Regenerative farming boosts profits
Regenerative farming practices were high on the agenda during the recently held Agriculture Outlook Conference in Windhoek.
Several farmers shared various methods that can be used to farm profitably.
Grazing expert Colin Knott said regenerative agriculture can help farmers be more resistant to drought and improve their production per hectare.
Koos Briedenhann from Otjiwarongo, Klaas Malan from Grootfontein and Jörg Gaugler from Helmeringhausen shared their stories of success.
Innovation
On the farm Buffelhoek, about 23 km west of Otjiwarongo, the decision was made to not only farm with grass, but rather with grass and bush.
The Briedenhanns realised that if they did not do something about the invasive bush that grew on the farm, they would face bankruptcy.
They initially tried to apply chemicals to kill the bush, but this had a detrimental effect on both the grass and the bush species that can be utilised by livestock.
In response, brothers Koos and Timo Briedenhann developed a bush-roll technique as an innovative way to recover biodiversity on their 5 011 hectare farm, which also acted as a good boost for production and profitability.
"Rather than trying to fight the bushes, we make them shorter with the help of bush rollers," Koos said during the event.
New uses
The technique allowed them to increase their livestock numbers from 344 cattle and 285 sheep in 2016 to 491 cattle and 1 423 sheep in 2021. The farm's carrying capacity also increased from 33 kg/ha to 60 kg/ha.
Briedenhann said the bush rollers help the bushes grow to a height where they can be utilised by livestock as a high-quality source of fodder - for both cattle and sheep.
They budget for the bushes to be turned over every three to five years - depending on how fast and thickly they grow back.
In addition, they reported that since 2016, the cattle's average weaning weight has been 71%, while their sheep have maintained a weaning percentage of 163% since 2019.
"Animals keep their condition throughout the year at a low cost, while the livestock also showed excellent resilience during the 2019–20 drought, and all animals survived," said Briedenhann.
Improvements
The Briedenhanns combine cattle and sheep herds throughout the year and also keep the bulls with the cows all the time.
"Stock your farm with well-adapted sheep and cattle - throughout the year - and apply dense, yet selective grazing. This means the cattle eat the re-growing bushes. It increases biodiversity and builds ecological and financial resilience," said Briedenhann.
He said the bush-roll technique has also helped them to improve the biodiversity on their farm, while their input costs for licks have reduced and they have had to spend less money on labourers to move animals from camp to camp.
The Briedenhanns plan to increase their sheep numbers to 2 500, to take advantage of the high-quality bush that grows after the bush rollers have done their work.
The cattle numbers will then be reduced because the sheep industry appears to be a healthy, viable enterprise.
Richer soil
Crop farmer Klaas Malan, who farms on farm Venus near Grootfontein, said soil is not just soil - it houses millions of micro-organisms that work for you and can make you a more successful farmer.
However, it is necessary for arable farmers to convert to no-tillage methods, practise crop rotation, and use cover crops.
Malan switched to no-till methods in 2009. In 2019, he planted eight different types of cover crops, while in the past two years he mainly planted hybrid babala and sorghum. He said it was during this time that he discovered the real value of cover crops.
After the first five years, in which he did not plough his fields, the texture of the soil and its ability to retain water improved so much that the landscape coped much better with droughts.
"After 13 years in which I applied no-till and four years of soil cover, the carbon in the soil increased by 35% compared to neighbouring farms, which do not use the methods," he said at the conference.
Stronger in dry years
Malan also said that he planted 60 ha of cover crops in 2020, where he kept 212 weaners with an average weight of 105 kg.
The weaners walked for four months on the cover crops and two months on the fields with the maize residues. By July 2020, they weighed an average of 187 kg, which means their weight increased by 70% in six months.
"In dry years, the potential large monetary losses due to poor maize harvests can be partially recovered with the help of no-till methods and cover crops, which are utilised by livestock. In the wet years, I harvest the same as my neighbouring farms that farm conventionally, but the livestock component means better profits," he said.
He said that even though his grain production has remained the same; the difference is distinct in drier years - because then he still harvests better crops while his livestock numbers triple.
Another advantage is that, because the ground is covered all year round and does not lie bare, the green plants remain for longer in the field, which increases the farm's biodiversity.
More to give
Jörg and Michelle Gaugler, who farm on farm Dabis (south), 10 km north of Helmeringhausen and 130 km south of Maltahöhe, managed to keep their stocking rate at more than 7 kg per ha between 2013 and 2021 through regenerative farming methods.
Last year, it increased to 10 kg per ha.
At the same time, they can now keep about 300 sheep in their smaller camps for three weeks, whereas the camps initially only offered two or three days of grazing for 200 sheep.
The Gauglers say they farm with highly adapted sheep and apply intensive, selective grazing for three weeks, after which they allow the pasture a recovery period of two years so that bushes and shrubs, which depend on rain, have enough time to recover.
Better health
Jörg said the farm's plant health and biodiversity are currently in the best condition since 1974, while his ewes weigh around 45 kg and produce 123% lambs per ewe per year. Lambs are slaughtered at about four to four and a half months.
Despite the ten-year drought, he never had to reduce his stock, with only a few old sheep dying.
His perennial plants and bushes increased during the drought, while he had an additional source of income by being able to sell field rams.
Several farmers shared various methods that can be used to farm profitably.
Grazing expert Colin Knott said regenerative agriculture can help farmers be more resistant to drought and improve their production per hectare.
Koos Briedenhann from Otjiwarongo, Klaas Malan from Grootfontein and Jörg Gaugler from Helmeringhausen shared their stories of success.
Innovation
On the farm Buffelhoek, about 23 km west of Otjiwarongo, the decision was made to not only farm with grass, but rather with grass and bush.
The Briedenhanns realised that if they did not do something about the invasive bush that grew on the farm, they would face bankruptcy.
They initially tried to apply chemicals to kill the bush, but this had a detrimental effect on both the grass and the bush species that can be utilised by livestock.
In response, brothers Koos and Timo Briedenhann developed a bush-roll technique as an innovative way to recover biodiversity on their 5 011 hectare farm, which also acted as a good boost for production and profitability.
"Rather than trying to fight the bushes, we make them shorter with the help of bush rollers," Koos said during the event.
New uses
The technique allowed them to increase their livestock numbers from 344 cattle and 285 sheep in 2016 to 491 cattle and 1 423 sheep in 2021. The farm's carrying capacity also increased from 33 kg/ha to 60 kg/ha.
Briedenhann said the bush rollers help the bushes grow to a height where they can be utilised by livestock as a high-quality source of fodder - for both cattle and sheep.
They budget for the bushes to be turned over every three to five years - depending on how fast and thickly they grow back.
In addition, they reported that since 2016, the cattle's average weaning weight has been 71%, while their sheep have maintained a weaning percentage of 163% since 2019.
"Animals keep their condition throughout the year at a low cost, while the livestock also showed excellent resilience during the 2019–20 drought, and all animals survived," said Briedenhann.
Improvements
The Briedenhanns combine cattle and sheep herds throughout the year and also keep the bulls with the cows all the time.
"Stock your farm with well-adapted sheep and cattle - throughout the year - and apply dense, yet selective grazing. This means the cattle eat the re-growing bushes. It increases biodiversity and builds ecological and financial resilience," said Briedenhann.
He said the bush-roll technique has also helped them to improve the biodiversity on their farm, while their input costs for licks have reduced and they have had to spend less money on labourers to move animals from camp to camp.
The Briedenhanns plan to increase their sheep numbers to 2 500, to take advantage of the high-quality bush that grows after the bush rollers have done their work.
The cattle numbers will then be reduced because the sheep industry appears to be a healthy, viable enterprise.
Richer soil
Crop farmer Klaas Malan, who farms on farm Venus near Grootfontein, said soil is not just soil - it houses millions of micro-organisms that work for you and can make you a more successful farmer.
However, it is necessary for arable farmers to convert to no-tillage methods, practise crop rotation, and use cover crops.
Malan switched to no-till methods in 2009. In 2019, he planted eight different types of cover crops, while in the past two years he mainly planted hybrid babala and sorghum. He said it was during this time that he discovered the real value of cover crops.
After the first five years, in which he did not plough his fields, the texture of the soil and its ability to retain water improved so much that the landscape coped much better with droughts.
"After 13 years in which I applied no-till and four years of soil cover, the carbon in the soil increased by 35% compared to neighbouring farms, which do not use the methods," he said at the conference.
Stronger in dry years
Malan also said that he planted 60 ha of cover crops in 2020, where he kept 212 weaners with an average weight of 105 kg.
The weaners walked for four months on the cover crops and two months on the fields with the maize residues. By July 2020, they weighed an average of 187 kg, which means their weight increased by 70% in six months.
"In dry years, the potential large monetary losses due to poor maize harvests can be partially recovered with the help of no-till methods and cover crops, which are utilised by livestock. In the wet years, I harvest the same as my neighbouring farms that farm conventionally, but the livestock component means better profits," he said.
He said that even though his grain production has remained the same; the difference is distinct in drier years - because then he still harvests better crops while his livestock numbers triple.
Another advantage is that, because the ground is covered all year round and does not lie bare, the green plants remain for longer in the field, which increases the farm's biodiversity.
More to give
Jörg and Michelle Gaugler, who farm on farm Dabis (south), 10 km north of Helmeringhausen and 130 km south of Maltahöhe, managed to keep their stocking rate at more than 7 kg per ha between 2013 and 2021 through regenerative farming methods.
Last year, it increased to 10 kg per ha.
At the same time, they can now keep about 300 sheep in their smaller camps for three weeks, whereas the camps initially only offered two or three days of grazing for 200 sheep.
The Gauglers say they farm with highly adapted sheep and apply intensive, selective grazing for three weeks, after which they allow the pasture a recovery period of two years so that bushes and shrubs, which depend on rain, have enough time to recover.
Better health
Jörg said the farm's plant health and biodiversity are currently in the best condition since 1974, while his ewes weigh around 45 kg and produce 123% lambs per ewe per year. Lambs are slaughtered at about four to four and a half months.
Despite the ten-year drought, he never had to reduce his stock, with only a few old sheep dying.
His perennial plants and bushes increased during the drought, while he had an additional source of income by being able to sell field rams.
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