Available volumes for Applied Animal Husbandry & Rural Development since 2008
Available volumes (1-8) for SA Anim Sci from 2000 to 2007
To twin or not to twin
Successful reproduction of a cow-calf production system is the corner stone for biological and economical efficiencies. Cattle evaluations have focused mainly on production traits and consequently genetic improvement on reproductive traits through the use of selection tools is limited. Twinning…
Factors affecting the pre-weaning performance of Nguni and Angus x Nguni calves in an arid environment of South Africa
The importance of indigenous breeds that are adapted to the anticipated warmer climate, lower nutritional value of the grazing and harsher conditions will increase as a result of climate change. South Africa has indigenous beef cattle breeds such as the…
The effect of overnight kraaling on sheep production in the sourveld areas of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
It is a common practise in communal areas to kraal sheep at night. This study was conducted to determine the effect of overnight confinement on sheep growth and wool production under favourable grazing conditions. The project on Dohne Sourveld commenced…
Explaining the principle of large stock units and its implications on grazing capacity
The difference between the grazing capacity of the veld and the stocking rate is that grazing capacity refers to the true number of animals that the vegetation can sustain; and stocking rate to the perceived number of animals that the…
The effect of milk feeding frequency on the performance of Dexter x Holstein calves from birth to weaning
Calf rearing is a demanding task which requires regular milk feeding that contributes substantially to the labour inputs on a dairy farm. The feeding of milk and especially grain is necessary to develop the rumen of calves before weaning. Grain…
The reality of drought, consequences and mitigation strategies for livestock production in South Africa
South Africa faced its worst drought in 2015 and as a result the livestock herds and flocks were under severe threat. This drought, linked to the heat waves and the reduction in breeding stock, will result in a shortage of…
A critical analyses of cow-calf efficiency in extensive beef production systems
Numerous factors affect cow efficiency, but the most important one is reproductive performance. Increased productivity generates less greenhouse gas emission per unit of product and this article gives an overview of breeding objectives, appropriate selection criteria and crossbreeding strategies to…
Farmers’ follies – Is it a lack of knowledge or poor advice?
The thought “farmers’ follies” came to mind recently while evaluating some dairy farms as part of a national herd evaluation process. The Oxford Dictionary describes a folly as a “foolish act, idea or practice, unwise conduct, lack of good sense”.…
Partial nutritional evaluation of some browser plant species utilized by communal livestock in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
The aim of the study was to establish the nutritional value of different browse species utilized by communal livestock farmers, in various local municipalities of Amathole and O.R. Tambo districts of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Leaves from twelve different…
Effect of agricultural extension services on beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: A case study of two villages
The objective of the study was to determine the effect of agricultural extension services on beneficiaries of Nguni cattle project in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A survey was conducted on 73 Nguni cattle project beneficiaries in Ncera…
Sale Trends of Swakara Pelt Offered at the Copenhagen Fur Auction from 1994-2013
The objective of this study was to assess and document the performance of the Namibia Swakara pelt sold at the Copenhagen Fur Auction from 1994 to 2013. The Karakul sheep was first introduced into Namibia in 1907 from Central Asia…
Characterization of production outputs and ewe flock structure of communal wool sheep in Ngqolowa, Eastern Cape
A research project was initiated to evaluate aspects regarding communal wool sheep production outputs in Ngqolowa, Eastern Cape Province. Ewes and lambs of participating farmers were observed in different seasons over a period of 5 years. The project was initiated…
Status of the smallholder pig farming sector in Gauteng Province of South Africa
Pig farming is an important area of pig production among smallholder farmers in Gauteng Province. The objectives of the study were to identify the demographics, farm infrastructure, type of feed, animal health, management and marketing channels within the smallholder pig…
Sources of information for small-holder cattle farmers in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality in the North West Province, South Africa
The purpose of this paper was to identify sources of information used by small-holder cattle enterprises and evaluate their influence on productivity of those enterprises. Results showed that public extension is the main (85-87%) source of information for small-holder cattle…
Approximation of forage demands for lactating beef cows of different body weights and frame sizes using the Large Stock Unit
Producing efficient beef cattle in a commercial cow-calf enterprise is an issue of utmost importance. The rapidly increasing costs of feed as a result of effects of climate change and other inputs alongside with low market prices are responsible for…
Selection preferences of Boer Goats in the Thornveld of the Southern Limpopo, South Africa
The selection behavior of Boer Goats was studied over a two year period in the Sourish Mixed Bushveld of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Goats were followed and species browsed, selection frequency, plant parts selected and browsing height recorded. A…
The effect of epigenetic changes on animal production
All alterations in DNA function, without alterations in DNA sequence, are referred to as epigenetics. It is associated with gene expression and the expression of different phenotypes (appearance). These modifications are influenced by environmental factors and can be transferred to…
Seasonal effects on village chicken flock dynamics in the Chris Hani Municipality, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
The objective of the study was to determine village chicken flock dynamics in Chris Hani, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Thirty village chicken flocks reared by smallholder farmers were randomly selected and monitored for four seasons. The data was…
Crossbreeding with a Bonsmara dam line
Data from a crossbreeding trail in South Africa which involved the Bonsmara (Bo) as dam line and the Simmentaler (S), Brahman (Br), Charolais (C) and Herefords (H) as sire lines were used to estimate the additive and non-additive effects for…
Stress-related behaviour, bleed-out times and some meat quality parameters from sheep slaughtered at a commercial abattoir
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of breed, gender and age on Stress-related behaviour (AB) of sheep at slaughter, bleed-out times (BT) during exsanguination, and the quality of mutton. The behaviour of 90 castrates and 110…
