NEWS - AGRICULTURE
| 2013-07-30Khorixas farmers benefit from Swakara information day
GOING FOR BLACK GOLD ... Some of the farmers from the Khorixas vicinity who attended the Swakara information day.
A TEAM of experts from Agra Professional Services presented a Swakara information day on the at Bloemhof, 40 km west of Khorixas, in the Kunene (south) region recently.
The Agra event was organised in cooperation with the local extension services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF) in an effort to expose livestock farmers to Swakara pelt production as available farming commodity,
The information day was attended by farmers who learnt about the value of Swakara pelts.
Agra’s Wessel Visser and Jaco van Zyl presented lectures highlighting different aspects involved in Swakara farming.
Swakara is described as a multipurpose breed which produces pelts, meat, wool and fat.
“Swakara sheep hold good potential for diversification. Commonly, day-old lambs are marketed, which relieves the ewes from raising lambs in harsh and dry conditions. If there is enough grazing, lambs can be successfully raised as well. These are usually quality replacement ewes while lambs with poor pelts traits are raised as slaughter sheep,” Van Zyl said.
Pelt and mutton production systems were compared.
It was demonstrated that pelt production currently compares favourably to other sheep based production on the basis of profitability. Other benefits include lower risk, the sheep’s adaptability to harsh climatic conditions and also the growing demand for this unique Namibian product.
However, there are some challenges, such as the fact that Swakara sheep need to be sheared, which is costly and labour intensive, while the price for Swakara wool is currently low, due to limited demand.
Quality breeding stock is also scarce and expensive and it is seen as preventing many aspiring farmers from joining the industry.
Swakara pelt production is not new to local communal farmers. Back in the sixties, many pelts were produced in these arid areas, suitable for Swakara production.
As there is a growing demand for pelts, more Swakara farmers are needed in the industry to fill this gap.
The participants appreciated Agra’s initiative for empowering them by sharing relevant information.
The information day was attended by farmers who learnt about the value of Swakara pelts.
Agra’s Wessel Visser and Jaco van Zyl presented lectures highlighting different aspects involved in Swakara farming.
Swakara is described as a multipurpose breed which produces pelts, meat, wool and fat.
“Swakara sheep hold good potential for diversification. Commonly, day-old lambs are marketed, which relieves the ewes from raising lambs in harsh and dry conditions. If there is enough grazing, lambs can be successfully raised as well. These are usually quality replacement ewes while lambs with poor pelts traits are raised as slaughter sheep,” Van Zyl said.
Pelt and mutton production systems were compared.
It was demonstrated that pelt production currently compares favourably to other sheep based production on the basis of profitability. Other benefits include lower risk, the sheep’s adaptability to harsh climatic conditions and also the growing demand for this unique Namibian product.
However, there are some challenges, such as the fact that Swakara sheep need to be sheared, which is costly and labour intensive, while the price for Swakara wool is currently low, due to limited demand.
Quality breeding stock is also scarce and expensive and it is seen as preventing many aspiring farmers from joining the industry.
Swakara pelt production is not new to local communal farmers. Back in the sixties, many pelts were produced in these arid areas, suitable for Swakara production.
As there is a growing demand for pelts, more Swakara farmers are needed in the industry to fill this gap.
The participants appreciated Agra’s initiative for empowering them by sharing relevant information.
