The Sunday News
Judith Phiri , Business Reporter
A clarion call has been made to farmers, on the pivotal role of meticulous farm record-keeping in driving informed decision-making and sustainable agricultural practices.
Stressing the significance of both financial and production records, experts underscore the indispensable value of timely and accurate data for effective planning and realistic forecasting within the agricultural sector.
In alignment with a shift towards modernised farming practices, the Government advocates for a transition from conventional extensive land accumulation to a focus on intensive production on smaller land parcels.
Furthermore, the promotion of strategic partnerships within the agricultural sphere aims to bolster agri-business initiatives, propelling the agricultural sector towards heightened productivity goals in alignment with the national vision of achieving an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
Speaking at the recently held Farmers Great Indaba in Bulawayo, Financial Literacy and Agri-business specialist, Ms Thubelihle Ndlovu said record keeping was an essential part of good livestock and farm business management.
“Recording can be done most easily if animals have some form of identification, finite or infinite, animal recording and identification are inseparable.
“To identify animals belonging to a particular owner, record keeping plays a key role for proof of ownership. So, as farmers you can use your farm records as a management tool to undertake performance evaluation, perform genetic selection, keep proper health records and accurately measure production and reproduction,” she said.
She said the records were also essential for those who need to have effective and efficient farm enterprise, as well as optimize production and maximize profit.
Ms Ndlovu said during the current El Nino induced drought, farmers should make use of record keeping for better comparisons of breeding seasons, farming season profitability as well as to identify top and poor performers ,among other things.
“Record keeping may be the deciding factor in winning a contractor funding if a farmer has a long term vision for their farm. Types of farm records include legal and compliance records, financial records, production records, inventory records and personnel records,” she added.
She said key examples of farm records were mating records that highlight sire, dam and progeny identification (offspring), which is important in breeding, sale and culling decisions.
Ms Ndlovu said herd size reduction was sometimes necessary when there are weak ,sick, unproductive and inbreeding animals on the farm.
She said: “You can also keep records of testicles size, by recording testes size at one year of age can assist in sire selection. Testes size in males is related to ovarian activity (multiple ovulations) in females, while higher scrotal circumference equals more semen and mature bucks.”
Ms Ndlovu said recording carcass yield or dressing percentage is a factor that has tremendous economic value in meat breeds as abattoirs usually pay better for optimum weights.
On hides and skins, she said for a cross-breeding programme there may be a need to record skin quality aspects such as area of hide, skin thickness, elasticity, pigmentation and density of hair.
“Calving or kidding records, which include identity, dam identification, weight, date of birth, type of birth and sex is also important. Growth or weight records kept periodically by recording the body weight of animals is a must as well as health records including morbidity, mortality, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and vaccinations, among others,” she added.
Ms Ndlovu said as the effects of El Nino start to sink in, to avoid more cattle losses, farmers should have feed consumption records for capital-intensive farm businesses, such as finishing or fattening operations, the amount of concentrate fed should be recorded to calculate profitability and for costing purposes.
