Tuesday, September 8, 2026
SUBSCRIBE
22 GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS
Food For Mzansi
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
No Result
View All Result
Food For Mzansi
No Result
View All Result
in Farmer's Inside Track

Improve herd health with thermometers

Monitoring cattle temperature is key to livestock success. In this Farmer's Inside Track episode, Ernest Makua from RMIS explains how thermometers help detect diseases early, cut treatment costs, and improve profits

by Duncan Masiwa
2nd August 2024
Ernest Makua is a livestock technical advisor at Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS). Photo: Food For Mzansi

Ernest Makua is a livestock technical advisor at Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS). Photo: Food For Mzansi

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsApp

Accurate monitoring of animal body temperature is essential for maintaining the health and productivity of your herd. Ernest Makua, livestock technical advisor at Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS), provides essential information on how a thermometer delivers precise and consistent readings. He also guides you on how to use a thermometer effectively.

In this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track, he discusses the benefits of using thermometers, explaining how early detection of diseases can reduce mortality rates and treatment costs, thus enhancing economic efficiency.

Makua emphasises, “Better health monitoring leads to lower mortality rates and higher profitability. The primary purpose of having a livestock enterprise is to have it profitable.”

He also provides practical guidelines on using thermometers effectively, including choosing the right equipment, ensuring proper sanitation, and accurately recording data.


Related stories
  • Keep track of livestock health with thermometers
  • Protect yourself and your livestock from rabies

Maintaining health and productivity

Listeners can look forward to learning about the normal temperature ranges for different ages of cattle, and the significance of identifying secondary symptoms alongside temperature readings.

As Makua puts it, “The important thing that we need a thermometer for is for animal welfare, for keeping track of cattle health. It ensures that our animals are very productive.”

In this episode, Makua also discusses:
  • How thermometer helps with detecting animal diseases;
  • The importance of thermometer training and more.

Dive deeper into the episode and gain insights from the award-winning Farmer’s Inside Track, officially recognised as Africa and the world’s best podcast at the 2024 Digital Media Awards presented by WAN-IFRA, the global press organisation.

Option 1: Click here to listen on Spotify (all mobile and other devices)

Option 2: Click here to listen on any Apple device

READ NEXT: Budget for a better climate response in agriculture, urge experts

Sign up for Farmer’s Inside Track: Join our exclusive platform for new entrants into farming and agri-business, with newsletters and podcasts. 

Duncan Masiwa

DUNCAN MASIWA is the assistant editor at Food For Mzansi, South Africa’s leading digital agriculture news publication. He cut his teeth in community newspapers, writing columns for Helderberg Gazette, a Media24 publication. Today, he leads a team of journalists who strive to set the agricultural news agenda. Besides being a journalist, he is also a television presenter, podcaster and performance poet who has shared stages with leading gospel artists.

Tags: Animal diseasesCommercialising farmerLivestockPodcastTeach me
Tiger Brands CEO Tjaard Kruger addressed farmers at the Swartland Show in Moorreesburg in the Western Cape on Friday. Design: Food For Mzansi
News

Tiger Brands CEO calls for stronger food value chain

by Ivor Price
6th September 2026

Tiger Brands CEO Tjaart Kruger has called for a stronger, more connected agricultural and food value chain, warning that South...

Read moreDetails

Plant, pick, protect: The rising potential of urban foraging in SA

6th September 2026
From left: Jeremia Mathebula (vice-chairperson of Grain SA); Dr Jack Bloom (deputy minister of water and sanitation); Falon Mars (Mars Rossouw Attorneys INC); and André Cloete (award-winning Overberg farmer). All four are part of the lineup for the special emerging farmers’ programme at Nampo Cape. Photos: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

RSVP now: Emerging farmers’ programme at Nampo Cape

5th September 2026
Community-led farms boost food security and incomes in Limpopo

Community-led farms boost food security and incomes in Limpopo

5th September 2026
Farmers rethink water use as shortages threaten food production

Farmers rethink water use as shortages threaten food production

5th September 2026

Potato turning point ahead as onions double in price year-on-year

Plant, pick, protect: The rising potential of urban foraging in SA

Rising costs, climate risk push Swartland wheat farmers to the brink

RSVP now: Emerging farmers’ programme at Nampo Cape

Young farmers need structured opportunities, not just open doors

Join Food For Mzansi's WhatsApp channel for the latest updates!

JOIN NOW!
Next Post
The MEC of agriculture and rural development Madoda Sambatha. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi.

NW MEC aims to tackle poverty and rural development

THE NEW FACE OF SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE

With 21 global awards in the first six years of its existence, Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication. It is a movement, unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture. We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.

Weaning calves: How to reduce stress for maximum weight gain

Grain markets slide: Temporary pause or start of a downturn?

Chilli farming: Why high-value crops are SA’s missed opportunity

SA pork industry builds resilience following disease outbreaks

Young farmers need structured opportunities, not just open doors

BenicaTheFarmer: The nurse who built an agricultural empire

  • Awards & Global Impact
  • Our Story
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824
News: info@foodformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824
News: info@foodformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

  • Awards & Global Impact
  • Our Story
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Chat Options

I'm Lerato, your AI assistant!
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought

Copyright © 2024 Food for Mzansi

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.