The use of mules in the harvesting of pine stands in the Southern Cape

SYNOPSIS During 1988/89 studies were done on the use of single mules and two-mule teams to slip tree lengths in pine thinning and clearfell operations in the Knysna and George area of the Southern Cape, with estimates given of the productivity and cost which can be expected. Actual production rates achieved by two-mule teams in the same area during 1999 are compared to the 1988/89 estimates and the production rates suggested by Zaremba (1976). The conclusion is that mules can still be a proposition for slipping timber by contractors, but contractors should be assisted with regard to the planning of the operation to obtain the optimum productivity.