BL farmtech MAGAZINE COVID-19,JMPACT TO j AGRIBUSINESS Xe CUA EU TN EY re ts) AGF VetoLoM (uF Ce) lac Jol Tale poultry business have in common? They get started with a commitmen Not only that but EFFECTIVELY! TECHNOLOGY Pa INNOVATION (ce «Cenc - cca ic@RD EDITION | SEPTEMBER 2020 Eo SMU eg NCL va Contents mel TERRORS eee BECOME AWARE OF THE GENETIC POTENTIAL Cc ht} le L OF YOURLLIVESTOCK BY GROWING THE KING OF FODDERS ®AGICULTURALTAWSCRES rel © POTENTIAL AND ACTUAL WATER SAVINGS THROUGH IMPROVEDIRRIGATION SCHEDULING INSMALL-SCALE VEGETABLEPRODUCTION Give us a ® WHATDO THE TOPENTREPRENEURS IN POULTRY BUSINESS HAVE IN COMMON? THEY GETSTARTED WITH AACOMMITMENT. NOT ONLY THAT BUTEFFECTIVELY! Kurima waraRs rag Call today -— = Moacone DAIRY MACHINERY Kurima Mechanising farmers machinery Tacnnol099 “an Mabourne Re, Sutrton Harte, Zimbabwe CHOPPERS, HAMMERMILLS & FEED MIXER Afrostain Farmtech ‘Surge i pS ap afrostain JAfrostainFarmtech (eatrostain (G) ofrostain.sfarmtechTear ru a eee i ie Pi ogee eccica aac Te drtenneetat anh el artis cee wes of profit ag are all other businesses Ps inane tea pry gt tech oie eget re ‘hmamont Bored Gan es He bj 86 wing ri 9 et ti, Cee ea — Perea pce Gear : Setieeesainee aa + Reid wwwatrostaincozw (G)@atrostoin C)afrostainFormtech (Jeatrostain (G) ofrostainsarmtechFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION. What should I do before considering Int livestock and wildlife? Climate change is not only a long term problem but is a clear and present danger and as farmers we cannot afford to be the generation that fiddled whilst grazing lands and water reserves deteriorates, However there is also hope, through the use of sustainable and decent farming technology. Integration of wildlife and livestock is one of the sustainable and decent measure in the utilization of non-arable lind at the same time widening revenue at the farm, Wildlife meat is highly demanded fetching good prices and skin and skull also fetch high price as they are used in trophy making. This is sustainable through balancing veld ecology by utilizing the top humper which is not utilized by livestock, When considering wildlife animals to integrate with livestock farmers need to consider parasites and diseases infection risks of the association for example buffalo is not viable in integration with beef animals as itis a viable carrier of foot and mouth, Good integration should be economic by virtue of widening revenue base for the farmer. Additionally the integration should be sustainable and environmentally friendly without — deteriorating rangelands and fields. Wildlife integration becomes a necessity as wild animals tolerates drought through its mechanism of lower water requirement and efficient grass utilization. Spring bocks and impalas are efficient browsers and convert unpalatable grass ant tree species. for growth and can be integrated with sheep and or goats. Wildlife animals und livestock integration also promotes agro tourism with the animals like zebra which can be integrated with beef animals in AFROSTAIN FARMTECH MAGAZINE ation of To initiate integration firstly the environmental impact assessment should be conducted by the relevant authorities und this is done to assess whether the project will not cause danger to the environment in terms veld deterioration, soil erosion and threat to available livestock species. This environmental impact assessment is done by the Ministry of parks and wildlife prior to implementation. After successful environmental impact assessment and other agreements the farmer will be given wildlife management permit or license. Breeding stock for wildlife can be obtained from farmers who have already establish their wild animals and this is done with the permission from the Ministry of parks and wildlife under the governing body. As the farmer allowed to carry out wildlife-livestock integration, the project will be conducted periodic farm visits by the environmental management agencies and Ministry of parks and wildlife targeting to control environment and managing stocking rates. Smart management of wildlife and livestock is a pre-condition in a way to good profitability and reducing conflicts with the governing authorities. Good management begins with proper parasites and disease control, clinical breeding and proper feeding management. Though wild animals strive well under poor feed and water there is need for proper veld management and sustainable utilization so as to enjoy power of integrated farming business. In the integration wild animals which directly competes on feeding with livestock species, there is need for supplementary feeding for example through the use of planted pastures. r. ( j , (Dew atrosteincozw Qoeatrostain Qhatrostainrarmtech WPeatrostain @ofrostain farmtech >ivestock farmersin the high-rainfall areas prefer lucerne over any other legume forages. primarily because of its palatability and high nutritive value that can sustain high milk production levels when fed to dairy cattle. Commonly grown lucerne varieties: 1. Easi 910 (dormancy 9) 2, SA Standard (dormancy 6) 3. Aurora (dormancy 6) Seedbed preparation: Lucerne requires a fine, firm seedbed, prepared well before the onset of the rains. The subsoil should be well broken with a forked hoe. Apply 10 tonnes of well-decomposed farmyard manure or compost manure and dig it in down to the subsoil. Lucerne is deep rooted and requires deep soil Planting: © Make furrows 30-40 cm apart and 25 em deep. Mix 15 kg Lucerne seed for dry land planting and 25 kg seed for high rainfall planting or under irrigation, with 4-6 bags of SSP fertilizer or 24 bags of TSP fertilizer and drill into @ Use 15-25 kg/ha lucerne seed. © In arcas where lucerne has never been grown use lucerne inoculants In acidic soils (pH less than 4.9) liming with agricultural lime is recommended using application rates based on soil analysis results. Phosphate, inoculant and promote nodulation and respectively. liming development, nitrogen fixation, Foot GENETIC POTENTIAL yaaa YOUR LIVESTOCK BY UST S U3 KING OF Management © Weed control: hand weed at least 46 after planting thereafter whenever weeds appear. weeks and © Spray against aphids and other pests with insecticides such as dimethoate at intervals of 2-3 weeks if necessary. © Continue applying farmyard manure to lucerne field to improve soil fertility, structure, texture and herbage yields. © Apply | bag of TSP fertilizer per hectare annually. @ Harvest | me when it starts flowering (about 30 cm high) to a stubble height of 4-5 em from ground level. One can obtain 6-8 cuts in a year. @ The crop can last up to 5 y under good management. Harvesting and alternative uses © Cut and feed lucerne in green form after wilting it to avoid bloating, ‘© Conserve the excess lucerne as hay, whole or chopped © Conserve as silage when combined with other types of fodder such as maize. Yield potential Yields of 8-10t/ha dry matter per year of 20-25% crude protein have heen reported under good management. Seed in Zimbabwe has been mainly supplied by group EASI Seeds and other distributors such as Klein Karoo. ® Bion’ SOWG ee SU Saceeen— ore 4 ££ AW + (Brwwatrotaincoan Qoatrostain Qatrostainrarmtech CPeatrostain Qrentsintermiech)© © @) DISTRIBUTORS For All Your Veterinary Medicines, Vaccines, Agro-chemicals, Feed Additives And Equipment Requirements——— oyun salau estes) DUE SUE SOM oS eS Tage CUR OE ae) aT Td TESS Ist September marks the regulated earliest transplanting date of irrigated tobacco .here ore some of the checklist 1. Transplant Ideal seedling which possesses the following characteristics 12 cm in height, pencil thickness § leafed ,and well harded seedlings able to roll on the finger or forma u shape without breaking 2. Stock up enough diesel and petrol for tractors pump , and generator 3, Make sure tractors ,trailers water carts and hoses are well serviced to avoid unnecessary breakdown 3, Puc all fertilizers cups ,planting hoes or spades in place 4, Check knapsack sprayer and tail boom spray , pump and hoses are functioning and there no leaks 5.Crop protection: ~ nematicdes-metham sodium yelum and oxamil Insecticide cutworm karate zion, lambda cyhalothrin decs fort and cartap ‘Budhwornp Jee chunde lamba Aphids an whitefly acetarmac dash dlimethoate gaucho and super blast Herbicides: pre-emergency authority s-matolaclor and clomazone Post- emergency bentazone, agil halosulfuran, and fasilade Fungicide : Bion sky bravo antral, triademinol twist, copper oxy, mancozeb ridomil gold Planting team and labour day per ha os pa 7 z eos ries - - o ere o> ae a a Tstoirteom | 25) 1 =) ee NB:Fertilizer rates to be based on a soil analysis Rate he ‘up ste equivalent 0 2 or » 0 Faipne 16+15 “ime of pong baal compounds 2) 2 woot before panting 2) planing OR 3) immesitey to planting acement meted or basal campounds ‘pp below the rotzone where fertier becomes avalable to ge plant for root Side dressing Top Dressing Rate) ‘Gap ee equivalent 2 2 a ® All ouree(e sodium nitrate calcium equivalent) ate ‘ap sae equivalent Relationship of barn capacity to planted area Timing of application 1. Apply the recommended AN 3-4 weeks after for cultivars requiring éxtrtop dressing use ep no 20f AN Oran ll rate source topping 2 Al oem dacance tom the plane when applying fetlizeroceduce ferlaers burnt My harn will hold ara of Saverange at the pea ofthe crop smn. Leaves string or lip My Plant Population is. Plants/a net (My averange turnaround time (rom picking) Serings or clips day tomext picking a che peas Days My maximum ripeningrateis 2 kaves/ week slow areas S leaves! week medium areas “eaves! weok fst areas “Total strings or clips 4 7 xleves! strings orclip» ¥ umaround days en Plane population erpening ae. ha@RD EDITION | SEPTEMBER 2020 AFROSTAIN FARMTECH MAGAZINE free networks Text: Subscribe today, ae join our information and news media network: Afrostain Fe website: www.afrostain.co.2w iRocket oe @ 0771308557 /'0719308557 ASPINDALE FARMERS MARKET Agrirocket Engineering © www.agrirocket.co.zwtential and Act mprove Lrriga VeetableProdiction Why Use Tensic Tensiometers indirectly mesure soil ‘moisture tension. Since tensiometers are installed for the entire season or longer, they provide readings at the same location over an extended period of time, Tensiometer readings are easily Interpreted and indicate the soil water conditions experienced by the plants roots. Soil salinity does not affect the readings, Although tensiometers are used most frequently for monitoring, soil moisture, they can also be incorporated into automated irrigation systems. Gauges ‘with solenoids can be used to control an immigation system , and tensiometers quipped with transducers can be used ALLATION To measure soil water tension, the end of the tensiometer with the porous cup is inserted through a pilot hole in the sol, which has been mace with a soil probe. (The porous cup should be soaked in water for several hours before installation) After installation the tensiometer i filled with water and allowed toequilibrate with thesoil water for about twenty-four hours. “Tensiometers should he installed in the zone of greatest root density, at about one-quarter to one-third of | the ‘maximum root depth. tual V ation Sck or A tensiometer at this depth can be used toschedule inrgations, Table 1 gives tensiometer reading guidelines for various crops. Lrrigation should take place when tensiometer readings vise above those listed in the table. Refinements based on soil sampling will be required to adjust for site-specitie conditions It is recommended that a tensiometer also be installed near the bottom of the root depth to assure that the moisture cextendstoan adequate depth, If the tensiometer reading at the lower root depth remains unchanged following ‘an irrigation or continues to rise during the growing season, irrigation ‘applications may be insufficient. The number of stations required ‘depends on the irrigation system and on. soil uniformity and management. For areas up to 20 hectares, atleast two stations should be established. Stations should be located in areas represe of overall moisture status, with separate stations for problem areas or for areas having different soil conditions. Areas with different crops shouldbe monitored separately, since water use and root growth difer from crop to crop. Natet Savings What Do The Reaclings Mean? In an unsaturated soil, soil water tension—frequently called the “suction” — falls below atmospheric pressure. AS wet soil dries, the soil-water suction increases, causing water to flow out of the tensiometer through the porous cup. The small pores of the saturated cup prevent air from entering the tensiometer. This outflow of water ‘creates a vacuum inside the tensiometer and inereases the reading on the vacuum gauge. IFthesoil is rewetted by irrigation, water will be drawn back into the tensiometer, reducing the vacuum insi and the reading on the gauge will decrease. “The vacuum gange measures the suction incentibaus, with mangeof 0t0 100, A reading of zero indicates a saturated sil in which plant rooes will suffer from pooraeration, A reading of 10 to 25 centibars reflects svilat field capacity The lower reading is for sundy soils at field capacity, and the higher reading is for finer-textured soils Readings of70 0 80 indicate adry soil Tensiometers will not read above 85 ccentibars. ( Bwwworrostancozw (Geatrostain C)atrostainrarmtech (Joarrostain@RDEDITION | SEPTEMBER 2020 WeroHtPEWePsemEIAMWe lous \uinetanlve et Improved Irrigation Scheduling in Small-Scale eer aeree teen Tensiometers do not _—_ provide information on the amount of water depleted from the soil unless they have been calibrated for the particular soil ‘type. ‘They therefore indicate when to irigate, but not how much to irrigate. The following data shows Tensiometer reading guidelines for — itrigation alongside the estimates Lucerne 70-80 Avocados 40-50 Celery 20-30 Citrus 50-70 Maize 50-80 Cotton 70-80 Deciduous Trees 60-80, Grapes 40-60 Lettuce 40-50 Tomatoes 60-70 Potatoes 30-50 Small Grains 70-80 (vegetative stage) 40-50 MAINTENANCE Tensiometers must he properly maintained. This requires periodically filling the pipe with water and replacing porous cups If the soil becomes too dry (tensiometer readings greater than 85 centibars), the porous cup will break tension and air will enter the tensiometer. A cracked cup will prevent a vacuum from developing in the tensiometer and cause the instrument to always read zero. The porous cup of a tensiometer filled with water should not be exposed to the atmosphere for long, periods of time. Such exposure causes evaporation of water from the cup’s sarface, which in turn causes salt buildup and clogging of the cup, Purchasinga Tensiometer Tensiometers are available through local imrigation equipment dealers They come in standard sizes ranging from 6 to 72 inches, Cost also varies with the size and typeof tensiometer purchased This is one of the best way in which you ccan manage your water as well as soil health, (Geornanesencoan QDosterain Qatrostintamecr CJoctresn @atroscinternies )2RD EDITION | SEPTEMBER 2020 have in€ommon? Jey get started with a commi Not only that but ERRECTIVELY! - Afrostain Fone “There's great need fora good start which must include but not limited to the following: Hexsopreparaion © Tenperarnemanggonee « Aircalionandenlaton © Lishimanagemon (© Wattere Feed man ® Bio: curity © Vaccinations © Poultry Nutrition ‘The construction of the house is as topical as itis relevant! It must be constructed using the East to West orientation. The eastern and western sides must therefore be built to the roof were as the brick wall on the sides of the house must be 0.5m, The height must be at least 26m on the higher sides of a flat Sided roofed house. The roof overlap should be 30cm. For easy cleaning. all brick surfaces must be plasted and the surfaces must be of concrete. Cleaning, This must be done using a detergent first! The procedure will be to first of all raise or remove curtains and equipments followed by dry cleaning, removing manure and sweeping, The detergent ean now be used in serubbing ents the floors the commonly used deter are Super wash and vet gel. After all this, leaf the house todry. Disinfection. This is the most critical part of the cleaning processes because it kills all pathogens within the environment. Spray the whole house, equipment and curtains with a powerful disinfectant eg Vet superwash, Ultracide G140 or Virukill. “Do not use Jick After cleaning rest the house for a minimum of 10 days and 14 days if it's commercial. This period allows the chemicalsto work efficiently and also for ; non aa ome wad This is the beginning of quality rearing, you either make or break it here! The period last from 1-21 days in winter and days in summer. Theaim will be 1. To enhance structured development and feeding capacity 2 To get optimum benchmarks which are performance ‘Age | tanget weight| mortality Day7| 175g) lessthan 1% Day 14| 487g] lessthan 2% Day 21] 932g |essthan 3% Brooder setup, The house must be divided into U’3to place chicksat 33hirds per'square meter! How and when to increase floor space Day -7usel/3to Wof the house Day7-10 use 1/20 2/30fthe house Day 10-14 use 3/4 to whole house The floor space must not necessarily be {ncreaced it must therefore be depencling con some of these factors |. House insulation 2. Outside temperature 3. Equipment availability 4. Growth rate 5.Stocking density The stocking density can be casily calculated by tis formalar Number of chicks divided by 33 = total area for brooding, Thermometers must be used as aids to temperature control of great importance classifieds that sell, CNV emU see Oz |lBreler\y or send +263 712 689 214 Afrostain Farmtech the oudorto disappearing 'sthegun thermometer ( www.ofrostainco.zw ({)@cfrostain JAfrostain Farmtech (@atrostain (G) ofrostain.farmtechNzara Yapera Input Pack neigh eee Figo 39m (52 Rows) Between Row spacing = 75em tom he (28 Rows) “” (s6PIants) 1 @ tho In Row spacing = 60cm errr ee Le ERE RO OR ee ce ey