Management practices and constraints of beef cattle productionin communal areas of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
SH Molefi ◽  
CA Mbajiorgu ◽  
MA Antwi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Mpumalanga Province ◽  
Communal Areas

A survey study was conducted to determine the management practices and constraints faced by beef cattle producers in 200 households in communal areas of Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality in Mpumalanga province. In this context, the results indicated that while 91.5% of farmers practiced continuous breeding in heifers at younger than two years of age, a higher number approximately 68.5% of farmers relied upon neighbours for breeding bulls. Also, calving percentage was between 50% and 70% as reported by 43.5% of farmers whereas 54.5% of farmers reported 50% to 60% weaning percentage. However, 77.5% of the farmers weaned their calves at five to seven months. 100% of farmers freely grazed their beef cattle on the mountainside and over 93.5% of farmers used veld as a source of feed with 82% of farmers supplementing their beef cattle depending on the season. Overall, the main constraints reported by the respondents were disease (26%) and malnutrition (18%) during dry season. In conclusion, the study finds that regular and proper medication in addition to supplementing feeds can assist by reducing mortality rates and enhancing productivity.

Effects of weaning and supplementation on performance of Brahman cross cows and their progeny

1988 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
RG Holroyd ◽  
GWJ Mason ◽  
ID Loxton ◽  
PT Knights ◽  
PK O'Rourke
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Pregnancy Rate ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Early Weaning ◽  
Monoammonium Phosphate ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Native Pastures

In a 3-year study in the dry tropics, 2 management practices of dry season supplementation of cows and early weaning of calves were concurrently examined as possible techniques for improving reproductive, liveweight and survival performance of Brahman cross cows (phenotypically 1/2 - 3/4 Bos indicus) grazing native pastures. Cows were either supplemented with a drylick mixture of salt, urea and sulfur (DL) commencing in July for 4-6 months; supplemented with a crisis mixture of salt, urea, grain, molasses, meatmeal and monoammonium phosphate (CM) in the latter part of the dry season; or were not supplemented (C). Mating commenced in January, and calves were either early weaned (EW) at the end of mating in April (mean age of 5 months) or late weaned (LW) in July (mean age of 8 months). Supplements and weaning treatments had little effect on cow liveweight, except between early weaning and late weaning when EW cows gained more or lost less weight (mean advantage of 30.8 kg) than LW cows and were heavier (mean advantage of 44.8 kg) than LW cows at late weaning time. Across all years, 1.4, 2.1 and 4.2% of cows in DL, CM and C groups respectively died from malnutrition or required survival feeding; whereas, in the second and third years, mortality rates due to malnutrition were 0.7 and 2.1% in EW and LW groups respectively. Neither supplement nor weaning treatments had any significant effect on lactating cow pregnancy rates, although data pooled across treatments showed that liveweights at various stages pre-mating were correlated with pregnancy rate. Supplementation or weaning treatments did not influence calving date or birth weight, but LW calves grew significantly faster (mean advantage of 0.52 kg/day) between early weaning and late weaning and were significantly heavier (mean advantage of 57.4 kg) at late weaning than EW calves.

scholarly journals Does Information Acquisition Influence the Adoption of Sustainable Land Management Practices? Evidence From Mpumalanga Province South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwaseun Samuel Oduniyi ◽  
Sibongile Sylvia Tekana
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Information Acquisition ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Sustainable Land Management ◽  
Bivariate Probit ◽  
Mpumalanga Province

Agricultural information plays a vital role in adopting agricultural technology. The study explored if information acquisition is related to the adoption of sustainable land management practices (SLMP) and jointly decided in Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. Primary data were collected through face-to-face interviews, using a proportionate random sampling technique to get 250 smallholder farmers to participate in the survey. A seemingly unrelated bivariate probit (SUBP) model and a recursive bivariate probit (RBP) model were adopted to examine the objective. The statistical estimation of the SUBP showed that there is a relationship, an empirical association between information acquisition and SLMP; while RBP estimation showed that information acquisition was exogenous in the adoption model; thus, the decision to acquire information and adopt SLMP was not jointly decided. Therefore, the study presents the determinants of information acquisition alongside with the adoption of SLPM. The result from the SUBP model, indicated that the years spent in school; agricultural extension service; the number of extension visits and the years of farming, influenced both information acquisition and the adoption of SLMP. The cost attached positively influenced the adoption of SLMP; while gender, marital status and age only influenced the information acquisition.

Assessing the potential of beef cattle farming as contributor to income of communal households of Chief Albert Luthuli municipality in Mpumalanga province, South Africa

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. H. Molefi ◽  
C. A. Mbajiorgu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
High School ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Years Of Experience ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Mpumalanga Province ◽  
Cattle Farming

The study was conducted across four rural communities of Chief Albert Luthuli municipality in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. The objective of the study was to assess the contribution of beef cattle farming to household income in Chief Albert Luthuli municipality of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Data were analyzed descriptively. Simultaneously, multiple regression analysis was used to determine the factors affecting the contribution of beef cattle in household income in the study area. Results showed that 50% each of both the male and female farmers were engaged in beef cattle farming. 50.5% of respondents were more than 51 years old and therefore not in productive age with 40% of respondents aged between 41 - 50 years old. 7% of respondents have 1 - 2 dependents, while 11.5% of respondents have 3 - 4 dependents and 35.5% have more than 4 dependents. However, 46% of respondents have other dependents which they did not specify. 22.5% of respondents have 1-10 years of beef cattle farming experience while 14% have 11 - 12 years of experience. However, 21% of respondents have more than 20 years of experience and 39.5% have 50 - 60 years of experience on beef cattle farming. 40.5% of respondents acquired grade 11 or below and 45% of respondents had no school education, elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school. The contribution of beef cattle farming to household's income in communal areas of Chief Albert Luthuli is 19%. Also, number of beef cattle and age of mortality hold significant influence on the farmer's income from beef cattle.

Proposal for Improving Records Management Practices of Traditional Institutions in Ga Molepo, South Africa

Mousaion ◽  
10.25159/2054 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-67
Author(s):  
Mahlaga Johannes Molepo ◽  
Linda M. Cloete
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Record Keeping ◽  
Local Municipalities ◽  
Management Procedures ◽  
Traditional Institutions

The way in which an institution treats its records is crucial for its survival in a rapidly changing society. The purpose of the study was to investigate the records management practices and challenges faced by traditional institutions of leadership and governance in Ga Molepo, Limpopo, South Africa. The researcher employed a cross-sectional survey in order to quantitatively examine the challenges faced by members of traditional councils. A researcher administered questionnaire was used as a data collection tool to study a stratified sample of 35 members from an estimated population of 350. The findings revealed patterns and trends of non-compliance with records management standards and guidelines. Although there were sporadic cases of record keeping, a greater number of respondents revealed that traditional institutions lack the facilities, equipment, education and trained/skilled personnel to apply correct records management procedures in their daily administration of their traditional communities. The main value of the study is to create awareness of records management as one of the neglected areas in traditional institutions – which are by current legislative arrangement, the closest form of leadership and governance for rural communities in light of their relationship with local municipalities and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

The Role of Archives on the Incorporation of the Former Kangwane Homeland to Mpumalanga Province

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nkholedzeni Sidney Netshakhuma
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Record Keeping ◽  
Mpumalanga Province ◽  
Specific Objective ◽  
National Archives ◽  
And Control

This study was conceptualised in order to assess the strategies used to incorporate the homeland of KaNgwane into Mpumalanga province after the cessation of apartheid in 1994. The specific objective of the study was to investigate the compliance of records and archives with the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa Act (Act No 43 of 1996), during the incorporation of the homeland of KaNgwane into Mpumalanga. The study adopted a qualitative methodology through document analysis, interviews and observations. The key findings revealed that the archives of the former homeland of Kangwane were not aligned with the requirements of the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa Act (Act No.43 of 1996.) Institutions seem to lack experience when it comes to the challenges of storing records and implementing arrangement and control systems. The frequent lack of a records management policy and few to no staff with record-keeping and archival backgrounds was also a concern. A shortage of space to store records safely was also one of the major issues that the study uncovered. There appears to be no concerted effort to retain important historical records. Many records are stored in several different locations in government buildings.  I conclude that archives play an essential role to the nation as the institutional memory.

Influence of Knowledge Management Practices on Public Service Delivery by Municipalities

Mousaion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charleen Musonza ◽  
Ndakasharwa Muchaonyerwa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Public Service Delivery

This study examines the influence of knowledge management (KM) practices on public service delivery by municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The study sought to determine the factors that have triggered the implementation of KM practices; the effectiveness of KM practices towards public service delivery; and the extent to which KM practices have influenced public service delivery by municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in this study. Quantitative data were collected through a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of 202 employees at the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Qualitative data were collected through observations and interviews of 2 senior managers. The data collected gave a response rate of 72 per cent. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed descriptively and presented verbatim respectively. The results indicated that the internal and external factors included in this study have contributed to the implementation of KM practices in the municipality. Furthermore, the effective use of KM practices has increased the organisational KM initiative, as well as the provision of services such as electricity, education, transport, and social services by the municipality. The study recommends the establishment of KM awareness and the establishment of an integrated system that will assist in effective knowledge sharing, retention and acquisition across municipalities in the Eastern Cape.

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