20/04/2026
South Africa is in the middle of one of its most unpredictable autumn seasons in years. 🌦️
Warm afternoons. Cold nights. Erratic rainfall across provinces. And a possible El Niño shift approaching later this year.
For most people that is just jacket weather. For poultry farmers across the country it is a biosecurity alert.
Temperature swings are one of the leading causes of stress in broiler flocks. Stressed birds eat less. Grow slower. Get sick faster. And in a sector already navigating active bird flu risks — that is a conversation every poultry farmer needs to be having right now.
3 things every poultry farmer should do this week:
🐔 Check your ventilation systems — cold nights followed by warm days create dangerous respiratory conditions for your flock
🐔 Monitor your birds daily for early signs of stress — early detection saves your flock and your margins
🐔 Follow SAWS weekly forecasts and DALRRD advisories — adapt early, don't wait for losses to react
Climate is changing. The farmers who adapt early are the ones who thrive. 🌱🇿🇦
Source: SAWS Seasonal Climate Watch · April 2026