FARMERS’ DIARIES

SHEEP

Clement Gasekoma, Reivilo, North West

We have Dorper sheep that are mainly on veld. Our rainy season has already started, so we vaccinate the animals in October with Multivax-P Plus against pulpy kidney and blackleg. We use Terramycin LA to prevent and treat heartwater, pneumonia and footrot. We are currently preparing the sheep we will be culling for the festive season’s various ceremonies and parties. Slaughter sheep are fattened in the feedlot so that we can supply the upcoming demand. In the feedlot they get a homemade mix of yellow maize, roughage and Molatek’s Master 20 protein-energy lick. We also make certain the animals always have access to clean water.

The rest of the flock, which is grazing on veld, gets extra feed with a higher maize content – we focus especially on pregnant ewes and those with lambs. The lick is made up of Master 20 (40kg), crushed maize (40kg) and salt (7kg). It is fed out at about 250g per animal per day.

FORESTRY

Mlungisi Bushula, Stutterheim, Eastern Cape

In our forestry operation we are currently harvesting pine trees that have reached full maturity at 30 years. Silviculture is ongoing in the younger tree plantations, where we are