen quality of Gorno Altai cashmere goats and South African indigenous goats
• Exposure assessment of potentially toxic trace elements in indigenous goats in the rural communal production systems of the northern region of South Africa
• The Influence Of Age And Reproductive Status On Quality And Quantity Of Cashmere Produced By Boer Goats Under South African Conditions
• Participatory Approaches To Livestock Production
• Foraging Strategies Of Sheep And Goats Under Semi-Intensive Management In Botswana
• Optimizing Livestock Production
• Goat Production In The Smallholder Section In The Boane District In Southern Mozambique
• Quality Attributes Of Commercial Cashmere
• Research And Training Strategies For Goat Production Systems In South Africa
• Factors Influencing Weaning Percentages Of Indigenous Goats On Communal Grazing
• Production of livestock products
• The potential utilization of South African indigenous goats for cashmere production

Health

• Goats: vaccination programme
• Diseases and mortality of kids and adult goats in a South African milk goat herd

Reports

NAMC Report On The Investigation Into The Potential For The South African Goat. The survey investigated the potential for the South African goat industry. South Africa is a relative small goat producing country and possesses only approximately 3% of Africa’s goats and less than 1% of the world’s number of goats. Approximately 96% of the world’s goat numbers are in the hands of developing countries, but when traded, goat products are mainly consumed in developed countries due to its superior health qualities.
This study focused on the so-called Indigenous goat, the Boer goat and the Angora goat, but special attention was given to Indigenous goats, which are mainly in the hands of black farmers. White commercial farmers mainly own Boer and Angora goats while black farmers mainly own Indigenous goats in a communal farming system.
The biggest advantage of the Indigenous goat is its resistance to diseases and its adaptability in unfavourable grazing circumstances. Because of their small size, adaptive feeding behaviour and low management, goats are a viable option in improving the household cash flow of rural people and resolve the issue of food security. Apart from cash income, goats could also be a valuable source of milk and meat for rural poor people. Goats can be kept on one acre of land or even less.NAMC

Projects

Commercialization of goats in South Africa The Kgalagadi Dipudi Enterprise (KDE) is one of the priority programmes implemented within the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP) launched by President Mbeki in February 2001. This is an enterprise of 600 farmers in the ISRDP nodal area of Kalahari-Kgalagadi District. The aim is to reduce poverty through job creation and economic growth. To ensure the success of this project, the Department of Agriculture has started to provide support to this project, primarily to empower KDE to improve upon business, marketing and production skills among its members. DoA has agreed to utilize research expertise through the Agricultural Research Council to:

• Increase the number of animals and improvements in their performance by 10 % per year;
• Increase income for the KDE by 20%;
• Develop and implement a live goat marketing strategy;
• Establish business linkages between KDE and black customers in SA
• Introduce a goat performance recording system;
• Examine and possibly introduce technologies for cashmere harvesting and processing within KDE;
• Examine and possibly introduce goat milk harvesting and processing technologies in KDE for marketing in Gauteng.
• Examine/establish abattoir for goats within KDE
• Estimated cost of project in 2005/06 is R1 million.
• Once successful within 18 months, the project must be expanded to include other districts along the N14 corridor.

Rabbits

Farming with rabbits is becoming popular because as the production requirements are extremely cost effective; easy to produce at small scale therefore this enterprise is ideal for backyard production, food security and income generation. The directorate is developing a Household Rabbit Production Manual

About Us |  NPPCP of SA |  Importing into SA|  Exporting from SA | Legislation & Regulations | Travel Guidelines | Diagnostic Services | Early Warning Systems | Wood Packaging | Plant Health Promotions | Policies | Movement Control | Latest News Notices Meetings Minutes | Documents for comments

 

R1013

• R1058 of 27 October 2006
• R306 of 15 March 2002
• R830 of 21 June 2002
• R57 of 8 January 1999
• R2252 of 26 November 1993
• R1013 of 26 May 1989