Ducks control vineyard pests at South Africa wine farm

A South African wine farm near Stellenbosch is using Indian Runner ducks to control vineyard pests, a method its managers say is becoming more popular among nearby farms seeking alternatives to pesticides.

At Vergenoegd Low Wine Estate, the upright, flightless ducks leave their pens in the morning to forage for aphids, worms and snails before moving into the vineyards for the rest of the day.

Farm manager Christiaan Cloete said using ducks instead of pesticides was better for the vineyard ecology because chemicals can also kill beneficial insects. He said the farm introduced the practice about 40 years ago and that between five and 10 surrounding farms now buy ducks from the estate.

Cloete said the property has around 890 ducks, with about 400 hatchlings expected during the breeding season from mid-July to the end of October. Half are expected to be sold and the rest kept to replace older ducks.

Ecology ranger Milan Germishuizen said Indian Runner ducks were originally bred in Indonesia to control pests in rice paddies and that their long necks help them reach pests on raised vines. The ducks are kept away when grapes are on the vines to stop them eating the fruit.