When is the right time to buy and sell at an auction, how is the price determined and what are the payment options? Allan Sinclair, Managing Director of Vleissentraal, Bloemfontein has the answers.
The political environment of the early eighties made it unthinkable for a young black man born in Mohlakeng, Randfontein to entertain any ideas of becoming a commercial farmer. But for David Mthombeni, founder of Gegana Farming, becoming a commercial farmer was a dream worth pursuing despite all the hurdles he faced. Indeed, David failed many times during his agricultural career, but he refused to give up. Now, at 56, David runs a mixed farming enterprise of broilers, cattle, small stock and grains on three farms in Mpumalanga spread over 2 162ha in Greylingstad, Standerton, and Evander. David spoke to Zolani Sinxo about the choices he has made in his life that brought him to where he is today.
David Mthombeni was born at a time when black people could not own land, let alone run a business on that land, but that did not stop him from dreaming or from following his dream to get to where he is today.
“I was raised by two strong parents, Daniel and Fuduka Mthombeni, who never allowed the reality of the times to determine their fate,” says David.
His mother ran a small township bakery, while his father and his grandfather, Paulos Matholwana Mthombeni, were communal farmers. From them David drew the courage he needed to stick with his dreams. He says his parents taught him to take charge and to be independent, responsible and accountable for his actions.
“I now work with my two sons and I am trying to teach them the value of not giving up and of putting in some hard work if they want to achieve anything in life,” explains David. He believes that hard work and dedication pays off.
Born in 1966, David, like any young person of that time, had a difficult upbringing. But thanks to some strict discipline from his parents, he got through school and then acquired a diploma in mechanical engineering. After graduating he started working in the mining sector around Gauteng. He also worked for Sasol for several years before starting his own farming business in 2003.
David bought his first farm (448ha) in Evander, Mpumalanga and ran 18 cows that were managed by his father, while he carried on working at Sasol. He finally left his job at Sasol two years later to become a full-time farmer.
“After working in the mining industry and in the private sector, I decided that agriculture was the only industry where I could leave a lasting legacy for my family. Investing in the agri-sector may be a long-term thing, but if it is done correctly and properly it is an investment one will never regret making,” he says.
HERD PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT
From a small foundation herd of 18 cattle in 2003, David’s herd has grown to 650 cattle. The animals graze an area of over 1 600ha, 156ha of which is made up of planted pastures. “We have two herds with about 320 breeding cows and 13 bulls in each; one herd is commercial mixed-breed cattle and the other is a purebred Bonsmara herd. We run them on two farms,” he explains.
Bonsmara bulls are used for the commercial cow herd. David rates the Bonsmara breed highly, citing its traits of excellent mothering ability, easy calving, adaptability to African conditions and a calm temperament. He sells the weaners at auctions in Mpumalanga and he says the Bonsmara is a leader in producing high-quality weaners, which makes it the preferred breed of feedlot buyers.
The bulls are prepared three months before mating and David feeds them a production lick in the run-up to breeding. Bulls are checked and tested for fertility and semen quality in August before the breeding season starts in October. They are also tested for STDs including trichomoniasis (trich), a highly contagious STD in cattle.
“It’s important to have the bulls checked because this disease often has no obvious, visible symptoms. One would only realise there is a problem at the end of the season when you get a lower-than-normal conception rate,” explains David. “This can cause a major financial loss as one has to have calves every year.”
Gegana farming has a single breeding season which begins in October, when the bulls are sent in to run with the cow herds, and ends in January. This, according to David, is to ensure that his cows calve in spring and early summer when grazing is abundant. In winter, from April to August, cattle are supplemented with winter licks and fed chicken litter that comes from the poultry operation.
“Cattle can get botulism from eating chicken litter so I am very careful about vaccinating my cattle against botulism to avoid any risk of contracting the disease,” warns David. He maintains however that chicken litter is the cheapest way he can get protein into his animals. The farm’s poultry enterprise produces two million birds a year which means that chicken litter is a plentiful resource.
David also runs 200 SA Mutton Merino sheep on the same land and has recently started farming goats. “We now have about 40 goats on the farm,” he says.
DIVERSITY IS KEY
David currently produces just over two million broilers a year running eight cycles of 33 days to 34 days each. “We are working on an expansion project to raise that number to five million birds a year. He works through a contract with Astral Foods, the largest integrated poultry producer in the country which sells and distributes various poultry brands including feed, broiler genetics, day-old chicks and chicken products.
A business the size of David’s comes with some challenges but David and his family have embraced these challenges and always try to learn from their mistakes. “The toughest challenges we face are an [unreliable] power supply from the Lekwa Municipality and high feed costs. We have a backup generator in case of power failure but using it increases our fuel costs. Feed is a fixed cost determined by the commodity markets and we don’t have much power to influence this,” says David.
He feels it is a major advantage to run a diversified farming business, as one operation can benefit another. In David’s farming enterprise the chicken litter from the poultry operation helps the livestock section. He is also planning to use chicken manure in grain production to reduce fertiliser costs. He plants 540ha of soya beans and yellow maize.
“We also rent out machinery and provide contract services for planting and harvesting to our neighbours and other developing farmers in and around Mpumalanga and Gauteng,” he says.
SUCCESSION, A STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Management of an operation this size is not easy, David admits. He has two managers helping him run the farms and he is looking for a third person to join the management team. His sons, Thubelihle, 25, and Tholo, 20, are still learning the ropes before they move into management positions.
“My two sons are hands-on in the business. Thubelihle has a degree in animal science and is already an operational manager on one of the farms. Tholo is still doing a BSc in soil science, agronomy, and agricultural economics at the North West University. We manage this company in a very strategic manner and our long-term plan includes a good succession strategy,” says David.
He says it is important to keep up with trends and developments in the agricultural sector and he relies on the internet and what he can learn from commercial farmers in his area. “In farming, one needs to have patience, to think positively, to think practically and to draw customers and satisfy market demands by applying the best farming practices,” explains David.
“Farmers must get their produce out at the right time and in the right quantities to keep their businesses sustainable and profitable” he advises.
Farming is David’s chosen life as well as the way he makes a living. “When I look at our animals and the entire farm, I can’t help but feel proud. This is what I want to instil in my children and their kids,” he says.
His advice for young people who wish to pursue farming is to change their thinking and move away from the hope that the government will do things for them. “You must be willing to get your hands dirty if you want to succeed. Leave politics to the politicians and put in the necessary time, effort and skill,” says David.
WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
Don’t expose your business to high financial risk and manage your debt correctly.
WAS THERE SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?
I would’ve gotten involved in policy lobbying work to have some influence in shaping our agricultural policy decisions.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR SINGLE BIGGEST SUCCESS TO DATE?
Playing a big role and influencing the success of our family agri-empire.
WHO HAS MADE THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION TO YOUR SUCCESS?
My parents and the shareholders of the business.
WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP DO YOU HAVE WITH YOUR NEIGHBOURING FARMERS?
I have a good and supportive relationship with my neighbours. They have played a pivotal role in our success, especially with technical and strategic support.
ADVICE FOR FARMERS LOOKING FOR FINANCING?
It’s crucial that your business has a good financial record-keeping system before you ask for finance.
WHAT ROLE HAVE INPUT SUPPLIERS PLAYED?
They provide services such as soil testing, performance and analysis reports on specific cultivars for the area and chemicals that are compatible with our soil. This information helps us produce high-yielding crops.
IF THERE WAS A SINGLE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
We need a concrete agri-strategy to make sure that all land is used productively and optimally. We
also need to bring back land that is lying fallow, especially the land that was given to black farmers through land reform.
Andile Matukane took farming to the rooftops in a move that meant she could enjoy the buzz of city life while she realised her farming dreams. She grows fresh green produce on the roof of one of Africa’s largest shopping malls in Pretoria. Peter Mashala visited her there.
Andile Matukane, an en terprising young farmer originally from Nkuhlu, a small village outside the little town of Bush buckridge in Mpuma langa, built an agri business on the roof of the Menlyn Mall in Pretoria. Establishing a hydroponic farm on the roof of the mall was no easy task and it took Andile two years to convince the centre’s management that she would not collapse their roof with heavy machinery and tons of soil, nor disturb tenants with the loud noise of tractors.
Andile’s vision of a farm was always one of large tracts of land with crops stretching to the horizon. Now she runs her hydroponic farm on the Menlyn Mall rooftop. “If ten years ago someone told me I’d be doing this, I would have laughed,” she says. She grows lettuce, spring onions, rocket and parsley which she produces mainly for restaurants and retail stores in the shopping centre.
LEARNING ABOUT THE FOOD WE EAT
After graduation Andile worked for the Dry Beans Growers Association, and the Agricultural Research Council. Then she did a stint at Dicla Training and Projects in the Eastern Cape where she promoted entre preneurial skills in the farming community.
“While I worked at the Dry Beans Growers Association, I was an agronomy advisor and later, at the ARC, I worked mostly in research under a plant pathologist who collected data from various farms,” recalls Andile.
This is where she developed a keen interest in plant pathology. “The idea for me was to understand the science behind growing plants, from start to finish. Being in the food industry, I have always been fascinated by how food is grown,” she says. Her goal was always to become a farmer but she wanted to know everything she could about plant production before she started farming.
RESILIENCE AND A GOOD ATTITUDE
When the time was right for her to venture out on her own, Andile posted on social media that she was looking for land to farm in Gauteng. Her post quickly got some positive responses. There was land available in Magaliesburg to rent.
“In 2017 I established my company, Farmers Choice, and set up an operation on about 4ha producing a few different lines of vegetables, but mainly spinach,” says Andile.
Within months, she had become known as the spinach lady of the Magaliesburg. “I was producing good quality, so everyone wanted to buy from me,” she says. Unfortunately, things went sour with her landlord, who wanted the land back so that she could farm for her own account. “I had made the mistake of not setting up proper contracts and agree ments and I didn’t have a leg to stand on,” she says. After such a promising start, Andile found herself stuck without a job or land and went home to Bushbuckridge to try and make it on communal land.
In Bushbuckridge she got 4ha of communal land on which she grew spinach and cabbage. She also started a small piggery that she still runs today. But business was slow, and she had the added frustration of having to deal with theft. During this time, her determination, drive to succeed and the desire to give back to the community, kept her spirits up.
She started a process to acquire AgriSETA accreditation for Farm Choice so that she could offer training to the community, and she trained people outside Bushbuckridge, mainly in Gauteng.
At the time she was also studying through the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and was often in Pretoria. “The excitement of the city still attracted me and made me want to move back and farm in Gauteng.”
As part of her mission to find a way back to Pretoria she made a point of visiting various farms in the area. “Because of the set up in Gauteng, the farms are smaller and many of them use the hydroponic system.”
While researching hydroponic systems, Andile came across an article about urban farming that described how people used rooftops, among other spaces, to produce food in cities. “I found this fascinating and because of my love for the city, I was instantly attracted to the idea,” she remembers.
PITCHING THE ROOFTOP FARM
Through her research, she learned that although urban farming was taking off in South Africa, most city farming was done on the ground. “The community was very small and generally urban farms were run as NGO projects. The challenge was to create some thing that was commercially orientated.”
She began to connect online with, mostly international, farmers who were farming on rooftops. At the time there were only about two or three functioning rooftop farms in Johannesburg. “I applied through the NGOs for an incubation programme but couldn’t get in, so I decided I was going to do it on my own,” Andile says.
In the beginning, Andile did not think it would be hard to find a building from which to launch her urban farming project. “This was a new and exciting idea at the time and everyone was talking about green buildings. Why wouldn’t anyone want to jump at the opportunity of making their building ‘greener’?” she says.
But to her surprise and shock, no one wanted to offer her their building. She tried residential flats and shopping centres with no success. “I had responses such as, what if this farm collapses my building, what if it causes leaks… but the funniest one was how am I going to get the soil and a tractor up to the roof,” Andile recalls with a laugh.
Then a break came when she pitched the idea to the Menlyn Mall management in 2019 and some of the members showed an interest. “Still, it took time before everyone involved was convinced. The covid19 lockdown was also part of the delay, drawing the process out to almost two years,” she adds. This delay put her under a lot of pressure as her financial backer considered pulling out of the deal with the delays in getting the right building.
ECO-FRIENDLY FARMING
Once the proposal was approved in 2022, and the agreements signed, Andile started construction of a 240m2 shade net tunnel with the capacity to handle 7 200 plants per growing season. Before production started however, Andile did some market research. Her target market was the restaurants and retailers in the centre.
“I needed to know what the demand was so that I knew what to grow for this market. One learns valuable lessons through research, for example, it’s unwise to choose a crop based on personal preferences. The market dictates what you need to produce,” she explains.
When the research was done, she pitched her offering to the buyers. Her selling points included helping stores cut their carbon footprint, reducing transport costs and offering fresher products. “Instead of the product being in transit from the farm to the market, and again from the market to the store and losing quality in the process, they could get freshly picked produce,” explains Andile.
“There is no need for refrigeration and transport. Restaurants place orders with me, I harvest exactly what they need and deliver it to them on foot.” Andile’s main crops are specialty lettuce lines (butter, cos, red oak and green oak), rocket, spring onions and parsley. These fill restaurants’ demand for salad greens.
She grows her plants from seedlings and uses cocopeat as a medium in the growing trays. The reticulating water system she uses mean that seedlings work better in the system than seeds. “The water mixed with nutrients circulating from plant to plant for 24 hours a day and can be reused for up to two weeks,” explains Andile. The cocopeat holds moisture for the plants in case there is loadshedding, or a fault in the system when no one is there.
She says besides saving water, her system has a few other advantages over conventional open-field farming. “With the current setup, I’m able to grow about 7 200 plants, compared to growing in an open field where I would probably need over half a hectare, depending on the crop,” says Andile. She explains that expanding vertically would make it possible for her to triple her production.
Andile reminds us that plants have a positive impact on pollution as they absorb CO2, which is abundant in urban areas, and release oxygen. The tunnel is covered with shade net, which means there is virtually no need for pesticide use and this helps keep input costs down.
Andile’s expansion plans include developing the entire available, and accessible, space (1ha) into Africa’s largest rooftop farm.
WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
Be your own cheerleader. How other people see you doesn’t matter; how you see yourself matters hugely.
IF THERE IS ONE THING YOU COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY, WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN?
I wouldn’t have done anything differently. If I had, I wouldn’t have learned the valuable lessons I’ve learned on this journey.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR SINGLE BIGGEST SUCCESS TO DATE?
Transferring my knowledge to my mentees, who are doing very well.
WHO, OR WHAT, HAS MADE THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION TO YOUR SUCCESS?
All the programmes I’ve attended.
WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP DO YOU HAVE WITH OTHER FARMERS AND WHAT ROLE HAVE THEY PLAYED IN YOUR SUCCESS?
I’ve had sensible business relationships with other farmers. I have learnt from them and I hope they have also learnt from me.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE LOOKING FOR FINANCING?
Getting finance is always a challenge and can be a stumbling block. My advice would be to keep working on your idea; business and finance will find you along the way.
WHAT ROLE HAVE INPUT SUPPLIERS, SUCH AS SEED AND CHEMICAL COMPANIES, PLAYED IN THE BUSINESS?
Besides me buying my own inputs, they have not played a role.
IF THERE WAS A SINGLE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Please recognise and support aspiring, young, start-up farmers. I’d also like to see her pay a visit and support rooftop farmers, as we have a huge role to play in food supply and in mitigating the effects of climate change.
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Updated January 2022
There have been numerous outbreaks of lumpy skin disease (LSD) recently, especially in the Eastern Cape where alternating wet and then sunny weather has probably encouraged the biting insect vectors of the virus.
Although LSD usually infects herds during the wet autumn and summer months, it may also strike during the dry season. Recent research has shown that certain ticks can transmit the disease. This suggests a higher likelihood of infection outside the expected seasons, especially where ticks survive throughout the warmer winter.
Infection with the virus has a profound effect on animal productivity – dramatically reducing milk production, causing abortions and other fertility problems, and damaging hides. The LSD virus destroys cells in the skin and mucous membranes, spreading from the saliva and skin lesions of infected animals by direct contact, and through communal water and feed troughs.
SYMPTOMS OF LSD
To see an animal suffering from LSD is something no stockman would wish to witness. The virus incubates for about seven days before a fever develops, which can last for up to 14 days. The obvious symptoms are a nasal discharge, increased salivation, reduced appetite, a high temperature, the development of many firm and painful lumps in the skin, and lesions in the mucous membranes of the mouth and the nose.
Enlarged lymph nodes are common at the onset of the disease. Affected animals often show swollen legs, udder and brisket, and tend to be reluctant to move. Cows suffering from LSD develop swollen legs. Pneumonia and/or coughing is a common secondary complication and lesions in the lungs and trachea may become life-threatening. Painful mouth ulcers make it difficult for animals to feed, which leads to
weight loss. The fever that comes at the onset of the disease may cause abortions in pregnant animals. Bulls infected with LSD may permanently or temporarily become infertile, and the virus may be shed in their semen. Although bulls are known to recover from LSD, their full recovery is never guaranteed.
Cattle with LSD can become extremely sick and in acute cases they may die. Herd mortality rates vary from 3% to 40%. Infected animals need good nursing, antibiotics and corticosteroids if they are to have a chance of making a recovery.
LOSSES
The recent foot-and-mouth outbreak with its associated economic hardship makes it vital that we look at ways of helping livestock farmers avoid losses. This refers specifically to losses that can be prevented with a minimal investment of as little as R15 per animal per year to protect the herd against disease. Groups of farmers with small herds could consider inoculating animals at a communal point to share the vaccine cost.
LSD mortalities can cause the loss of valuable genetics that farmers have worked hard to build up or to bring into their herds. Breeding opportunities may be lost as sick bulls may only recover when the breeding season has already passed. All these losses have a direct and indirect financial impact on the farmer. LSD can become a trade barrier across national and international borders and even at a local level as visibly sick animals will not be considered for purchase.
VACCINATE, VACCINATE!
Vaccination is the only way to control and prevent LSD and vets consider it a critical part of the annual herd health programme. Vaccinating an animal activates the immune system, which generates a protective response when the animal is exposed to the virus. All animals from six months upwards, including pregnant cows, should be inoculated against LSD every year in spring.
There are some highly effective vaccines available in the country, including the OBP Neeth- ling strain vaccine that has been on the market for over half a century. The vaccines are freeze-dried and come with a sterile diluent, which means the powder and the diluent must be mixed as per included instructions.
During vaccination use a separate needle for each animal – especially if you are inoculating during an outbreak because shared needles can spread the disease. Immunity develops 10 days after vaccination and the animal is fully protected after about three weeks.
The LSD vaccines available in South Africa are live vaccines and may be inactivated if disinfectants and methylated spirits are used to clean the skin or to clean syringes and needles. Re-usable needles should be boiled in water for about 15 minutes and then cooled down before use.
A reliable cold chain from the point of purchase to the injection of the vaccine is essential. The easiest way to keep the cold chain intact in the field is to store the vaccine in a small cooler box with ice packs. The vaccine is highly sensitive to inactivation by sunlight and the cooler box does double duty helping to keep it at the right temperature and out of sunlight.
Insect control through dips and other approved external parasite control remedies help manage infection pressure.
It is worth mentioning that LSD vaccination may have some side effects that seem to be more noticeable in young animals or animals who may not have been vaccinated before. Small lumps at the injection site and elevated temperatures may also occur post-vaccination. Milk production in dairy cows may drop post vaccination but will soon recover in line with their lactation cycles.
TREATMENT
While it is generally accepted that antibiotics do not kill viruses, they are often a valuable intervention to manage secondary infections. The use of corticosteroids is also indicated in LSD treatment. Other supportive intervention includes providing milled feed to help animals reluctant to feed due to mouth ulcers from the disease. It is a good idea to isolate infected animals, if this is possible, to stop the spread of the virus through water sources contaminated by infected saliva.
Speak to your local veterinarian or animal health technician regarding basic vaccination programmes that can help make a difference to your operation. Please feel free to contact OBP on (012) 522 1500 or write to sello.maboe@obpvaccines.co.za for any other livestock health enquiries.
In our latest episode of African Farming Digital, Bathabile Modutoane finds out everything about intra-muscular injections with Keneth Malatji, Animal Health Technician at Afrivet.
WIN a hamper with animal care products with Afrivet and African Farming! To enter: Sms “Afrivet” to 33677. Click here for more information and T’s and C’s: https://bit.ly/3PMsCdB
What inspired you to start your company?
My husband and I decided not to have children and so Bismark, our mini schnauzer boy, is the child spirit in our house. We got him in 2014 and even took maternity leave to celebrate his new life! But in December 2017, at the age of three and a half, he was diagnosed with genetic heart disease. We were devastated. The prognosis was very poor and according to the vet, the only way to save him was with emergency open heart surgery, at a cost of R45 000! The vet didn’t have any information about healthier diet options, and warned that any squirrel hunting or running on the beach – the two things Bismark loves most – could result in sudden death. We were forced to look at healthier food without any preservatives and started cooking organic, fresh human grade food for him. Within two weeks, he was a healthy happy shiny dog, full of smiles and energy. He just celebrated his 8th birthday and behaves like a two-year-old naughty puppy. His full story is written on our webpage.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Our passion is to help cats and dogs with alternative healthy food so that they can thrive and look and feel better. We approach this in the same manner as our own human diets: Eat fresh and balanced food and avoid processed food with salt and preservatives. We work with an animal nutritionist and vet and we are in the process of having our food approved by the Agricultural department of South Africa. Dogs require very specific proportions of meat protein, organ meat, vegetables, fruit, herbs, seeds, fresh produce and carbohydrates. All Bismark’s Bistro meals are proportioned as follows and can be custom made:
40% Pure protein whole meat (fish/chicken/venison/pork)
10% Organ meat (heart/kidney/liver)
35% Vegetables (seasonal vegetables)
6% Bulgar wheat
6% Fruit
3% Eggs and shell
The meals are calculated according to the dog’s weight and delivered to the clients door around Cape Town. For cats we have a selection of turkey, chicken or fish meals in a mousse or ground consistency as well as healthy liver treats.
What does your company do?
We cater for all travel arrangements and needs: ticketing, accommodation, visas, travel insurance, tours and transfers either on Business or Leisure travel. We also cater for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition travel and venue arrangements. We also assist corporate companies on relocating their expats into Mozambique: Housing arrangements, school registration, exchange of driving licenses. Recruitment and Training for travel agencies staff members.
What inspired you to start your company?
The lack of travel jobs and opportunities in Mozambique, and also the need for services of quality as those we can experience when visiting our neighbouring countries. My dream is to position Mozambique as an International Tourism destination – the best services and best service providers are to be found here.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
We aim to develop people, to contribute to self-development and growth, while providing them with the best experience a travel agent can bring into their personal and professional lives. The ideal is to excel, to enchant and develop the customer.
Tell us a little about your team
My team is composed of 4 staff members:
1. Salvador Machanguana is our Senior Travel Consultant, he is responsible for arranging all travel means from air, sea to road trips.
2. Celia Tete is our Junior Travel Consultant, she caters for all documentation related needs: travel documents, visas, travel insurance.
3. Teresa Bie is our Tour Consultant, she caters for all accommodation, activities and transfers needs. She also acts as our first point of contact.
4. Naomi Cremildo is our Admin and Finance assistant. She works directly with the expats.