Snake-proofing your fowl runs: A guide for small-scale farmers

By Staff Writer | November 17, 2025 |

Snakes pose a recurring challenge to poultry keepers, particularly during wet seasons when these reptiles become more active. Understanding how to protect your flock while respecting the ecological role of snakes is essential for sustainable farming practices. Understanding snake attraction to poultry areas The primary draw for snakes to chicken coops isn’t the birds themselves,…

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Farming ducks

By Staff Writer | November 10, 2025 |

By Ross Gordon Cooper Searches for articles in the literature pertinent to the care of ducks revealed 49 papers and two manuals specialising in duck husbandry. Relevant details thereof are alliterated below. The management of duck concerns depends on their size. The small home flock kept in a yard would include a simple, partially-enclosed shed,…

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The benefits of crossbreeding in beef cattle

By Staff Writer | November 3, 2025 |

By Prof. Esté van Marle-Köster (PhD Pr. Anim. Sci) This week we share another of the excellent topics presented at Zimbabwe Herd Book’s annual Beef School. Crossbreeding is a smart breeding strategy that has changed beef cattle farming around the world. To understand why farmers choose crossbreeding, we need to look at the basic genetics…

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