A new dawn is set to arrive for intensive sheep farming when more than 1 100 farmers from across the world will join an historic webinar led by a well-known Free State couple who has revolutionised year-round lambing.
Dr Karin and Manie Wessels, the founders of Mamre Consult, says although the covid-19 lockdown restrictions were an initial blow to their scheduled farmer training days, it has since transformed into an exciting online training initiative.
Attendees confirmed for tomorrow’s webinar – which is presented in partnership with Zoetis, Bayer, Voermol, Grasveld and Ramsem – also include farmers from Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, Australia and even Russia. The webinar’s training focus is primarily on the general management of an intensive sheep farming operation, health care, feeding during the different stages as well as reproduction.
The Wessels duo, who farm in the Vrede district, tells Food For Mzansi that they are most excited to connect so many farmers with experts who will help them implement an innovative sheep management system. In the last few years, their research-based model has captured the imagination of both smaller and larger scale sheep farmers. It is based on an eight-month cycle, so the flock is divided into eight groups of ewes, each of which has to be managed differently.
The speakers include Ansie Du Buisson from Ramsem, who will cover reproduction and synchronisation, and the veterinarian Dr Fanie Steyn, who specialises in livestock reproduction. Grasveld’s herd health expert, Dr D’Wall Hauptfleisch, will talk about critically important animal health care matters, whilst Dr Josef van Wyngaard from Voermol Feeds will cover feeding in the different physiological stages of an ewe in an intensive sheep farming system. Theresa Lubbinge from Bayer will highlight the importance of using the right minerals and vitamins. All of the speakers will join the Mamre webinar from their respective lockdown locations.
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Registration is free, and prospective attendees have until 17:00 today to register for the Mamre Intensive Sheep Farming Webinar. Click here for late registration.
