Native Feeds

Facing a drought is one of the toughest challenges for any livestock farmer. When pastures dry up, the real struggle begins—bringing malnutrition, disease, and the risk of heavy losses like poor growth, dropped production, abortions, or downer cows.

Before you make a sudden move to sell off your herd, take a breath and run the numbers. Smart drought management is all about cost-efficiency and long-term survival.

✅Ask yourself these critical questions before culling:

✅How many animals am I selling, and what will they actually bring in?

✅What is the total cost to feed and maintain the remaining herd?

✅How long is this dry spell projected to last?

✅After the drought breaks, will I have enough capital left to buy replacements?

✅Will replacement stock cost more than what I sold my original animals for?

✅Can my remaining herd generate enough profit to offset these losses?

Watch out for Downer Cows!
Wilted grass lacks essential minerals like phosphorus and calcium. Unsupplemented cattle quickly weaken. If caught early (around a body condition score of 3), an IV treatment of calcium and phosphorus can often pull them through.

Also, beware of Botulism (Clostridium botulinum). Nutrient-deficient cattle will chew on bones and debris, exposing them to deadly bacterial toxins. Keep an eye out for Anthrax, Pasteurellosis, and Mange during these dry periods as well.

The golden rule of drought management: Only keep the number of animals you can genuinely afford to sustain.

When in doubt, don't guess—reach out to your local veterinarian or animal health agent for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

From Farm Records to Better Decisions!
Thank you to every farmer who joined us for our Native Feeds x KraalSense Online Masterclass! Special thanks to Palesa Dintwe for demonstrating how moving from manual record-keeping to a digital farm operating system can streamline farm management and boost overall profitability.
Here are the key takeaways from our session:
🔹 A Farm is One Connected System: Livestock health, feed inventory, land use, labor, and financial records all affect one another.
🔹 Record What Matters: Moving past paper records and memory builds a single, reliable story of your farm's history.
🔹 Focus on KPIs: Monitor critical indicators like calving/kidding rates, feed cost per animal, weaning rates, and water efficiency to identify costs and improve yield.
🔹 Data Drives Action: Good record-keeping is about making better, faster, and more confident operational decisions.
With platforms like KraalSense, keeping track of your herd, fodder supply, compliance, and farm finances becomes simpler and far more effective.
Farmers, what is the hardest part of farm operations for you to track manually? Let us know in the comments below!
KraalSense

Are you ready to take your farm management into the digital age?

Join us for an insightful online masterclass on Digital Farm Management and Operations, hosted by Native Feeds through the Kgotla Ya Molemi Morui initiative!

Learn how to leverage digital tools, streamline daily farm tasks, track performance, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your agricultural business operations.

Presenter: Palesa Dintwe (KraalSense)

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026

Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Platform: Google Meet

Join the live session directly here: https://meet.google.com/ocw-qorv-xpp

Whether you are a commercial producer or an emerging farmer, this session will provide practical strategies to digitize and improve your farm management. Don't miss out!

Inspiring the Next Generation of Agripreneurs!

Learning truly comes alive when you step out of the classroom and onto the farm! Native Feeds, in partnership with Farm De Pat, was thrilled to host Standard 6 students from Mojadife Primary School (Mogobane) for a hands-on learning experience.

The students stepped out of the classroom and onto the farm to gain practical experience in:
✅Farm Management & Operations
✅Essential Farm Record Keeping
✅Livestock Health & Disease Control
✅Animal Husbandry Best Practices

We believe that building a sustainable future starts with inspiring young minds early. We all have a role to play in shaping the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs! Farm de Pat Tlotlo Neo Phuduhudu Dream Factory Foundation Standard Chartered Botswana

Thank you to all the farmers who joined our online masterclass! Here are the key takeaway notes from our discussion on El Niño livestock strategy and grazing management:
Key Takeaways:
✅Start Destocking Early: Reduce overall stocking density and rest marginal grazing areas during the growing season.
✅Selective Herd Management: Keep your most fertile, productive, fast-growing animals, and cull non-performers or underperforming livestock.
✅Body Condition Targets: Aim for body condition scores of 3–4 at calving to support reproduction and energy needs.
✅Essential Nutrition & Supplementation: Maintain quality licks, feed phosphorus during dry periods, and adapt feeding regimes to pasture changes.
✅Creep Feeding & Early Weaning: Provide creep feed to calves and lambs for efficient feed conversion, allowing earlier weaning and feedlot sales.
✅Grazing Systems: Rest grazing after rainfall and collaborate on camp systems with neighboring farmers.
✅Solid Marketing Plan: Ensure you have a clear plan to market and sell animals strategically during dry spells.
See you all at our next masterclass soon❗❗❗

Native Feeds invites you to an essential discussion on "Animal Nutrition in the Era of El Niño." Join presenter Mr. Lubbe Jacob to explore sustainable feeding strategies during challenging weather cycles.
September 3, 2026, 07:00 PM

Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/tzt-dyye-rin

Farming isn’t just a lifestyle—it’s a business.

And just like any successful enterprise, your farm needs a structured Operational System to thrive.

At Native Feeds, we help you build an operational framework tailored specifically to your goals, integrating:

✅Animal Health & Breeding Systems
✅Precision Nutrition & Feed Strategies
✅Farm Business Management & Cost Control
✅Real-Time Tech & Analytics

Ask yourself:

❓Do you have a clear system keeping your farm goals on track?

❓ Are your employees held accountable with clear weekly tasks and performance metrics?

❓ Are you truly productive, profitable, and sustainable—or is wastage eating your profits?

If you don't have direct answers to these questions, our multi-disciplinary team is here to help. We bring together veterinarians ,animal scientists, nutritionists, accountants, and cutting-edge farm management software. You get real-time data to spot challenges early, track performance, and make informed decisions.

Special Offer: The first 5 farmers to comment on this post will get a free advisory call with one of our team members to help you identify key ways to improve your farm's production!

Let’s transform your farm into a sustainable, highly productive, and profitable agribusiness.

Motswana o rile tsholofelo fa e tlhabise ditlhong. The livestock industry will rise again—better, stronger, and more resilient than before. To every farmer standing strong through the tough seasons: your dedication will pay off. May the Lord be with Us❤️ Aemoo Ranching Tlotlo Neo Phuduhudu

At Native Feeds, we believe capacity building is the backbone of sustainable, profitable farming. That is why our commitment to empowering producers goes beyond borders.

Since 2024, we have proudly supported the Mulimi Africa Agribusiness Training, Trade & Investment Summit. We are back again to support farmers who are eager to learn, innovate, and take their production to the next level!

A reye Zambia, re yang go ithuta mo go ba bangwe! 🇿🇲🇧🇼

Registration is officially open! If you need assistance registering or securing your ticket, feel free to reach out to our team directly.

📞 Contact for Tickets & Enquiries:

Botswana: +267 71715830

Zambia: +260 961 776 771 / 0772908550

Email: [email protected]