04 Jun 2018

A youth exhibiting at the 3^rd Youth Expo says the type of animal feed he is producing improves weight gain and fertility as well as immunity.

Mr Lazarus Setlhare said in an interview that the products provided all the necessary trace minerals needed by animals to improve weight gain and at the same time increase fertility.

The products, in the form of phosphate licks and winter licks, also promoted immunity against diseases and increased resistance to internal and external parasites and preventing poisoning from prussic acid, he said.

 Mr Setlhare said winter lick provided adequate proteins and phosphorus to ensure optimal reproduction in breeding animals, adding that it maintained body mass and conditions of cattle, sheep and goats during the dry season.

He revealed that another product, production lick, was provided and used in situations where performance above maintenance was required.

It could also be used as a flushing feed before mating, he explained.

He said production lick had high energy levels and helped with fibre digestion on pastures of low quality and increased weaning weights of calves and lambs.

Another young exhibitor, Ms Neo Seate from Serinane in Kweneng West is into integrated farming as she does horticulture and the rearing of cattle, goats, sheep and chickens.

She said the horticultural sector produced cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes and rape.

For potatoes, Ms Seate explained that she used seed instead of tuber.

Explaining further, she said the tuber method was expensive, adding that it was not easy to get tubers locally.

The method she uses entails harvesting the seed from the potato and pollinating them. ENDS