Academy

RLTS instructors have been training trainees from the undermentioned list over the last number of decades:

1. Qualified and Registered Veterinarians from South Africa.
2. Qualified and Registered Veterinarians from numerous African countries.
3. Veterinary students from Onderstepoort (Pretoria University).
4. Veterinary Council representatives have in the past been trained by RLTS instructors.
5. Employees from Onderstepoort and Pretoria University,
6. Semen Collectors from both the major registered Bull Stations in South Africa.
7. Most of our competitors performing training services, consulting services and technical field services.
8. Active field staff and semen salesman from many of the independent companies operating in Southern Africa,
9. Unisa Animal Reproduction students have been trained by us as a pre-requisite for their diplomas.
10. TARDI Animal Reproduction students are being trained by us as a pre-requisite for their diplomas.
11. University of Tshwane and Glen College as well as other agriculture tertiary institutes have sent their students and lecturers for training with us.
12. Various Government department send their employees for training, such as the department of Agriculture and Correctional Services.
13. The Registrar’s Office of Animal Improvement in South Africa and Namibia has referred and nominated our instructors to provide training within the Southern African region over a number of decades.
14. Non-Governmental Organizations have selected us to provide training for development projects in South Africa such as REIN Africa and SPEAR.
15. Corporately funded projects within Southern Africa regularly make use of our training and consulting services.
16. Farmers and their staff, from within South Africa and across the world
17. Farmers well recognized as leading stud farmers, achieving the highest returns have been trained and used consulting services by RLTS instructors.
18. Businessmen and women who want to start up in Agriculture

Farming is a complex, high risk venture that requires large amounts of capital and comprises of a multitude of practical and management skills. There is no better way to learn than to work on successful operational farming enterprises while been monitored by skilled instructors.

Attending the Training Academy will empower the trainee to:

• start and successfully run a farming enterprise,
• apply the latest advances in farming methodology improving reproduction and production,
• increase and improve skill repertoire,
• evaluate existing farming practices, identify problem areas and introduce corrective measures,
• fast track, gaining knowledge and “know-how” that would otherwise take years to develop through trial and error,
• obtain certification that offers a greater scope for employment, therefore developing skills to generate greater income,
• obtain skills and certification that enables trainees to run their own business as a field technician,
• improve their chances for employment overseas or outside South Africa,
• obtain varied skills, as livestock farming requires an array of skills which include financial planning, operational planning, prioritizing, procurement, market research, budgeting, cash flow, short and long-term projections, technical know-how and many more aspects

After completion of the required modules, trainees will have gained valuable experience in practical farming, operating a farming business, working and managing an ongoing concern as well as all the theoretical knowledge and practical know-how.

Once trainees have completed the full set of modules at our Training Academy, RLTS will assist, where possible, by placing students at farmers and or various institutes offering a source of employment.

We have a sound working relationship with many well recognized farmers and other entities offering services within the Agricultural sector.

Trainees will have option to select any number of modules to attend. The modules run in succession and a discount is offered for multiple selections.

We have increased the length of the Cattle Module from 41 days to 48 days, to allow for more practical training to take place to ensure trainees achieve an acceptable competency level.

Sub-modules content detail per category are listed in more details as per the attachment containing the module details.

The 6 Modules containing the sub-modules detail is listed below, the content of the sub-modules is contained in the support documents to this introduction, namely RLTS Livestock Academy Modules:

1. Cattle Training Module – 48 days, covering 17 sub-modules.

• C1 – Artificial Insemination.
• C2 – Pregnancy Awareness.
• C3 – Calf Rearing.
• C4 – Stockman’s & Animal Husbandry.
• C5 – Nutrition.
• C6 – Registered Artificial Insemination.
• C7 – Semen Collection.
• C8 – Registered Semen Collection.
• C9 – Embryo Transfer.
• C10 – Milking Routine
• C11 – Milk Production Systems.
• C12 – Functional Selection Dairy Cattle.
• C13 – Record Keeping & Dairy Management.
• C14 – Dairy Maintenance.
• C15 – Beef Farming Management & Production.
• C16 – Functional Selection Beef Cattle.
• C17 – Abattoir.

2. Sheep & Goats Training Module – 13 days, covering 9 modules.

• S1 – Artificial Insemination.
• S2 – Pregnancy Awareness.
• S3 – Rearing Lambs.
• S4 – Stockman’s & Animal Husbandry.
• S5 – Nutrition.
• S6 – Registered Artificial Insemination.
• S7 – Sheep & Goat Farming Management & Production.
• S8 – Functional Selection Sheep & Goats.
• S9 – Abattoir.

3. Pasture, Grazing, Agronomy & Feed Production – 13 days, covering 9 sub-modules.

• Daily Lectures and Practical
• A1 – Precision Farming.
  • Geographic Information Systems / Farm Mapping / Geo-Reference Imagery / Computer Applications / Basic Spread Sheet Management.
• A2 – Soil Management.
  • Soil Composition / Soil Classification / Soil Horizons / Soil Fertility / Soil Erosion and Compaction / Soil Sampling / Sample Interpretation
• A3 – Plant Biology.
  • Plant Morphology / Plant Anatomy / Plant Biology / Plant Taxonomy / Plant Classification / Plant Identification / Sampling and Analysis
• A4 – Plant Nutrients.
  • Macronutrients / Micronutrients / Plant Nutrients / Micro Organisms / Organic Farming
• A5 – Water Management.
  • Meteorology / Water Resources / Irrigation / Scheduling / Dams & Reservoirs.
• A6 – Crop Management.
  • Weed Management / Insect Control / Disease Management / Microbes / Herbicides / Insecticides / Bio-stimulants
• A7 – Applied Agronomy.
  • Conventional Tilling / No-till Farming / Seedbed Preparation / Planting & Sowing / Seed Treatments / Fertilizer Application / Implements Practical and Maintenance
• A8 – Feeding Basics.
  • Feed Requirements / Calculating Dry Matter / Energy, Protein and Fiber / Feed intake calculator / Feed Sampling / Concentrates / Silage Management
• A9 – Pasture Management.
  • Pasture Growth Cycles / Predicting Yield / Stocking Rates & Utilization / Budget / Spreadsheet Management / Plate Meter Basics / Pasture Measurements

4. Pigs Training Modules – 13 days, covering 10 modules.

• P1 – Artificial Insemination.
• P2 – Pregnancy Awareness.
• P3 – Rearing Piglets.
• P4 – Stockman’s & Animal Husbandry.
• P5 – Nutrition.
• P6 – Registered Artificial Insemination – Theory.
• P7 – Semen Collection – Theory.
• P9 – Pig Farming Management & Production.
• P10 – Functional Selection Pigs.

5. Poultry Training Modules – 6 days, covering 6 modules.

• PO1 – Poultry Breeding.
• PO2 – Incubation & Hatchlings.
• PO3 – Stockman’s & Animal Husbandry.
• PO4 – Nutrition.
• PO5 – Functional Selection Poultry.
• PO6 – Poultry Farming Management, Insemination & Production.

6. Hydroponics Training Modules – 6 days, covering 6 main modules containing multiple sub-modules.

• H01 – Advantages and Disadvantages.
• H02 – Fundamentals of Hydroponics.
• H03 – Plant Biology and nutritional requirements.
• H04 – Chemicals and growing mediums.
• H05 – Equipment Requirements – Sourcing and Manufacturing.
• H06 – End Product Preparation, Marketing & Distribution, Management and Production.

1. Transport to and from George main airport and bus terminal to the main training facility for training in George.
2. Full tuition covering each of modules that the trainee is attending,
3. All consumable materials used during training,
4. Trainees will very often make their own equipment which they will take with them after completion, especially where Sheep & Goat Insemination is concerned.
5. Practical training for each of the modules the trainee is attending,
6. Trainees attending the Academy will receive 3 years support whereby they can attend additional practical sessions to enhance their skill level. Arrangements can be made well after completion of the training to re-attend scheduled practical sessions wherever we are doing practical across South Africa. We would like the trainees to become competent at applying their skills in the field.
7. Comprehensive notes covering each of the sub-modules that the trainee is attending,
8. Working experience on Dairy farms, Beef farms, Pig farms, Sheep and Poultry farm, Abattoir’s and Feedlots, and game farms depending on which modules the trainee will be attending,
9. Management skills,
10. Basic financial understanding to run various farming enterprises,
11. Depending on the option selected, full accommodation is provided for all options 2 and 3 selections. Sharing is not the normal procedure however depending on allocation it may happen. Sharing will be only allocated to same sex and age group demographics. Group bookings are only offered on room sharing basis,
12. Self-Catering option does not offer meals, however trainees will have the opportunity to travel to town to purchase food supplies,
13. Laundry is done once a week,
14. Daily refreshments,
15. Networking with suppliers and buyers,
16. Based on competency, certified certification on registered training with cattle,
17. Based on competency, registration with the registrar in accordance with the Animal Improvement Act for certain modules,
18. Assistance with placement for employment,
19. Wi-Fi at accommodation is subject to availability with service provider at the time.
20. Examinations, ongoing assessments and spot tests are part of our Academy training.

 

Who can attend?

Any person may attend provided he or she can understand either English or Afrikaans.

Booking

• Bookings will be limited and operate on a first come first serve basis. Trainees can submit online bookings by completion of an application form to attend the training or alternatively contact RLTS to receive an application form via email.
• Advance payment will secure your booking, however we are prepared to make payments plans available on request under certain regulatory terms and conditions.
• We must receive a fully completed application form, even if payment has been made.
• We provide 3 cycles of training per calendar year and during each cycle 6 modules (cattle, sheep / goats, pig, poultry, agronomy & wildlife modules) are completed commencing as follows:

• 1^st Academy Cycle – January.
• 2^nd Academy Cycle – May.
• 3^rd Academy Cycle – August.

Payment from outside South Africa

Please kindly note payments received from outside South Africa will incur additional bank charges, these charges will be communicated and confirmed once an application has been received. The additional charges may vary from 2% to 6% of course fee charged, depending if, the applicant has selected that the beneficiary is to pay for bank charges.

Discount for multiple module attendance

Please kindly note on the attached document RLTS Academy – Academy Costing & Dates indicating the discount rate for multiple module attendance. The trainee can therefore choose which module he or she would like to attend with attendance of the second module onwards offering a discounted charging rate. The greatest discount is offered to trainees who wish to attend all 6 modules.

 

Based on competency.

1. Artificial Insemination Certificate – Cattle / Pigs / Sheep – issued by registered instructors conforming to the Livestock Improvement Act 1998.
2. Advanced Training Courses – Cattle / Sheep & Goats – Practical evaluations done by registered Veterinarian in accordance with Animal Improvement Act 1998.
3. Calf Rearing / Stockman’s (Animal Husbandry) / Nutrition – Certificate issued by RLTS.
4. Semen Collector Cattle – issued by registered instructors conforming to the Animal Improvement Act 1998.
5. All other training modules will include competency certificates.

Option 1

• The cheapest Option to choose from.
• This option does not include any meals, accommodation, laundry and or transport from to and from lectures or from lectures to and from practical sessions.
• This option is for trainees that would like to make their own arrangements for meals, accommodation, laundry and transport to and from lectures facilities to practical sessions.
• This option has suited many trainees that attend the Academy with their own car or transport means.
• This option is suited for trainees that are staying with family or friends in the region. Some students also enjoy the independence of deciding when and what to eat and where to stay.

Option 2

• This option does not include any meals, it is a self-catering option for trainees wanting to make their own meals or buy their own meals.
• Accommodation, laundry and transport to and from lectures facilities to practical sessions is included in this option.
• We recently introduced this option, as some students have requested that they only require accommodation.
• This option offers very affordable accommodation considering the price differential between Option 1 and Option 2.
• Many trainees prefer buying their own Groceries.
• The facilities where the trainees stay, has a kitchen with refrigeration and cooking facilities where meals can be prepared and food stored.
• We also offer transport to the shops for trainees that do not have their own transport to go grocery shopping twice a week.

Option 3

• This option includes 3 meals per day plus accommodation, laundry and transport from lectures to practical sessions.
• We are an entity that is geared up for providing top class training value.
• Unfortunately, we sometimes have trainees that have paid their fees and their expectations are that we are a 5 star hotel.
• We are unfortunately not geared up to provide that kinds of service comparable to top class holiday resort. Such facilities are reliant on large amount of patrons to reduce costing.
• We offer specialized “hands on” training for smaller groups and therefore the meal compliment requires a suitably adjusted price.

Service Comparison for Options 1, 2, and 3.
Rothman Livestock Training Services		Option 1	Option 2	Option 3
Academy Training Options
1	Detailed Training covering theory & practical including detailed notes and hand guide provided by RLTS	Yes	Yes	Yes
2	Training refreshments available daily during lectures	Yes	Yes	Yes
3	Collection & drop-off at the bus or airport terminal in George on arrival & departure	No	Yes	Yes
4	Trainees must arrange their own transport to arrive on the arrival day	Yes	Yes	Yes
5	Daily transport provided by RLTS from accommodation to lecture facilities if necessary.	No	Yes	Yes
6	Daily transport provided by RLTS from lectures to practical sessions	No	Yes	Yes
7	Full accommodation is provided by RLTS inclusive of charging Rate	No	Yes	Yes
8	Trainee is responsible for arranging and paying for their own Accommodation	Yes	Not Applicable	Not Applicable
9	Meals are provided by RLTS inclusive of charging rate	No	No	Yes
10	Meals – The onus rests on the Trainee to provide their own meals	Yes	Yes	No
11	Self Catering Accommodation Units are provided by RLTS inclusive of charging Rate	Not Applicable	Yes	Not Applicable
12	Laundry is done by RLTS inclusive of the charging rate on a weekly basis (Module 6 trainees must pack sufficient clothing for the 6 day duration of training).	No	Yes	Yes
13	Multiple Module attendance discounts are offered refer below	Yes	Yes	Yes
14	Weekly trips to town are provided to do shopping	No	Yes	Yes
Trainees attending all of the modules will have a 2 week break after completing Module 2 (Sheep & Goat) departing on Saturday, 1 April 2023 and returning for Module 3 (Pasture, Grazing, Agronomy & Feed Production) arriving on Sunday, 16 April 2023. We have found in the past, that the Easter break is a welcome chance to get away from Training for the trainees, to spend time with family and friends over the easter weekend period.