Zambia Agribusiness Society

Cattle respiring to cool off “As uncomfortable as we are during the heat of the day, it is important to remember cattle generally do not handle heat as well as humans,” according to Dr. Rick Machen, Professor and Texas AgriLife Extension Service Specialist. Heat stress is a function of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and solar radiation. The core body temperature of cattle does not peak until two hours after the peak in ambient temperature, which often comes at five o’clock or later. Cattle need at least six hours to dissipate the heat accumulated during the day. Consequently, night-time cooling is essential for managing heat stress. Warm humid nights with no breeze following a plus 100-degree day pose a real challenge for cattle. Machen offered the following tips for managing livestock during times of potential heat stress. 1. Do not work cattle after 10a.m. on potentially (heat) stressful days. 2. Do not work cattle in the evening of a heat stressed day. 3. Wait

Have you ever considered rabbit farming as a top business opportunity? Though rabbit meat may not be as common as chicken, beef, or pork, there’s no doubt it’s a very lucrative business; every year, over one million tons of rabbit meat is consumed worldwide. In Africa, the consumption of rabbit meat is gradually taking off and a few farmers on the continent are already enjoying the benefits of this niche business. Rabbits are also easy to raise; they’re clean and require little capital, labour, time and space to manage. Three major reasons why you should seriously consider the rabbit farming business opportunity include; 1. There is a Huge Market Opportunity for Rabbits The growing rate of heart disease and related ailments has increased awareness of the harmful effects of cholesterol in our diets. More people are now going for ‘white’ meat which contains low amounts of cholesterol. Unlike ‘red meats’ (especially beef and pork), white meats like poultry, fish, ostrich and r

Almost every Motswana owns cattle. It is the basis of the culture and root of all developments in the country Botswana. Most Batswana are part time farmers who go to the cattle post almost every weekend or on monthly basis, but there are those who want to start this production and do not know how to start or where. The following will answer most common questions asked by start-up farmers. 1. Anatomy Cows give birth after 9 months of fertilization from the bull. A cow goes on heat almost every month, it begins its oestrus cycle at the age of 14 to 15 months, and they are able to conceive or give birth. There are also signs that the cow is on oestrus being: a) Thick clear mucus : this mucus will come from the cervix of the cow to lubricate the penis of the bull and help transport sperms. b) Instinct of riding others : this may occur when the cow is approaching oestrus; they ride on other cows frequently and do not drift away from doing that a few times. c) Swollen vulva : which