ProAgri Zambia 11 - September 2016

ProAgri technology for the farmer

Z a m b i a

September 2016 Nr 11

Free

Determine your own grain price Agrico turns water into life

Get your savanna back with

Dow AgroSciences

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

2

he election season is something of the past and all the disruptions are over.

Zambia is back into business and everyone can carry on as usual. All indications are that the status quo regarding agricultural policies will remain the same and Zambia can still be regarded as a safe haven for productive and enterprising farmers.

Unfortunately, when a country has a growing economy and a spectacularly growing agricultural sector, other challenges emerge, such as the “battle of the exporters” that we recently saw on our southern border.

The free trade agreement between the SADC-countries allows Zambia to export their produce to Zimbabwe without serious restrictions. Since our southern neighbour is still struggling to make sense of their ailing economy and is continuously trying to find survival strategies, they imposed a ban on Zambian imports. But Zimbabwe is very dependent on maize imports from Zambia, so the situation can become very complicated. Our exporters are now exercising pressure on government to retaliate. This can become a diplomatic issue and only the right attitude and wise negotiations will resolve this predicament.

This month we visited Casavera Farm outside Lusaka to see how Dow AgroSciences can revolutionise the grazing capacity of a stock farm. AFGRI and GSI tell us more about their grain handling facilities and how it can improve your profits. Our regular soil article concentrates on acidity and we introduce a brand new series of articles on beef cattle handling. This month we also increased our print run from 10 000 to 12 000. We also visited a few agricultural suppliers at their premises in Lusaka to find out more about what they can offer farmers.

Farm smartly!

Du Preez de Villiers dupreez@proagri.co.za

ProAgri Z a m b i a

technology for the farmer

September 2016 Nr 11

Free

Cover

Letter from the Editor

T

Determine your own grain price Agrico turns water into life

Get your savanna back with

Dow AgroSciences

The big secret to reclaim grazing and to control unwanted vegetation is to use a combination of fire, manual clearing and herbicides. Read more on page3.

ProAgri technology for the farmer

Z a m b i a

Office no. 3 Fens Investment Building Lusaka Show Grounds

+26 (0)96-216-9801 www.proagri.co.za

Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. No material, text or photographs 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.

ProAgri Zambia Acting Editor Du Preez de Villiers > +27 82-598-7329 dupreez@proagri.co.za

3

7

17

27

General Manager Zambia Quintus Grobler > +26 (0)96-216-9801 quintus@proagri.co.za Reporters Annemarie Bremner > +27 82-320-3642 annemarie@proagri.co.za Benine Cronje > +27 73-105-6938 benine@proagri.co.za Marketing Xander Pieterse > +27 79-524-0934 xander@proagri.co.za

Content

31

35

37

3

Reclaim your savanna with Dow AgroSciences

7

Harness your untapped water potential with Agrico

11 Meet your supplier 12 ETG makes soil science simple 17 How to handle your beef cattle: Part 1

39

mart!

Farm s

22 Determine your own grain price with GSI 27 AFGRI offers no-sweat grain management 31 Soil: The farmer’s most important asset: Part 8 35 Agri companies shine at annual charity golf day 37 Get ahead with good brooding practices: Part 2 39 Zambian agri-business support growth of Zambian archery

www.proagri.co.za

Stefan van Wyk > +27 82-381-7563 stefan@agritrader.co.za Susan Mwanza > +26 97-964-8508 susan@proagri.co.za Design and layout Ilani Ackerman > +27 83-342-0359 ilani@cultiv8.co.za Esta van Niekerk Enquiries Lize du Plooy > +27 12-803-0667 lize@proagri.co.za Accounts Ronel Keet > +27 861-777-225 accounts@proagri.co.za Distribution Du Preez de Villiers > +27 12-803-0667 dupreez@proagri.co.za.co.za Business Manager George Grobler

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

1

Reclaim your savanna with Dow AgroSciences

The big secret is to use a combination of fire, manual clearing and herbicides to control unwanted vegetation and reclaim grazing.

I

t is a well-known truth that the effectiveness of farming boils down to the particular management of your soil, and for a stock farmer, effective vegetation management is the next step to success. Effective vegetation management increases carrying capacity and herd numbers, and this is something that Dirk Jan Muijs of Casavera Farming is fully aware of.

Dirk came to Zambia for the first time in 1972 and he has a long history in the Zambian livestock industry.

Amongst other ventures, he was also the founder and general manager of Livestock Services.

Dirk farms outside Lusaka with Bonsmaras and three years ago he became aware that the Lantana and Sickle bush were slowly but steadily taking over his grazing.

Dirk says: “If you talk to the local farmers of sixty seventy years ago, or to their children, they will tell you there were far less bushes and shrubs and the carrying capacity was higher.

Since then, due to more intensive grazing and less ‘managed burning’ we noted more and more bush encroachment and a reducing carrying capacity.

Due to increased bush encroachment there remained not enough ‘fuel’ for bush control through burning.”

Contractors using machinery to clear bush charge up to $1 000/ha plus fuel and VAT. If you have your own machine, it still costs around $1 000/ha in total and the second www.proagri.co.za

Dirk Jan Muijs, owner of Casavera Farming, and Jerry Grieve, Key Accounts Manager of MRI Seed are very impressed with the results of Dow AgroSciences’ Plenum™ on Dirk’s grazing.

Happy cattle are cattle surrounded with lush and abundant grazing.

time it is about $250/ha. But then you still have to spray or else it will come back again. Manual clearing is still very cheap and for heavy bush Dirk pays around 300 kwacha/ha and for lighter bush, 200 to 250 kwacha/ha, but if you don’t do it regularly it will come back within two years.

Dirk contacted several agchem companies and eventually Dow AgroSciences presented Plenum™ to him.

Dirk is adamant to preserve the typical savanna vegetation with thick grass and scattered big trees. One of the previous herbicides he used killed the trees as well, but with Plenum™ he achieved perfect results. “The most important is to use an integrated strategy of manual clearing, fire and herbicide treatments in a program approach,’’ he says.

Dirk started this process early in 2015 on the most productive areas on his farm. He employed 30 clearers who cut corridors in the Lantana to get access into the brush for the knapsack sprayers, and towards the end of 2015 he could burn the dead weeds.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

3

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

4

The immediate impact on grass recovery is clear on the right hand side where an integrated approach with Plenum™ was followed, compared to the left where the shrubs were left untreated.

Early this year, his clearers sprayed the young bushes germinating from the dormant seed banks. “It will take about two years to be on top of it,” he says.

Plenum™ doesn’t have to be alternated with other products to prevent resistance, but it can be mixed with other hormonal herbicides to kill the

www.proagri.co.za

bigger bushes.

A farmer can also use firefighters to apply the herbicide and the usage is between five to six litres per ha.

Today, Dirk already cleared approximately 300 to 400 hectares and tripled his carrying capacity on the open pastures, which will have a drastic influence on his profitability.

Call Kobus Meintjes at +27-82-323-6348, Fredie Ndindana at +27-82-612-6599 or Jerry Grieve +260-97-777-2481, or send an email to kjmeintjes@dow.com, fndindana@dow.com or jerry.grieve@syngenta.com to assist you in restoring your grazing.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

5

Harness your untapped water potential with Agrico

by Du Preez de Villiers

Agrico has the only working solar display pivot in Africa at the Chisamba Expo grounds. It can complete two rotations in one day of sunlight and can deliver five litres every second. The Agrico team designed and built it in Lusaka.

Any true-blooded farmer rejoices and undergoes a total mood change when the rainy season dawns and the first rain appears on the horizon. Water means life and prosperity, but Zambia has a very short rainy season which has a very restricting influence on agriculture.

Z

ambia’s life lies in the abundance of submerged water as well as in the lakes and rivers spanning the country.

And what better way exists than utilising these water sources on a grand scale with a cleverly designed pivot irrigation system?

Agrico is a South African company that understands how to convert water into prosperity. In 1988 they manufactured their first pivot irrigation system in their own factory in Lichtenburg. Today Agrico products are produced in a new state-of-the-art facility, incorporating a pipe mill and galvanising plant. The company backs up the products through a company owned sales and services network comprising 24 branches.

Last year Agrico decided to cross the borders and established their first fullyfledged branch in Lusaka when they took over the reins from their dealer.

The final registration was completed three months ago, but they are way too busy to reflect on that. “We have already sold more than ninety systems this year, compared to the eighteen of last year, which will keep us very busy with installations during the coming months,” Hanré Wiese, Agrico’s Operations Manager in Lusaka, says. “Though we are still in a transitional phase and sorting out our logistics and the online computerised stock systems, we shall soon be just as smoothly geared as our branches in South Africa.”

This sudden spurt in orders means a serious request for growth and Alfred Andrag, Managing Director of Agrico, www.proagri.co.za

Agrico offers the whole irrigation package, from the transformer to the end sprinkler.

assured his clients and future clients that they will not be disappointed.

“There is so much potential in Zambia and within the next four years we aim to double our business. We shall ensure that we develop our infrastructure so that we are able to back up the products all over the country. This is not negotiable,” he says.

One of the things that make the Lusaka branch strong, is their highly competent team. “We have excellent irrigation design people who go out to the farms to design the pump stations, water supply and layout of the pivots and ensure that everything works as efficiently as possible. We also have excellent pivot technicians and our chief electrician is graduated in low and heavy current,” Hanré says.

From order they can deliver as quickly as two to six weeks depending on the size and complexity of the pivot.

In the warehouse they also stock all the

The Agrico team is very proud of the neat reception area in their offices in Lusaka. Mercy Mwambazi is Administration Manager; Charity Banda is the Store Worker; Webster Munjongo is the Chief Electrician; Seba Mwenda is the General Worker and Hanré Wiese is the Operations Manager. parts for a complete pivot system as well as centre drives and gearboxes.

The Lusaka branch came up with the novel idea of supplying an electrical service kit with a multimeter with every pivot system sold, in order to allow the farmer to do fault-finding on his own or with the aid of the Agrico-technician over the phone.

Agrico offers a one-stop-service, including surveying, planning and designing the system, supplying the whole system, helping with the installation, and of course the after sales service.

Many components are manufactured

by Agrico themselves and the rest are bought directly from other factories, including: pumps, valves, motors, cables, sprinklers etc. This means the supply line is short, which results into cost arm and quicker, more savings to the farmer efficient service.

Don’t hesitate to call Alfred Andrag at +27-82-824-1214 or +27-21-950-4111 or send him an e-mail to Alfred.andrag@agrico.co.za.

Contact Hanré Wiese in Lusaka at +260-21-184-5874 or +260-96-5617-765 or send him an e-mail to hanre.wiese@agrico.co.za.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

7

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

9

Technical Services

Livestock advisory services in: Veterinary Agro Chemical Fencing Fish Farming

Artifical Insemination Nutrition Lab Diagnostic Services Livestock Production Training

Products

Poultry vaccines and antimicrobials | Poultry equipment and egg trays | Cattle vaccines and antimicrobials | Dips and dewromers | Semen for Dairy cattle | Specialised veterinary products | Milking equipment | Pet and horse products | Finished stock feed | Stock feed ingredients | Protective clothing | Fencing material | Wire and poles | Crates | Fertiliser | Seeds | Seed trays and growing medium | Bailing twine | Crop chemicals | Pest control products | Water tanks and pipes | Livestock handling equipment | Livestock equipment and instruments

Physical Address: Livestock Services, Pamodzi Highway, Off Nangwenya Road, Showgrounds Telephone: 254024, 254497 and 254498 or 0975 474119 and 0969 635407

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

10

Meet your supplier

by Du Preez de Villiers

As a service to readers, ProAgri Zambia visited suppliers to our farmers at their premises in Lusaka to meet the faces behind the products and services and to find out more about their operations and what they can offer the farmer:

Uncertainty and stress can be drastically reduced if a farmer knows what his vehicles and drivers are doing and where they are at all times. Ctrack is a tracking company specialising in making management easier for the farmers. “We install smart devices into their equipment to monitor a wide variety of functions such as speed and how the driver is cutting corners and going through holes. Through our online site, vehicles can be located on a map at all times. Replays to determine an operator’s overall performance are also possible. Fuel consumption is estimated based on previous usage and should be correlated with how much is actually put into the vehicle. We can also tell the farmer when the next service is due,” Francois du Plessis, Manager of Ctrack, says. Their offices are in Leopard Hill and the team can assist a farmer in no time.

Precious Hamusuce, Sula Silungwe, Alice Muimui, René Lourens, Elias Bwalya and Motaka Dollin from Livestock Services are very proud of their neat sales hall on the Lusaka show grounds. Livestock Services truly revolves around services. “We have consultants and advisors in our offices where you can come and sit down to state your farming problem, whether it be with animal health or crop production. Recently, we started with aquaculture services, which is a new direction. Interested members from the general public may also visit us for advice and to buy all the equipment and accessories to start their farms,” René Lourens, Commercial Manager, says. Solar panels are also gaining in popularity amongst farmers and Livestock Services can supply all the types and sizes required.

AFGRI Equipment is launching an exciting new equipment package deal for small-scale farmers. While keeping the price low, AFGRI offers a total solution which includes a tractor, cultivating implement, planter and fertiliser spreader. “We offer different deal combinations from which a farmer can choose, depending on the specific needs for his operation,” Willie Dietrechsen, AFGRI Equipment's Manager in Zambia, says. “We work through Zanaco and John Deere Finance to enable the farmer to gain access to capital. Included in the deal is a two year, 2 000 hours warranty and maintenance service plan. AFGRI puts a sticker next to the hour meter on the tractor with their service numbers as well as the hours of the next service. After the call, their technicians will come out to the farm free of charge to service the machines. This will ensure that the tractor lasts forever.

AFGRI’s offices, warehouse and workshop are located in Kafue road and their friendly team works all over the country to assist the farmer.

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

11

ETG and Zambian Fertilizers make soil science simple Understanding plant nutrients ensures better fertilisation of your crops for better yields and more profits.

P

lant nutrition is an extremely important aspect of crop production and it is also a highly complex science, but fortunately we have Zambian Fertilizer to teach us just what we need to know.

Plants produce their own food through a process called photosynthesis.

This process is simply an ongoing reaction between sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to produce energy and oxygen. It takes place mainly in the leaves and it is here were the plant obtains what it needs to grow and produce what farmers require from it in terms of yield.

Now, for a plant to reach the stage where it can independently photosynthesise, it needs other chemical elements from its surrounding environment. We call these elements nutrients.

Sixteen chemical elements are known to be important to a plant's growth and survival. The sixteen chemical elements are divided into two main groups: nonmineral and mineral.

Let us focus more on the mineral elements that plants need, which are mainly made available to them through fertilisation. The thirteen mineral nutrients coming from the soil are dissolved in water and absorbed through a plant's roots. Sometimes, there are not sufficient quantities of these nutrients in the

www.proagri.co.za

soil to promote healthy plant growth.

This is why many farmers and gardeners use fertilisers to add the lacking nutrients to the soil.

The mineral nutrients are divided into two groups, namely macronutrients and micronutrients.

Macronutrients can be divided into two more groups, primary and secondary nutrients. The primary nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). These major nutrients usually are depleted from the soil first because plants use large amounts for their growth and survival. The secondary nutrients are calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulphur (S).

At Zambian Fertilizers we understand all the nutritional needs of field crops, vegetable crops, ornamentals and soil conditioners. Different crops need these nutrients in different quantities and utilise them at different stages. With this information known to us, we are able to blend different kinds of fertilisers to meet the different nutritional needs that each plant needs as we blend for crop specific needs.

We blend to meet the plant needs and at the same time increase the plant yield through correct fertiliser type and application.

A plant employs a continuous process called photosynthesis to produce food for itself.

Call +260-974-772-838, or send an e-mail to sales.zam@etgworld.com to claim your share of ETG’s outstanding products and services. Visit their helpful website at www.etgworld.com for more information.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

12

The ETG team is very proud of their wide range of products and they have reason to be. Zambia Fertilizers is part of the ETG-group and offers a wide range of fertilisers and chemicals like herbicides and insecticides. For ETG, business means much more than simply selling their products. ‘We offer agronomic advice to the farmers, depending on what they need, because it is not only a matter of selling, but also about how you interact with them. We have to find out what problems they might experience in their fields and if they need any assistance, we go out to the farm and provide extension services,” Nicholas Daka, agronomist at Zambian Fertilizers, says.

ETG also offers specialised fertilisers for vegetables and grain, and they can even blend fertilisers for each specific type of crop in the vegetable segment.

Richard Chefu is the owner of Tace Auction Centre in Kafue Road and he has a team of highly professional agents and administrators. They have an auction every Friday. “We can sell almost anything a farmer needs: livestock, implements, equipment, vehicles, and even farms,” he says. Tace Auction House is also a real estate agency and they have farms of all sizes all over the country on their books, ready to be occupied by the next owners. “We have representatives all over the country who go out and asses the items on offer and facilitate the process. We also auction repossessed equipment for the banks. Tace Auction House recently auctioned 1 300 livestock units in one day.

Musika means ‘market’, and they have a crew of highly motivated workers with a different approach towards poverty elimination. “We are focused on bringing the private agricultural companies and the small-scale farmers together where farming happens,” Gift Chanda, Musika’s Communications Officer, says. Because Zambia’s small-scale farmers are scattered all over the rural areas, they have difficulties accessing inputs, services and the market. “First, we stimulate the companies to expand their operations to the places where their markets are, namely the million plus small-scale farmers. Second, we want to ensure agricultural sustainability by encouraging the companies to assist the small-scale farmers with advice and knowledge. We believe this is a win-win situation,” he says. Currently, Musika is working with 70 agricultural companies and a growing number of 320 000 farmers.

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

13

“MANAGING ENVIRONMENT FOR GROWTH” OUR ANSWER WORKING WITH EMERGING FARMERS TO DEVELOP AND MECHANISE SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES

CONTACT US TODAY! Call Chinso Chipopola on 096 940 7424, Alister Sibajene on 096 560 0933 or Werner Kritzinger on 096 997 0276

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

14

The first Mitsubishi L200, previously known as the Triton, in Southern Africa was recently launched in Lusaka by Southern Cross Motors. This striking company in Kafue Road is the only authorised distributor of Mercedes Benz, Chrysler, Jeep, Mitsubishi Vehicles, Fuso Trucks, Freightliner, Fiat and GWM Vehicles in Zambia. “The L200 will only be launched in South Africa next year, but we can already offer the Zambian farmer the whole range and we also have a few upcoming events to promote the vehicle,” Tony Voorhout, General Manager, says. Next to him is Carolyn Mushabati, Assistant Sales Manager, Temboh Tembo, Sales Manager, and behind them is the elegant but functional L200.

AGCO is the world's largest agricultural equipment manufacturer with brands like Valtra, GSI, Massey Ferguson, Challenger and Fendt in their stable. AGCO is also focused to offer the farmer more than just a product. They have a very clear vision for small, medium and large farmers which came to life in their recently built AGCO Future Farm, 25 kilometres outside Lusaka. The farm is a stateof-the-art training facility with all the equipment to give a farmer a valuable theoretical and practical experience.

“Farmers come to us for more than just the nuts and bolts and iron. When they walk away from us, they will have the maximum knowledge that they can get to add value to their farming operations in the correct manner,” Dr Mark Moore, AGCO Agronomist says. All the members of the well-trained AGCO-team are ready to transfer their knowledge to Zambian farmers.

Stanbic Bank Zambia is amongst the leading financiers of agriculture in Zambia, and is serious about supporting the government’s focus on the growth of the sector. They also collaborate with a few key players in the industry to provide less expensive, structured working capital and equipment finance solutions, tailored to fit their customers’ needs.

“We offer tailor made finance solutions across the whole agricultural value chain, from input suppliers like seed, medicine and fuel, right through to the exporters of produce,” Leon Kotze, Head of Agribusiness says. Stanbic has a team of dedicated agricultural specialists on the ground. Next to Leon is Edith Chuma, Senior Relationship Manager Agribusiness, and Chanshila Chungu, Manager of Vehicle and Asset Finance.

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

15

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

16

www.proagri.co.za www ww w w ww w.pr prroag p oagri ag grriri.i co co. o za za

P ProAgr Pr Pro ProAgri r A Ag Agr gri 1 g 11 1 – Sep SSeptember Se Sept ep pttem te e em mb ber be er 2 20 2016 016 16

1 17 7

How to handle

your beef cattle Part 1: Understand your cattle

For successful beef production, certain facilities are necessary. These facilities must simplify the management of cattle and it must be functional and economical. The ARC Institute for Agricultural Engineering in South Africa has made their manual on handling facilities available to ProAgri Zambia so that our readers can benefit from their research and knowledge. www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

18

Animals have certain behavioural traits which determine their behaviour during handling. These behavioural traits must be taken into account in the planning and design of a handling facility.

Poorly planned facilities will waste time, which can jeopardise the productivity of the farmer and the animal.

Unlike humans, bovines can see nearly right around them without turning their heads. This means that they cannot distinguish depth everywhere. Figure 1 shows the field of vision. In the front is an area where it has telescopic vision. This is the area where it should theoretically see depth. Behind it is a blind spot where it cannot see anything. In the remaining area it has single level sight. This is the area where it can theoretically not see depth. In reality cattle can however, to a certain extent, see a degree of depth in this area. If a person should close one eye, depth should theoretically not be observed at all, yet the human brain has learnt over the years to associate depth with the image.

If he stands in front of the balance point and is in the flight zone, the animal will move backwards.

Cattle must also be driven into the crush this way. Figure 2 shows the position of the handler for the successful handling of the animal. The handler moves to position A. This is in the flight zone and behind the balance point. The animal does not want the handler in its personal space and moves forward, so that the handler is now in position B. The handler now moves to position A again.

Figure 3: Movement of handler

Figure 2: Position of handler

Figure 1: The scope of sight of cattle Cattle, just like people, have a personal space. This space is called the flight zone and it is the space around the animal in which it wants to be alone to feel safe and comfortable.

The size of the flight zone is how close the animal will allow a person to approach it before it moves away.

According to T Gradin (1998) there are four factors which influence the size of the flight zone, namely: • The genetics of the animal • The number of times it has had contact with people • The quality of the contact • The actions of the handler By taking the flight zone into consideration, cattle can be handled comfortably. The point of balance is approximately at the shoulder of the animal. If a handler stands behind the balance point and is in the flight zone, the animal will move forward. www.proagri.co.za

stud-farm and definitely from that of a feedlot.

Whenever a number of cattle are driven into a crush pen, the handler must move from the front to the back, as seen in Figure 3. This action may seem wrong initially, but if the flight zone and point of balance are taken into consideration, it will make sense. To make the animal move forward, the handler must be behind the animal’s balance point.

There is also a social hierarchy amongst cattle in a herd. When they are grouped together in a waiting corral, the normal frequency of antagonistic behaviour between them will increase. Cattle with horns can injure other cattle, while the younger animals and calves can also be seriously injured.

When different groups of cattle are suddenly crowded into a pen, it will cause unnecessary discord between individual animals because the pecking order has been disturbed. It is therefore important, where possible, to keep established groups apart from other groups during active handling.

This is also applicable to young animals and calves.

When cattle are being driven, the behaviour as described above must be kept in mind. Figure 4 shows the handler’s position when cattle have to move along a camp fence.

In the planning of handling facilities, the objective of the facility must be taken into account. The handling facility for commercial cattle will possibly differ from that of a facility for a

In a well-designed handling facility, animals can be gathered safely, sorted and controlled. Depending on the size and type of facility, there are basically five essential components in a well-designed facility: • • • • •

Sorting pens Working area Loading platform age g Crush passage Crush pens

Figure 4: Handler’s position when cattle are driven along a camp fence.

Next month we shall continue the discussion of these components.

With acknowledgement to the ARC Institute for Agricultural Engineering for the use of their Beef Cattle Handling Manual. Visit www.arc.agric.za for more information.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

19

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

20

Determine your own grain price with GSI

by Du Preez de Villiers

A

useful luxury that every farmer dreams of is the ability to store his own grain. During harvest time, your trucks no longer need to cover long distances to the silo or wait for ages in long lines while your combines lose valuable time. You can also store your own grain on your own farm as long as you want free of storage charges, and decide for yourself when the price is right to sell it.

GSI is one of the most renowned silo manufacturers in Southern Africa, but their silos have been designed in America for many years. The experience and expertise accumulated over many years make them a market leader in the field. Every part is meticulously manufactured before shipping.

Jaco Barnard, Area Manager of GSI, Francois Louw of the farm, Uitsicht, near Davel, and Natasha Coleman, Marketing Director of GSI, are totally dwarfed

by Francois’ two 1 500 ton silos. www.proagri.co.za

The sheets are made of galvanised steel, and not zinc as it may appear.

The centre point of the roof of a GSI silo can carry a weight of five tonnes!

It is easier than you thought to erect a GSI silo or two. The farmer may choose his own contractors to construct the pit and foundations, or he can request GSI to appoint someone. GSI’s technical staff will train the people on the farm. As soon as the concrete works are completed, GSI’s team will erect the steel works within 2,5 weeks.

Francois Louw from the farm, Uitsicht, on the South African Highveld, could erect two 1 500 silos with an intake and extraction speed of 60 tonnes per hour: “First, I contacted Jaco Barnard, Area Manager for the region. He supported and guided me through the whole process. GSI’s service leaves nothing to be desired. The silos were completed during the last part of the harvest season, and I could fill one of them. The maize will remain there until I can sell it at a favourable price,” he says.

Francois chose flat floored silos with false, perforated floors. One extractor auger with three openings was placed beneath the floor to extract grain.

GSI’s silos are designed to get rid of moisture. Three blowers underneath the floor evenly blow any moisture through the whole silo to the top. All around the silo there are openings, called drip lips, between the roof and the wall, and as moisture escapes from the grain, it condensates against the roof and runs through the openings and down the outside walls of the silo. “When you see moisture on the ground around the silo, you may know that everything is well,” Jaco Barnard says.

Every second or third season, the false floor is lifted to clean out the dust.

The lower wall sheets carry more weight, therefore they are thicker and stronger. In order to cut back costs, the upper walls are progressively thinner and lighter, but this does not hamper the structural strength at all.

The pillars supporting the roof are also thicker towards the bottom to withstand lateral pressure.

Niels Erichsen from the farm, Keerom, near Middelburg, has a contract to supply a chicken farm with yellow maize, however they do not have the capacity to take in all the maize during the harvesting season.

“In the past, when they were full, we had to transport the maize to the town, and later transport it back to the chicken farm. This effort was quite expensive and a bother with my tractors together with the many trucks on

the road. However, my first silo in 2014 lauded a welcome change. Now we can continue harvesting and unloading grain until ten o’ clock at night,” he says.

Last year he erected a second silo, which is now also filled to capacity with maize to sell when the price is right. Each of his silos can hold 1 000 tonnes of grain.

Niels plans to make his silos higher in the near future to increase the capacity of each with 500 tonnes.

Fortunately, it is very easy to extend a GSI silo, as the company insists on strong foundations able to support the biggest silos right from the start, so that silos can later be extended according the increased storage needs.

During the process, the roof is simply raised and new wall sheets are slipped in underneath. After every second ring an extra set of supports is added.

As the silos have openings on top, Niels prefers to protect his maize with a special insecticide rather than fumigating it. He simply installed a tank next to the pit’s auger to automatically spray the maize as it is fed to the bucket elevator. For the next twelve months the grain is free from weevils and other bothersome insects.

The silo’s opening has two doors of which one can open to the inside only so that it can never be opened accidentally when the silo is full of grain.

In this door there are three smaller doors on top of each other. They can be opened separately to inspect grain as the silo fills up. In addition, there

Davel

One of Francois Louw’s silos is chock-full and the maize can remain there until the price is favourable.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

22

The galvanised steel walls of GSI’s silos have an elastic sealant between the sheets to keep out moisture. It expands and contracts with the silo as it is filled or drained. is a peephole through which grain samples can be extracted. The outside door opens to the outside and can be locked.

Compared to the porous walls of concrete silos, the inside walls of GSI’s steel silos are smooth so that weevils cannot lay their eggs on them.

Contrary to concrete silos, steel silos are baked warm by the sun, which, combined with the even distribution of air from the blowers, helps to get rid of the moisture in the grain.

Steel silos need far less maintenance than concrete silos. Galvanised steel need not be painted, it does not crumble or break out, and sand and wind cannot erode it.

Jozua du Plessis from Jozua du Plessis Boerdery near Delmas in the Eastern Transvaal had to erect driers in 1999 so that he could harvest his wheat in time for the maize or beans to be planted directly afterwards.

“From the start, I only planted Bt free maize and one of the conditions set by the buyers was that it should never come into contact with any Bt grain. This forced me to transport it directly from the fields, but there was a congestion of trucks at the delivery point,” he says. “Therefore, I erected two silos to use as a transfer facility.”

Each of Jozua’s two silos holds 1 200 tonnes of grain, and in December, he can store his bt free wheat until March for a better price and a better quality.

In time, the farming operation expanded and the transfer facility could not keep up. Three more silos were erected. Today, Jozua can store 6 000 tonnes for marketing at a later date.

Jozua has no moisture or ground water problems, therefore he could opt for conical floors. This means that he can store an extra 100 tonnes in each silo.

“As we harvest the wheat during the rainy season in December, it happens that it sometimes arrives here in a moist condition. The aeration system of the silos works so well that it often is unnecessary to put the wheat through the driers first.”

André Meyer is Jozua’s farm manager and he is very pleased with the silos because they make his life much easier. “Maintenance on the silos is simple and easy. After every season,

The sweeping auger used in the flat floored silo extracts the grain accumulated against the bottom of the wall and on the floor. www.proagri.co.za

Middelburg

Natasha Coleman, Niels Erichsen from the farm, Keerom, and Jaco Barnard in front of the 24 m high bucket elevator that lifts the grain to deposit it into the silos. we simply grease the critical points, tighten the chains, check the fins on the augers and tighten the bolts of the silos,” he says.

Niels Erichsen from Keerom shows how simple and straightforward his control box works to exclude all possible mistakes.

The conveyer units are wired in such a way that one cannot be switched on if the following one is not running yet.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

23

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

24

Together with his weighbridge, Niels Erichson’s silo system now works with the minimum losses and costs.

Delmas

Apart from the extraction auger, there are three perforated ducts, each with its own blower, under the conical floor of the silo to thoroughly aerate the grain.

André Meyer, Farm Manager of Jozua du Plessis Boerdery, Natasha Coleman, Jaco Barnard and Jozua du Plessis, owner, at the five silos that play an important role in the farming operation’s existence. On the right are the three delivery points that, together with the silos, ensure a much easier harvesting season.

“We employ only one person to man all five silos, the three delivery points and the drying plant. The control box is clear and simple to understand,” André says.

“I prefer GSI silos, because I have to change grain three times in a year, which can be a severe strain on the construction, but I am very satisfied with what I have acquired,” Jozua says. “In the year when I erected the last three silos, the maize price incidentally rose so strongly that I could pay for all three silos with the maize I could retain.” www.proagri.co.za

André Meyer shows with how few buttons and simply the control box is laid out so that the single worker who mans the silos during the season can easily understand everything.

The conveyer chains to and from the silos are virtually unbreakable and can easily move 80 tonnes per hour.

GSI progressiveness is within your reach. Call 011-794-4455 or send an e-mail to sales@gsiafrica.co.za for more information.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

25

www.proagri.co.za ww w www ww..pr ww .p prroa p oag o ag a gri. ririi.c co co. o..z o .zza a

ProAgri PrroA Pro P roAg ro Ag Agr grri 1 11 1 – September Sep SSe ep e pttem te em e mbe ber b err 2 e 20 2016 016 16

26 26

AFGRI offers no-sweat

grain management

Your grain is safe in the hands of AFGRI and they can account for every tonne they handle.

AFGRI is a leading agricultural services and food processing company with a core focus on grain commodities.

AFGRI is passionate about ensuring food security for the African continent, of which the AFGRI business has more than a 90 year heritage in grain and agriculture. It is this passion that drives AFGRI’s vision into Africa.

AFGRI’s Mission: To be the number one grain company in all the markets, we operate in AFGRI’s Vision: Driving food security across Africa.

Grain Management AFGRI’s Grain Management business started during 2000 in Zambia with the purpose of managing grain for food security and to prevent post-harvest losses on grain commodities. AFGRI receives grain commodities from farmers and stores it for millers, processors, investors and humanitarian relief organisations. AFGRI Grain Management is divided into two departments namely Handling & Storage and Grain Marketing. www.proagri.co.za

Handling & Storage Handling & Storage operate depots in the following areas: Kalomo - Southern Province Chipata & Petauke - Eastern Province Lusaka – Central Province Kabwe – Central Province Mkushi - Central Province Mpongwe - Copper Belt Mpika - Muchinga Province Farmers can deliver their grain commodities to these depots in bags, and in Mkushi bulk storage options are available. During the new financial year, Mpongwe depot will also be upgraded to receive commodities in bulk. Farmers can either sell their grain directly to AFGRI or deliver it to AFGRI for storage.

AFGRI manages storage for maize, soy beans, wheat and sunflower seeds. The feasibility of also handling groundnuts for the next season is being investigated.

As soon as grain is delivered to an AFGRI depot, it is graded to ensure the quality complies with ZAMACE’s (Zambia Agricultural Commodities Exchange) grading specifications in order to be able to sell it to millers and processors. Com-

modities are then stacked or placed into bulk storage. Fumigation of commodities will take place when receiving the products and they are treated for safe storage and to ensure that no quality losses will occur.

Grains are inspected weekly to make sure the quality is intact and fumigation is done on a regular basis to prevent any infestation. The well-preserved grain will be loaded out to customers or back to farmers after obtaining a release instruction from the owner or the collateral manager.

All grains loaded out will be graded to ensure customers get the quality paid for. Weighbridges and scales are serviced and certified by Zambia Weights and Measures at least once a year to make sure that receiving and dispatch weights are always 100% correct.

Grain is money AFGRI is also in the process of obtaining certification from ZAMACE to issue warehouse receipts for the farmer. With such receipts, he can obtain financing or he can sell them any other buyer in the market and thus cut out the transport costs to any of the major cities. Farmers

AFGRI workers at the Chipata site are adept in the moving of large quantities of grain quickly. Every bag is stacked with precision, whether it is for long or short term storage.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

27

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

28

can also deliver grain to AFGRI depots for any third party buyer that has a storage agreement with AFGRI. Some of the millers or traders have storage agreements with AFGRI to receive grain from farmers at the AFGRI depots.

Various storage solutions are available for farmers. It can either be a through-put agreement or long-term storage and, as mentioned, storage on warehouse receipts supported by ZAMACE. Once ZAMACE is fully operational, the option of trading commodities (delivered to AFGRI) through the JSE agriculture derivate on future contracts or puts and options will be available.

This will open up the market for farmers to local and international buyers.

Grain delivered to any AFGRI depot can be financed by most of the banks and financial institutions as AFGRI is a reputable operator and has a proven track record of storing grain successfully with good quality control and guaranteed quantities. All grain delivered to AFGRI H & S is also verified by Collateral Management International as they are the appointed collateral managers for AFGRI. AFGRI also offers services like cleaning and re-bagging of commodities for customers at selected depots. The installation of a dryer and increasing of capacity at Mkushi also form part of the short term planning.

Grain Marketing AFGRI Raw Material Procurement offers structured trade opportunities to the market. Grain is sourced through AFGRI

Grain Marketing and carried by the Raw Material Procurement business. It offers solutions to grain milling and crushing businesses throughout Africa with competitive interest rates on commodities carried on behalf of clients.

Grain Marketing procures grain through AFGRI’s depots by putting spot buying prices out on a weekly basis from April to the end of December each year. AFGRI procures grain from smallscale farmers, commercial farmers, local traders, corporations and any excess from all role players in the market.

AFGRI also has dedicated buyers in remote areas through farmer co-operatives and farmers’ groups. AFGRI buys any volumes from farmers; it can either be a single bag to contracting commercial farmers with huge volumes.

AFGRI offers forward contracts to farmers on most of the crops to make sure farmers know the final price that they will receive for the crop when harvested. AFGRI also offers minimum price contracts and spot market prices.

As soon as AFGRI is in the position to issue warehouse receipts, AFGRI will be able to give advance payments on grain under collateral for future sales when the market is picking up. AFGRI sends out market prices on a weekly basis in order to keep prices transparent and be used as a benchmark.

AFGRI buys maize, soy beans, wheat and sunflower (possibility of adding groundnuts in the next season is there) and sell it to local buyers that include mills, feedlots, poultry operations and traders. Exports of any surplus produc-

tion into the region are undertaken as and when allowed. AFGRI handles the largest volumes of grain in Zambia other than the Food Reserve Agency.

AFGRI operates fully within Zambia’s policies and regulations and co-operates with all relevant role-players and authorities in the market. With close relations to ZNFU and the Ministry of Agriculture, AFGRI is supporting the growth of the Zambian agriculture industry to b become the grain basket of the region..

For Handling and Storage, contact Jaco Naudé at +260-967-988-527 or jn@afgri.com.zm and for Grain Marketing contact Joof Pistorius at +260-965-872-082 or jp@afgri.com.zm.

Bag stacking requires special skills and all the staff members at the AFGRI Mpongwe site are professionals in the business.

The impressive Mkushi grain storage site can store 72 000 metric tonnes with ease. www.proagri.co.za

The neat bulk grain storing site in Mkushi can store 72 000 metric tonnes of grain without any sweat.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

29

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

30

Part 8: Soil Acidity

By Martiens du Plessis, Soil Scientist, NWK Limited & Prof Cornie van Huyssteen, Lecturer: Soil Science, University of the Free State

S

oil is the most fundamental resource for the farmer, without which food and natural fibre cannot be produced. This article forms part of a series to highlight this resource.

In this article, soil acidity and the management thereof is discussed.

Introduction The soil’s acidity level (pH) is arguably the most important chemical parameter in the measurement of the soil’s general “chemical health”. It significantly influences plant growth and the uptake of a variety of plant nutrients. The maintenance of a favourable soil pH is therefore of vital importance for the soil utiliser and has an intrinsic influence on the sustainable utilisation of the soil.

What is pH? An important property of the soil solution is the soil reaction – in other words whether the soil is acid, neutral or alkaline. Acid refers to an excess of H+ ions compared to OH- ions and in the same context alkaline refers to an excess of OH- ions compared to H+ in the soil solution. With a neutral solution, there are equal quantities of H+ and OH- ions. The soil reaction is measured as pH. It is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration [H+] expressed as “mole per litre” (pH = - log [H+] and it ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 1 is strongly acidic and a pH of 14 is strongly alkaline, with a pH of 7 being neutral.

For example: A pH of 6 implies an H+ ion concentration 10-6 mole litre-1 (0.000 001 mole litre-1) and an OHion concentration of 10-8 mole litre-1 (0.000 000 01 mole litre-1) (the difference between the pH value and 14 is the OH- concentration). There is thus 10x10=100 times more H+ than OH- ions in the soil solution and the soil is therefore acidic. At a pH of 7 there are 10-7 mole litre-1 H+ and www.proagri.co.za

10-7 OH- ions and the soil is neutral.

At a pH of 9 there are fewer H+ ions (10-9 mole litre-1) than OH- ions (10-5 mole litre-1) and the soil is alkaline.

It must be remembered that the pH units are given in a log scale: One pH difference therefore indicates a 10-fold difference on concentration. A solution with a pH of 4 therefore has a 1 000 times more H+ ions than a solution with pH of 7.

from the soil under high rainfall and leaching conditions, so that H+ and Al3+ ions are adsorbed in their place on the exchange complex.

Under conditions of high soil acidity the silicate clays weather and Al3+ ions are released from the octahedral layers. The Al3+ ions are hydrolysed in the soil solution to Al hydroxide, which releases H+ ions and consequently the soil is acidified.

The relationship of soil acidity versus climate and topography Acid soils are generally found in high rainfall areas where basic cations are leached out of the soil, with an accompanying increase in the H+ ion concentration and therefore a decrease in soil fertility. Alkaline soils are normally associated with low rainfall areas and relative accumulation of basic cations in the soil, in other words limited leaching. Deep sandy soils on high-lying parts of the landscape which drain well are therefore more inclined towards acidification than poorly drained soils in low-lying parts of the landscape where basic cations accumulate.

Al3+ Al (OH)2+ Al(OH)2+ Al(OH)3

Changes in soil pH As a result of acidification, the adsorbed hydrogen and aluminium increases on the soil exchange complex. Alkalisation is the increase in the adsorbed basic cations (calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium).

Soil acidification is the result of: H+ ions that are released into the soil solution by the dissociation of organic acids and inorganic acids that are released during the decomposition of organic material.

Inorganic acids such as sulphuric acid and nitric acid can end up in the soil together with fertilizer or through air pollution (acid rain). iii. Exchangeable basic cations such as Ca2+ and Mg2+ that are removed

+H2 +H2 +H2 +H2

OAl(OH)2+ OAl(OH)2+ OAl(OH)30 OAl(OH)4-

+ + + +

H+ H+ H+ H+

Dissolved salts of, amongst others, fertilisation materials provide basic cations and will, in acidic soil, exchange some of the Al3+ ions on the clay complex, which will cause the pH of the soil solution to decrease.

Growing plant roots release carbon dioxide (CO2), which react with water to form carbonic acid, which dissolves in ground water to release H+.

Because the H+ ion concentration in the soil solution increases, the balance between the adsorbed H+ on the clay complex and H+ in the soil solution is disturbed. This disturbed balance results in H+ ions in the soil solution replacing the basic cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) on the clay complex.

The basic cations that are displaced by the H+ end up in the soil solution and are removed by plant absorption or leaching. This vicious circle can only be broken by increasing the concentration of basic cations in the soil solution, for example, by adding lime.

Neutralisation of soil acidity The most common materials that are used to combat soil acidification, are calcium oxide (CaO), calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] and calcitic lime [calcium carbonate Ca(CO3)] or dolomitic lime [calcium/magnesium carbonate ProAgri 11 – September 2016

31

CaMg(CO3). When lime is mixed with the soil it dissolves and increases the Ca2+ and / or Mg2+ ion concentration of the soil solution. The Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions displace the H+ ions on the exchange complex to form H2O and CO .

2

H+ Colloid H+

+CaCO3

Colloid

Ca2+ + H2O + CO2

Graphic: Colloid Alkalisation takes place when adsorbed Al3+ and H+ ions are displaced by basic cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+ on the exchange complex.

As a result, the H+ ion concentration in the soil solution will decrease and the OH- concentration will increase, which will bring about an increase in the pH. A high basic cation concentration in the soil solution can be the consequence of (i) weathering of minerals, (ii) inflow of salts from areas higher up, (iii) addition of salts via irrigation water, and (iv) limited leaching as a result of a low rainfall.

The quantity of bases or acids that are needed to bring about a change of one pH unit, will differ amongst soils. The resistance offered by a soil against a change in pH, is called the buffer ability. A soil that is well buffered will need more reagents to change the pH than a soil that is poorly buffered. The pH of a soil with a good buffer capacity will, under natural circumstances, remain constant, while the pH of poorly buffered soils will easily acidify. A general rule is that the higher the clay percentage of a soil and its humus content and therefore the cation exchange capacity, the better it is buffered. On the other hand, a sandy soil with a low humus content has a low buffer capacity and acidifies more easily, but it will react quicker to lime treatment. A good buffer capacity and thus stable pH is an advantage for sustained crop production. www.proagri.co.za

The pH of soil may be lowered by adding compounds which form acids or contain acid to the soil. Examples of these are acid organic material (especially pine needles), ferrous sulphate, sulphur and aluminium sulphate.

The role of pH in soil The majority of plants and soil organisms function best in a neutral to slightly acid pH (water) (6-7). At this pH, the majority of plant nutrients are reasonably soluble (FIGURE 1) and can therefore be absorbed by plants and soil organisms.

Graphic In alkaline soil, there are a number of micro elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B) which are inaccessible for plant absorption and shortages will occur in the plants, as well as the animals and people who utilise it. Mo, Cu and B are inaccessible in acidic soils and shortages can occur in plants and the utilisers thereof, while Fe and Al can occur in toxic concentrations. Phosphorous is inaccessible in alkaline and acidic soils. Maize and wheat prefer a slightly acidic soil (pH(water) 6-6.5).

The majority of vegetables prefer slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil (pH(water) 6-8) while potatoes and certain ornamental plants as well as certain grasses prefer more acidic soil.

Summary Because soil pH determines the solubility and thus accessibility of plant nutrients, it is the most important soil chemical factor. Low pH levels are extremely detrimental for plant growth. Before the soil pH is optimised, other chemical rectifications will be useless. The neutralisation of soil acidity is therefore the beginning of the chemical management of soil.

During the rectification of low pH soil, Ca and Mg are usually also rectified, while aluminium and hydrogen ions are neutralised.

FIGURE 1: The relationship between the availability of plant nutritional substances and pH (Brady & Weil, 2002).

References Bennie, A.T.P. 1990. Introduction to Soil Science. Class notes for GKD218.

University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein.

Brady, N.C. and Weil, R.R. 2002. The nature and properties of soils. 13th ed. Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

Tisdale, S.L., Nelson, W.L., Beaton, J.D. & Havlin, J.L. 1993. Soil Fertility n and Fertilizers. Fifth edition. Macmillan Publishing Company. New York. USA..

For further information, please contact: Martiens du Plessis: martiens@nwk.co.za Cornie van Huyssteen: vanhuyssteencw@ufs.ac.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

33

Agri companies shine

at annual charity golf day

by Annemarie Bremner

To be involved in agriculture in Zambia is much more than being in the food production business.

Everyone becomes part of the community.

It is no wonder that, once again, agribusinesses topped the list of invited teams for this year’s prestige FNB DRCZ Corporate Charity Golf Day. It was the tenth of its kind to raise funds for the Dutch Reformed Church of Zambia.

The event was the brainchild of Piet Theron from Parmalat, who was also Chairman for seven years. Three years ago, Bertie Serfontein from Omnia was chosen as Chairman and for this year’s event, Gert van der Walt, also from Omnia, took the chair.

36 corporate teams were invited from companies such as AFGRI, Afrivet, Omnia, Toyota, Alliance Motors, Cargill, Stanbic, Quantum Foods, KVA, Oryx Energies, Abbeycon, Agriserve Agro, Buya Bamba, Cavmont Bank, CMI, Nissan, Ross Tobacco Co, Seed Co, ILA, Mfuwe, Kanyemba and FNB, who also stepped in as the main sponsor of the day for the fourth time.

ProAgri was also involved as a sponsor, offering advertising space for the auction. Look out for Liege Africa’s advertisement next month! Other offerings on the auction list included impalas, wine, brandy, paintings and a much sought after inverter for solar power sponsored by Agriserve Agro. There also was a raffle with 160 prizes. The four main prizes were sponsored by Kiambi Safari Lodge, Kasabushi Lodge, Abbeycon and Poena van Niekerk.

Every participant received a prize,

right down to the very last team of which each member received a plastic fishing rod seeing that fishing might be more in their league than golfing!

But of course the day is about winning, and the winning team this year was Afrivet, also one of ProAgri’s regular advertisers and an important role player in animal health in Zambia. The team members were Steve Williams, Ross Walker, Tigger Foden and Simon Burgess.

It is not just playing the game that is important, but also looking the part. The best dressed team for the previous four years, Nampak, was dethroned this year

by Abbeycon, commercial ceiling installation specialists.

Not to lose sight of the main purpose... over the past ten events a total of more than K1,4 million was collected, allowing the church to continue its much needed work in the community.

ProAgri joined the Charity Golf Day as invited team and sponsor.

John Deere’s team also had a field day off the golf course.

The winning team from Afrivet: Steve Williams, Ross Walker, Tigger Foden and Simon Burgess, with chairman of the organizing committee, Gert van der Walt, from Omnia.

Look out for Liege Africa in next month’s ProAgri.

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

35

Figure 1

Get ahead with good brooding practices Part 2: Emulating mother hen Last month we looked at the benefits of a warm environment and how your chickens react in less than perfect conditions. This month, we look at different ways to achieve the perfect environment for your chicks.

A

s shown in figure 1, a newly hatched chicken has a small body with a relatively large surface area, and it is poorly insulated by a layer of down feathers. This bird has relatively large, non-insulated feet in constant contact with the floor surface. All this determines a natural tendency of the bird to lose heat to its surroundings.

Additionally, the ability of the bird to regulate its heat exchange with the environment is not developed yet.

Consequently, it is impossible for the bird to maintain its body temperature in the normal range (rectal temperature between 39,4 °C and 40,5 °C), unless the environmental conditions are appropriate. In other words, if we are not able to reduce the heat loss to the environment as mother hen does, then the body temperature of the chicks will be compromised, and their development and liveability will be affected.

Fortunately for us, there are certain

techniques that we can apply in order to reduce the heat loss of the birds.

First, we need to understand that the heat moves following a difference of temperatures, from the higher to the lower temperature (that explains why, for example, a cake cools down when we take it out of the oven).

Since, as we said above, the newly hatched chick cannot control the amount of heat it dissipates, we can decrease the heat lost by placing it in a warm environment (Figure 2).

For Indian River birds (Tiger Chicks breed), the initial combination of ambient temperature and relative humidity (RH) at chicken height that minimises heat loss is 30,8 °C with a 60% RH at day one.

As the chicken grows, it becomes more resistant to heat loss (for example by development of a feather coat) and its ability to regulate heat dissipation increases. Then, the required ambient temperature gradually drops; normally a reduction of about 0,5 °C per day is recommended, reaching approximately 22,5 °C with 60% RH by day 21.

There are many ways of achieving the desired temperatures; in Zambia braziers with charcoal are the most usual heat source, but infrared lights are gaining in popularity.

Similar principles apply to the heat loss from the feet to the floor (Figures 1 and 2). Unlike older birds, newly hatched chicks are unable to regulate the amount of blood flowing through their limbs, so a lot of heat could poFigure 2

www.proagri.co.za

tentially be lost from the feet to a cold floor, cooling down the blood circulating through them. This cooled blood will reduce the body temperature when it returns to the body core.

As said above, we want to avoid body temperature drops during the first weeks but, since Mother Hen is not around, we need to make sure that the heat loss to the floor is reduced by giving the birds well-insulated, warm floors (Figure 2). The floor insulation is increased by placing a layer of a material such as wood-shavings on the floor. This material should be clean and, most of all, dry. High moisture content in the bedding will increase the heat loss to the floor. Ideally, such a layer should be between five and ten centimetres thick.

Most growers currently use some sort of floor insulation, however the temperature of the floor is usually overlooked. Going back to the principle of heat transfer, higher temperature differences between the feet and the floor will increase the heat loss. Therefore, to minimise heat loss through the feet, a floor temperature of 28 to 30°C is recommended at day one.

It is important to remember that, depending on the properties of the poultry house, it will take a certain time to reach the required temperatures, especially in the floor. Therefore, it is recommended to start heating up the brooding area about 24 hours before the arrival of the chicks. Remember that, although the birds are not inside yet, the house should be closely watched during pre-heating due to the risk of fire, especially when using braziers with coals as a source of heat.

Although providing a warm environment is primordial, it is important to remember that overheating also adversely affects the performance of the chicks. Chickens cannot sweat, so they lose heat by panting. During panting, not only heat is lost, but also water.

Therefore, a direct consequence of birds exposed to very hot brooding temperatures is dehydration. In future articles we shall analyse dehydration and other consequences of very cold and very warm brooding environments in more depth.

Next month, we tackle the ventilation issue by discussing air replacement and curtains.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

37

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri Pro P Pr rro oAgr A i1 11 1 – September 2016

38

Zambian agri-business

supports growth of Zambian archery

The Lusaka and Mkushi Archery Clubs are serious about their sport and attend the events in large numbers. They are practicing on a regular basis for the last leg of the 3-D Nationals coming up in September.

A

rchery in Zambia has had in its short history a series of tempestuous start-ups and collapses. In the past, the sport could never attract the numbers to justify long term viability.

However, it seems as if it has now taken flight. Incredible success was achieved in several international events. The culmination was an 8 member team taking the second place and awarded numerous medals at the African Field Archery Championships in Namibia 2001. The awards included 2 gold medals and new records in the veteran class, showing Zambia had archers of the highest standard although the numbers remained stagnant around 10 to 12 archers countrywide.

In 2014 the Lusaka Archery Club was rekindled and began rejuvenating its world standard field archery range.

At the same time, the Wessels family, through their Leisure X-treme archery shop, brought in the first 3-D targets into Zambia and organised shoots from Mazabuka to Solwezi. The monthly 3-D shoots were very popular and are still attracting more and more archers. 3-D archery also attracts a new form of archer: the bow hunter!

The bow hunting revolution sweeping the hunting world had not left Zambia untouched. To overcome the lack of facilities, training and clubs, Mkushi formed its own archery club and purchased a set of 3-D targets.

In May 2016 Lusaka Archery Club approached Mkushi Club with the idea of holding a 3-D Nationals. It was agreed to be done in two legs for the first year with dates set 27-28 August in Lusaka and 24-25 September in Mkushi.

Farmers to the rescue The task was daunting as the organising committee scrambled for sponsorships, but with the economy in its current doldrums, confidence was not high. It was Zambian Agri-Business and the farming community that stepped up to support this “Zambitious” venture! www.proagri.co.za

AFGRI, Amiran, Omnia, Multicrop, Farm Feeds and Sable Farms all were quick to provide support together with Archer’s Edge South Africa, Automotive Equipment, Liege Construction, Dawn Africa, Pipemaster, The Hardware Store, Zambia Breweries, Leisure Xtreme and personal sponsorships. The event was advertised through various online channels and a Zambia Archery Facebook group was set up which has grown steadily to over 80 members and continues to grow.

29 archers in all 5 shooting classes, including ladies and juniors, participated in the first leg in Lusaka.

Many archers could not attend due to the late notice and clashes with other events. The first leg consisted of a 3-D round and a 2-D round on Lusaka Archery Club’s range with some fantastic archery on display. After this leg, the enquiries and level of interest in the sport has skyrocketed and archery equipment sales have grown exponentially. It appears Zambian Archery has finally found a medium to ensure a foundation for its long term viability and growth as it now appeals to competitive archers and bow hunters alike. The facilities and skills transfers effected by 3-D archery and the formation of clubs can lead to rapid expansion of the sport that will benefit the game industry in Zambia through demand of bow hunters.

Sable Farms have been on the forefront of promoting bow hunting in Zambia as they strive to convert their game farm to predominantly bow hunting and have constructed the necessary facilities such as blinds and tree stands. With a plethora of game species on offer, they are well poised to exploit on this rapidly expanding form of hunting and the advent of 3-D archery ensures that hunters will in turn hone their archery skills in preparation for “the real thing”.

This creates an ethical environment for bow hunting and assists prospective hunters to achieve the level of skill required for bow hunting. In this re-

The archery community in Zambia is producing professional archers from all over the ages.

Gerhard Huiskamp, Claire van Eeden and Carl Bothma are very serious about their sport. gard Sable Farms sponsored a warthog hunt as a prize. A 3-D warthog was set up and each class of archer was invited to let loose a single arrow 50% further than their normal maximum shooting distance which ranged from 32 yards to 83 yards! Miss Rachel Elton of Mkushi won the prize by putting an arrow dead centre in the kill zone.

The second leg and inaugural prizegiving in Mkushi on 24-25 September is fast approaching, and it promises to be a hugely successful event in this hospitable farming block. All over the country, archers are preparing for the event, ensuring the rapid growth of this sport and bow hunting in years to come. All archers and supporters orte are invited to attend the event.

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

39

www.proagri.co.za ww www w ww w w.pr .pr .p proa oag o ag a grriri.ii..co.za co co. c o..zza o a

ProAgri Pro Pr P rro oA Agr Ag grri 1 g 11 1 – September Sep Se Sep epte te tem em mber be be err 2 20 2016 016 16

40 40

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

41

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

42

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

43

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

44

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

45

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

46

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

47

www.proagri.co.za

ProAgri 11 – September 2016

48

www.proagri.co.za www .proag proagri.co i co.za za a

P Pro ProAgri ro roAgr Agri Ag gri 11 11 – Septem SSeptember Sep eptem tember be 2016

49