MUCH has been said and written about the multitude of challenges that livestock farmers have to deal with on a daily basis, but farming in close proximity of towns brings its own problems that need to be dealt with, said Tino Herselman, director of the Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In recent years, Grootfontein has experienced increased challenges, such as stock theft, stray dogs from town that cause great losses of sheep, illegal hunters with packs of dogs that hunt in the areas surrounding the town, as well as stray livestock from the community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStray cattle are a particular problem during the winter months when grazing in the municipal commonage is becoming limited and the animals then wander onto the national roads and eventually into the college campus where they present a biosecurity risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to these challenges, Grootfontein recently installed motorised gates on its two main access roads to the campus, as well as on one of the gravel roads where a lot of stock theft incidents occurred in the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, surveillance cameras have been installed at these gates, and in different areas of the campus, as well as the grazing camps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The surveillance cameras are solar powered and connect via a radio signal to the storage facility on the campus. As an early warning system, the college also recently fitted most of its livestock flocks with neck collars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These collars are fitted with activity sensors that send an SMS when disturbances among sheep and goat flocks are detected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The real-time location of animals fitted with these collars can also be viewed on a smartphone or computer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grootfontein is working closely with the local stock theft unit of the SAPS and neighbouring farmers to alleviate the challenges of farming so close to the town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grootfontein is also reaching out to the local communal farmers to assist them with their own unique problems and challenges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MUCH has been said and written about the multitude of challenges that livestock farmers have to deal with on a daily basis, but farming in close proximity of towns brings its own problems that need to be dealt with, said Tino Herselman, director of 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