A lack of knowledge on best farming practices often hinders small-scale farmers from establishing a successful and profitable livestock production business. Herd diseases and animal mortalities often lead to losses and pose a serious risk to rural livelihoods. However, these farmers are now benefitting from the assistance provided by the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science.

Most small-scale farmers are based on communal lands under tribal authority or in former homeland areas. As owners of a significant number of livestock, they play an important role by contributing to food security and employment, and alleviating poverty. According to Dr Alfred Kgasi, a senior lecturer in the Department of Production Animal Studies, the Faculty has been offering a mobile outreach clinic for the past 30 years as an extension to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Animal Hospital. This enables it to offer basic clinical services to resource-poor individuals in the Hammanskraal and Ratjiepane areas close to the Onderstepoort Campus. This was followed by the establishment of the Afrivet Chair in Primary Animal Health Care in 2011, which provides support and training to livestock farmers within an 80 km radius of the campus.

Students in their clinical years of study apply primary animal health care strategies to develop an extension strategy for a given community. They then engage in knowledge transfer to farmers during scheduled, supervised visits. Farmers are trained on aspects such as methods for the early identification of diseases, record-keeping, the optimisation of communal production systems and the prevention of diseases.

This training provides communities with knowledge and skills related to good production and health-management practices related to livestock. The skills imparted are practical interventions that the farmers can undertake on an ongoing, daily basis. Positive feedback has been received from the communities, who gain knowledge on how to look after their livestock better and improve the productivity of their animals. 

UP’s Faculty of Veterinary Science is training farmers on aspects such as methods for the early identification of diseases, record-keeping and the optimisation of communal production systems.

“The University has developed and maintained relationships with different stakeholders to put communal farmers in contact with local livestock associations and/or tribal authorities serving as important contact points for continued engagement with farmers,” says Dr Kgasi. He explains that most community members are faced with challenges related to poor education, poverty and unemployment, and there is limited access to veterinary services.

The Faculty of Veterinary Science’s engagement with these communities is indispensable in training the next generation of small-scale farmers. Other interventions include the training of farmers in the Makapanstad, Ga-Motle and Winterveld areas, as well as the presentation of an annual Farmers’ Day. During the most recent of these events, 341 cattle belonging to local farmers were examined to determine the pregnancy status of their cattle and the breeding soundness of their bulls. Ultimately, they ascertained that only two of the five bulls were breeding-sound; hence, their lower conception and calving percentages. This enabled the farmers to make the necessary changes to improve the productivity of their livestock.

Another notable activity from which community farmers benefit is the annual Feedlot Challenge. This initiative sees fifth-year Veterinary Science students engage with the community to teach them about the operations and dynamics of modern feedlot systems. As part of the training, farmers participate in various stages of the challenge, such as witnessing the on-hoof evaluation and judging phase, and having an opportunity to learn about the proper selection of good animals for feedlots. 

The outreach includes a Farmer Engagement Day at Onderstepoort, where farmers learn about current trends and good practices, and are able to walk among the feeding kraals with the students. Students later visit the individual farmers to assess their current feedlot operations, providing them with a report detailing recommendations on certain areas for improvement.

Dr Kgasi believes that it is a great privilege for the Faculty to be able to assist in nurturing healthy animals that are productive and can contribute to improving the livelihoods of rural communities. With additional funding, it plans to expand its training in primary animal health care in strategic parts of the country.