Latest news with #breeders
Zawya
02-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
ADAFSA to launch series of awareness workshops in July
Abu Dhabi: As part of its annual plan to build the capacity of the agricultural sector and enhance its sustainability, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) is launching a series of specialized awareness workshops this July. The workshops aim to raise awareness of best agricultural practices, both plant and animal, and food safety The workshops, conducted via the Teams application, are designed to empower farmers and breeders by providing them with modern knowledge to improve farm efficiency and increase profitability. This will be achieved through optimal resource utilization, cost reduction, increased productivity, and improved quality. The first workshop, titled "Enhancing Production Efficiency in Poultry Farms," will be held on Wednesday, July 9. It will cover efficiency measurement standards, factors affecting poultry productivity, and methods for improvement. This includes developing production processes, managing supply chains, controlling diseases, reducing antibiotic use, enhancing product quality, improving the work environment, and qualifying staff. The workshop will also highlight the importance of input quality (feed, water), proper farm management, disease prevention through vaccines, and the judicious use of antibiotics. Furthermore, it will address improving product quality to reduce defects, the role of research and development, and creating a safe work environment with skilled and trained staff for continuous improvement. The second awareness workshop, on Wednesday, July 16, will focus on "Specifications of Sheep Pens and Requirements in Hot Regions". It will offer comprehensive guidance on designing pens, ventilation systems, and feeding practices to ensure animal comfort and productivity in hot climates. Key topics include specifications for covered and open spaces, roof design for sun protection, and essential equipment like shaded, accessible water troughs made of heat-insulating materials with floats and drainage. It will also detail specifications for feeders, birthing pens, feeding barriers for lambs, and necessary tools for breeding activities such as wool shearing and hoof trimming equipment, and barn cleaning supplies. The third workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, July 23, and will discuss the importance, types, uses, and maintenance of insect traps on farms. This workshop, titled "Integrated Pest Management," will focus on using sticky, light, and pheromone traps, proven effective against palm tree pests, to promote safe and sustainable agriculture by reducing chemical pesticide use. Farmers will learn how to select, install, and interpret data from these traps to protect palm trees and other crops in an environmentally friendly way. Bader Hassan Al Shehhi, Director of Communication and Community Engagement at ADAFSA, stressed the importance of these workshops, which are part of ADAFSA's annual plan to disseminate best practices in the agricultural sector, both plant and animal, as well as in the field of food safety." These workshops are a key pillar in building the capacity of farmers and livestock breeders, as they provide them with the modern knowledge and skills necessary to improve the efficiency of their farms and production processes," Al Shehhi said. "We believe that empowering farmers and breeders with information on production efficiency, farm management, disease prevention and optimal resource control is the essence of achieving agricultural sustainability. By adopting best practices and applying new technologies, together we can enhance food security and ensure the continuity of efficient production, while preserving natural resources for future generations." Al Shehhi called on all farmers and livestock breeders to take advantage of these valuable educational and extension opportunities, which are supervised by a group of the best experts in agriculture and food safety and contribute directly to the development of a sustainable and prosperous agricultural sector, and explained that those interested can view the monthly schedule of workshops and how to register through the website or follow their platforms on social media.
The Guardian
01-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Country diary: Like wrecked prizes, the body parts of pheasants litter the landscape
Away from where arable fields have enriched the down to coarse grasses, meadow anthills are floriferous pillows, pimpling the smoothness. On them, strange, wrecked prizes are arranged: eggshells; the light, keeled sternum of a pheasant; a stripped, raw‑red bone; a jewel-bright French partridge's head, topping the beads of its neck vertebrae like an umbrella handle, or a brooch, pretty and gruesome. As far as the eye can see, shooting estate borders shooting estate. Skylarks, linnets, yellowhammers and whitethroats sing, but by far the most numerous birds are pheasants, followed by corvids; and this year's gamebirds haven't yet been released for winter's shooting. The corvids have utilised the anthills – blooming softly with the tiny flowers of wild thyme, chalk eyebright and milkwort, squinancywort and fairy flax – as dining tables. A broody mothering has been bred out of hen pheasants; most lay their eggs and walk away, as if discarding a broken heel. Rooks, crows, ravens and jackdaws congregate, carrying eggs to the anthills to break open and eat. But here are other eggshells, too, because these eggs draw attention to other ground-nesting birds. I miserably spot grey partridge and lapwing eggs among them. This is new. Birds remaining after the shoot season ends in February, are no longer caught up, penned and bred from. Left to their fate, more run free than ever before in spring and summer, with a new batch bought in from UK breeders, or imported each year, instead. Cumulatively, they attract more predators, which then predate other wildlife. In the wood, feathered, skeletal pairs of wings turn slowly in the branches like hapless angels, where the remains of pheasants have been taken and dropped by red kites. On gateposts, other grisly offerings: the sawn-off foreleg of a deer and a pheasant pelvis and legs posed in grim puppetry, to ride a saddle cloth patch of weathered deer hide. This danse macabre is unlikely to be the craftwork of the gamekeeper – or deer stalker that part-butchers the animals in the field – but that of a dog walker, whose pet has found treasure in the undergrowth and tried to bring it home. The folk horror is real. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
Zawya
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
New plant breeders' rights law takes effect in South Africa
South Africa's updated plant variety protection law officially came into effect this month, modernising the country's framework for plant breeders' rights and aligning local legislation with international standards. The Department of Agriculture announced the commencement of the new Plant Breeders' Rights Act, 2018 (Act No. 12 of 2018) and its regulations with effect from 1 June 2025. This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa's signing of the proclamation after the approval of the regulations by the Agriculture Minister. The new Plant Breeders' Rights Act 12 of 2018 was proclaimed in the Government Gazette on 6 June 2025, with effect from 1 June 2025, repealing the previous 1976 Act. The updated Act is designed to bring South Africa's plant breeders' rights regime in line with the 1991 UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants) Convention. It introduces enhanced provisions on the protection of essentially derived varieties, compulsory licensing, and enforcement rights for breeders. Importantly, the Act now allows protection for plant varieties of any genera and species — not only those previously prescribed — provided they are new, distinct, uniform, stable, and have acceptable denominations. Other key revisions include extending protection periods to up to 30 years for fruit trees, vines, sugar cane and potatoes, and 25 years for all other crops. The establishment of an advisory committee comprising breeders, farmers, and intellectual property law specialists is also included. Procedural changes and provisional protection Key procedural updates include the introduction of automatic provisional protection from the date of filing a plant breeders' rights application. Under the old Act, applicants were required to request provisional protection and undertake not to commercialise the variety while an application was pending. Under the new Act, while applicants may not sue for infringement during this period, they are entitled to claim equitable remuneration from anyone exploiting the variety through acts reserved for the rights holder. Expanded farmers' privilege provision raises concerns A significant change involves expanding the scope of the farmers' privilege exception. The new Act gives the Minister of Agriculture the power to define which categories of producers may use a protected variety. This marks a departure from the narrower provision in the 1976 Act, which limited farmers' privilege to the re-use of legitimately obtained harvested material for propagation on the farmer's land. The broadened scope has raised concerns within the plant breeding community, with debates around whether this could undermine breeders' rights despite provisions requiring that the minister safeguard their legitimate interests. The department noted the Act's potential to enhance food security, support rural development, increase agricultural productivity, and foster job creation through investment in plant breeding innovation. The scope and regulation of the farmers' privilege exception are expected to remain a point of debate as regulations are developed. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
ABC News
23-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Australian performance horse breeders excited by record $2.65 million sale
It might have happened on the other side of the world, but the recent sale of a western performance horse could change the lives of Australian breeders. Three-year-old filly, Crosby Ray Von, sold for $US1.7 million ($2.65 million) at the Old West Rope Horse Futurity Sale in Utah at the weekend. It was serious money for a thoroughbred, and a world record for a performance horse "prospect" not yet tested in competition disciplines such as roping and cutting. "To now be part of a moment like this … it's beyond my wildest dreams," said US breeder Melanie Smith. Crosby Ray Von is the product of renowned stallion Stevie Rey Von, whose genetics have been imported to Australia. Lynda MacCallum, a professional cutting horse trainer at Walcha in northern NSW, said it was potentially "life-changing" news for the local industry. She said with many Australian-bred performance horses already selling for six figures, the sale would only make those with Stevie Rey Von's bloodline more valuable. "We have access to these genetics … we really do have the potential to breed elite horses here and infiltrate the western sports and our camp-drafting market," Ms MacCallum said. "I do believe we will see a great increase in what our horses are bringing here in Australia. "America are always a little further ahead than what we are, however often we do follow in their footsteps." Ms MacCallum said it could be a turning point for young breeders and trainers just starting out. "When horses can make six figures and beyond for us here in Australia, that does become life-changing money," she said. "I know a lot of young people and couples who have sold horses for good money and put that money together and bought investment properties … that's how they're getting ahead in life. "It becomes more of a business or a profession, rather than a hobby."
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
These dogs are all supposedly the same breed, but their owners were duped into buying a fake designer puppy - so can YOU guess what kind they're meant to be?
Miniature cockapoos are among the most expensive dog breeds in the UK. But some unlucky owners have fallen for false advertisements and ended up with a dog of an entirely different breed. Back in lockdown when Britons went crazy for designer dogs, a string of unscrupulous breeders put out manipulative advertisements claiming to sell the coveted pups to cash in on the rampant craze. When they're young, it can be difficult to distinguish the breed of a given dog, which in turn led fraudulent sellers to prey on prospective owners longing for the popular Cocker Spaniel and Poodle crossbreed. However, as time went on, owners have come to realise that they're beloved canines aren't of the designer breed. UK-based Samantha Eyon was one of the unlucky individuals who splashed out on a cockapoo only for him to look like an entirely different breed just months later. Taking to TikTok, Samantha explained that she was expecting an F1 Toy Cockapoo, meaning she wanted a dog resulting from a first-generation mating of a Cocker Spaniel with a Poodle. As a result, she paid a premium price for her new family member and splashed out a staggering £2,000 to bring him home. But just months later, her pooch grew into a dog that bore no physical similarities to a Toy Cockapoo but instead developed black and white spots, leading to speculation that he was a Dalmatian cross. 'Paying £2000 for a Toy Cockapoo and getting...,' Samantha wrote before sharing a selection of adorable images of her not-so-Toy Cockapoo. She added in the caption, 'We love him all the same'. Elsewhere, an anonymous Reddit user took to the platform after her 'Cockapoo' Piper grew into a dog of a different appearance. She wrote, '[I] got her because we wanted a small dog that doesn't shed and thought she was cute. While Piper is adorable, she's by no means the second-generation small Cockapoo that the owner was expecting. Curious of her dog's true heritage, the owner purchased a DNA test for Piper, which revealed her to be 100 per cent Cocker Spaniel. 'Told she was a cockapoo, thought cocker spaniel genes were dominant but never expected results we got,' the owner added. Reddit users took to the comment section to share their thoughts. One wrote, 'That's giving accidental BYB litter. I bet the female spaniel was supposed to be paired with a poodle.' 'I think you lucked out. Cocker spaniels are wonderful, and her coat will be infinitely easier to deal with. What a babe,' a second wrote. 'I was thinking 'I… don't see any poodle.' Sure, her hair is a little curlier than usual for a cocker, but that face is pure cocker,' said a third. Others marvelled over Piper's appearance, with one writing,' Her wig like hair is truly fabulous.' A second added, 'She is perfect!' Meanwhile, puppy Instagram account @doodlehomes shared the experience of owner Kiara Michael. Kiara set out to buy a small dog, but months later her dog was almost the same size as her. 'POV: You asked for a dog but got a whole man,' the Instagram user joked while sharing footage of the giant poodle jumping up and touching her face. Elsewhere, people who splurged hefty sums to purchase a miniature Cockapoo - the designer dog crossbred from the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle - have ended up with a huge canine lumbering around the house. Miniature cockapoos are specifically bred with toy poodles so that, in theory, they are small in size. Adult dogs are meant to be 10-12 inches tall and weigh 10-12lbs, but instead of having a small, teddy-bear lookalike, a string of owners have been left with huge dogs weighing several stone. When UK-born Kitty Morse, who now lives in the Netherlands, purchased a black cockapoo from a breeder in Cheshire, she expected a medium-sized fluffy dog. The pooch was advertised as a 'Gorgeous F1 all black Cockapoo puppy', alongside two snaps of the adorable pooch. However, the dog, though he's no less adorable, quickly transformed into a canine triple the size with wavy hair. Similarly, TikTok user Ria, 21, who goes by @jazzmariax, wanted a 'small' dog and so she settled on purchasing a cockapoo. Fast forward seven months later, and the pooch was quadruple its size compared to the time of purchase. 'They said he was going to stay small,' the content creator added in the post's caption. Elsewhere, owners Liam Griffin and Tiffany Kingdon, from Coventry, purchased 'miniature cockapoo' Winnie for £2,000, and expected her to weigh no more than a stone. At the time of purchase, Winnie was 11 weeks old and weighed 4.6kg, but soon enough, she defied the couple's expectations and grew to a whopping 32kg by her first birthday. Liam told The Sun, 'We love her to bits but it's a good job we've got a house with a garden. I don't know why the breeder passed her off as a miniature dog. It was very irresponsible.' The breeder's blunder didn't appear to be so innocent either. Liam added, 'The guy asked us to send him some pictures but when we tried, they just bounced back. It seems he used a burner phone for the sale of the litter of pups and then moved on.' After speculating over Winnie's breed, Liam and Tiffany settled on a DNA test, which revealed her to not be a miniature cockapoo at all, but a Poodle and a Irish Setter Cross. When the UK was plunged into the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, many Britons sought a furry friend for companionship during the lonesome period. Cockapoos proved to be a popular choice, with the average price rising by 168 per cent - reaching £1,336 in 2022, according to The Mirror. Breeders scrambled to meet demand. But other unscrupulous individuals attempted to cash in on the craze by branding dogs of various breeds as a Cockapoo to flog them for thousands of pounds. As a result, there's a generation of dogs around the UK with an appearance that is world's away from their owner's original expectations. While many stood by their canines despite their physical differences, a number of owners abandoned their pets. Laura Hedges, of the London-based charity All Dogs Matter, said animal shelters were overwhelmed by the sheer number of abandoned pets in 2022. At the time, she said, 'We have seen a big rise in the number of mother dogs being abandoned after producing multiple litters for unscrupulous breeders. Often still lactating and in need of vet care, whilst their puppies are sold on for profit. 'The pandemic – and the huge rise in dog ownership across this period - has had a devastating impact on the number of dogs now being abandoned or surrendered and dog rescue centres across the country are in crisis as a result.'
