SAFA OBARO EMERGING FARMER CATTLE PROJECT

2019/10/22

Agenda

• Introduction to Project

• Focus areas

• Divisions and requirements

• Project plan

• Budget

• Testimonials

Introduction to Project

Introduction

This will be a two-year project focusing on improving livestock management at emerging farmer level.

The project will start September 2019 and end in August 2021.

Mobile equipment will be used to tag, vaccinate and do artificial inseminations for those who need it. Farmers who do not have proper facilities and applicators to do cattle handling will have a solution to their problems.

Practical and theoretical trainings will be done to educate farmers on various subjects.

Introduction

The project will be funded by the Red Meat Industry Forum and coordinated by Obaro and SA Feedlot Association.

Obaro’s Animal Production Service team will use their expertise to educate cattle farmers to be sustainable beef producers in South Africa.

Focus areas

Focus areas

The project areas will be divided into four groups.

The reason being is, the emerging farmers in different areas experience different challenges and differ in various other aspects of livestock management.

Focus areas

Group 1: Magaliesburg and Potch.

Group 2: Wonderboom, Brits, Rustenburg, Northam, Dwaalboom and Thabazimbi.

Group 3: Marble Hall, Groblersdal and Hartswater.

Group 4: Malelane, Burgersfort, Barberton and Hoedspruit.

Key improvements per group

Group 1: Magaliesburg and Potch

Type:

Farm owners or leasing (few weekend and communal farmers).

Challenges

• Close to market, but no quality weaner calves.

• Farm sizes (too much livestock on grazing) not profitable.

• Speculation with poor quality calves.

• Reproduction is average.

• Facilities poor and no scales.

Project Focus:

• Weaner selection and feedlotting.

• Bull scoring and artificial inseminations.

• Pasture and nutrition management.

• Record keeping (if you don’t measure, you don’t know).

Key improvements per group

Group 2: Wonderboom, Brits, Rustenburg, Northam, Dwaalboom and Thabazimbi

Type:

Mostly communal farmers (sharing land and collective farming). Also everyday and weekend farmers

Challenges:

• Close to market, but poor quality calves.

• Diseases : Mostly brucellosis, lumpy skin outbreaks and tick transmitted disease (heartwater, redwater and sweating sickness).

• Overgrazing: Silly mistakes for instance selling weaner calves at age 12 months instead of 7months.

• Nutrition very poor with poor reproduction as a result.

• They have facilities, but not in good condition.

• Theft.

Project Focus:

• Correct vaccinations and animal health procedures.

• Weaner selection and feedlotting.

• Bull scoring and artificial inseminations

• Pasture management (less can be more in this instance).

• Nutrition management.

• Record keeping (if you don’t measure, you don’t know).

Key improvements per group

Group 3: Marble Hall, Groblersdal and Hartswater

Type:

More communal farmers (Sharing land and collective farming). Grazing camps.

Leasing, everyday and weekend farmers.

Challenges:

• Ticks: Some of the farmers have to dip every two weeks.

• Diseases: Mostly lumpy skin disease and tick transmitted disease (heartwater, redwater and sweating sickness).

• Grazing camps and shared grazing.

• Nutrition.

• Very poor facilities.

• Theft.

Project Focus:

• Dipping techniques: Spray dipping practical trainings.

• Correct vaccinations and animal health procedures.

• Herd management (cow/calf system).

• Pasture management with nutrition management

• Record keeping (if you don’t measure, you don’t know).

Key improvements per group

Group 4: Malelane, Burgersfort, Barberton and Hoedspruit

Type: Mostly communal farmers.

Challenges:

• Foot and mouth disease, redline area (Malelane, Komatipoort, Barberton and small part of Hoedspruit).

• Low calf prices (can’t transport live animals).

• Have to feed calves themselves with no facility (need custom feeding facility).

• Slaughtering backyard or Mzinti Abattoir.

• Diseases: Tick transmitted disease (heartwater, redwater and sweating sickness).

Project Focus:

• Dipping (but government already sponsor's a lot of the communities).

• Animal handling.

• Record keeping.

• Animal nutrition training.

Divisions and requirements

Divisions and Requirements

1. Internships.

2. Equipment.

3. Products.

4. Artificial inseminations.

5. Training.

1. Internships

Two interns will have the opportunity to get practical and theoretical knowledge like no other.

They will work with our Animal Production team on this emerging farmer project.

2. Equipment needed

3. Products

4. Artificial inseminations

We will do artificial inseminations in partnership with NkunziGenetics (Pty) Ltd in order to improve reproduction at emerging farmer level.

5. Training

1. Introduction to cattle farming

2. Selection

3. Animal Health

4. Nutrition

5. Reproduction

6. Artificial insemination

7. Pasture management

8. Backgrounding animals for feedlots

9. Feedlot management

10.Treatment guidelines

11.Health programs for cattle

12.Nutrition programs for cattle

Project Plan

Project Plan DATE Sep 19 Oct 19 Nov 19 Dec 19 Jan 20 Feb 20 Mar 20 Apr 20 May 20 Jun 20 Jul 20 Aug 20

Objectives -Project

Planning.

-New

appointments.

-Buying of

equipment.

-Project

Introduction.

-Training of new

employees.

-Training farmer

on calves rearing

practices.

-Train farmers

on record

keeping.

-Livestock

improvement

(Genetics).

-Preparing for

breeding and

improving

conception rate.

-Synchronize

Cows.

-Artificial

Insemination.

(Livestock

improvement).

-Train farmers

on external

parasite control.

-Teach farmers

on livestock

improvement.

-Teach farmers

on external

parasite control.

-Improve future

calving

percentage.

-Improve

weaning weights.

-Value adding

Selection.

-Livestock

improvement

(Health).

-Herd

Management.

-Livestock

improvement

(Health and

nutrition).

-Herd

management.

-Prepare for

carcass

competition.

-Livestock

improvement

(Health and

nutrition).

-Value adding. -Livestock

improvement

(Health).

-Herd

management and

record keeping.

Activities -Screening of

CV’s.

-Interviews.

-Requesting of

quotations.

-Negotiation of

deals.

-Arrange farmers

day, present on

record keeping

and calf rearing

or both.

-Address few

study and groups

on relevant

topics.

-Artificial

insemination

training.

-Deworm and

injecting animals

with minerals

and vitamins.

-Synchronise

cows of farmers

who won the

competition.

-External

parasite control

farmers day.

-Arrange animals

to do practical’s

on.

-Host one

information day

address relevant

topic.

-Visit study

groups address

the topic.

-Raise the

awareness of

brucellosis and

its preventative

measures.

-Teach farmer

on proper dosing

of young calves.

Arrange a

feedlot training

where farmers

get trained on:

1)Weaner

selection

2)Processing

3)Growth

stimulants

4) Basic facilities

requirements.

-Raise awareness

on Pasteurella at

information day.

-Vaccinate

animals in the

presence of

farmers.

-Test for

pregnancy.

-Raise awareness

on botulism,

black quarter

and anthrax.

-Measure

weaning weights

and weaning.

-Process weaners

for Brits carcass

competition.

-Boost immunity

by making a

follow

vaccination.

Arrange a

feedlot training

where farmers

get trained on:

1)Weaner

selection

2)Processing

3)Growth

stimulants

4)Basic facilities

requirements.

-Lumpy skin

awareness.

-Teach farmers

on record

keeping and

measuring the

ICP’s to aid in

future cow and

heifer selection.

Area -Head Office

Obaro .

-Brits carcass

competition.

Obaro Brits-MSD

farmers day.

Various areas,

target leader

farmers. Invite

local farmers

highlight the

importance of

that exercise in

a short

presentation.

Winners farms

Groblersdal /

Marble hall.

Confirmed

Dates

25th September

2019

18th

October

2019

Feed back

Annual Calendar 2019/20

Sep 19 Oct 19 Nov 19 Dec 19 Jan 19 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug-Project Planning.

-Interns

appointments.

-Project

Introduction.

-Purchase of

Equipment.

-Record keeping

and calf rearing.

-Training new

appointments.

-Bull sourcing.

-Ai training.

-Preparation for

breeding season.

-Summer

supplementation

training.

-External parasite

control training.

-Synchronization of

AI cows.

-Artificial

Inseminations at

winners’ herd.

-Brucellosis

vaccination (State

vet sponsor).

-Tapeworm and

roundworm

control.

-Trace element to

3 to 5 months

calves.

-Feedlot training.

-Winter

Supplementation

training.

-Pasteurella

prevention.

-Pregnancy testing

of cows.

-Dehorning.

-Anthrax, Botulism

and Black quarter

vaccination.

-Deworming.

-Weaning.

-Processing for

feedlot.

-Vitamin A

inoculation

-Botulism and

Black quarter

(Follow-up)

-Feedlotting

training (Late

weaners).

-Late winter

supplementation

training.

-Lumpy skin

disease

vaccinations.

Budget

Budget

Expenses

1) Internships2) Equipment3) AI’s4) Vaccines5) Trainings

Testimonials