Cattle

The dry period plays a major role in determining a cow’s health, fertility, and productivity after calving. Detecting and addressing problems at this stage can reduce post-calving disease and involuntary culling, limit milk losses, and improve reproductive performance.

Running cattle in thornveld under severe heartwater pressure and summer temperatures that can climb into the 40s requires animals that can look after themselves. Henning Naudé spoke to Priscilla Dent about her breeding philosophy, herd management, and the rebuilding of Double Bar Brahmans.

An independent Wageningen Bioveterinary Research study confirms Biogénesis Bagó’s BIOAFTOGEN® SAT1 vaccine provides up to 100% protection against the expanding SAT1 foot-and-mouth disease strain, offering vital defence for global livestock.

The award-winning Harrobi Brahman Stud has left a noticeable impact on beef cattle production in Namibia since 1954. The stud was founded on some of the first white Brahmans to be imported from the US in that year, Annelie Coleman reports.

As the demand continues to grow across Africa and South Africa for impeccable Brahman cattle genetics, the Brahman is playing an increasing role in the Bos-Blanco Stud’s overall breeding strategy.

The Loriza Brahmans are specifically bred for fertility, growth, milk and equally importantly, a calm disposition. Louis Meyer, owner of the stud, told Annelie Coleman that it is a pleasure to work with animals with an even temperament, and it also adds markedly to effective management and, obviously, increased production.

Brazil has placed emphasis on efficient management of pastureland in order to improve livestock health. This is complemented by the adoption of improved production systems.

A new digital platform developed by software and technology company Buffalo Analytics, in partnership with vaccine importer Dunevax Biotech, aims to simplify the regulatory process for South Africa’s private-sector foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccination programme, providing government with real-time vaccination data.

In a high-risk foot-and-mouth disease climate, the Vlakte Bonsmara Study Group prioritises biosecurity and traceability. Their disciplined, multi-stage screening ensures buyers receive resilient, fertile genetics backed by rigorous veterinary compliance and certainty.

Of the various Sanga-descended breeds we now have in South Africa, the Tuli is an established, reliable breed known for its proven beef genetics, and is now found in stud and commercial cattle operations nationwide. Christo Rothmann spoke to Henning Naudé about the four key factors for running an award-winning Tuli stud under challenging conditions.

Running 250 cattle on 90ha of land, producing farm-to-fork grass-fed beef without any feed supplementation, is a remarkable feat, especially when the land is rented and requires building soil health from scratch. Lindi Botha visited Balgowan Beef Company in KwaZulu-Natal to learn how it’s done.

By day, Sibonele Gumede navigates the precise world of radiography; by dawn and dusk, he is a dedicated cattleman tending to his emerging stud in Haakdoornboom. What began as a desperate search for a replacement bull transformed into a deep-seated passion for the Limousin breed, renowned globally for its exceptional muscling and feed efficiency.

In south-western Buenos Aires, the Lafontaine family produces Angus cattle with low birth weights but which show extraordinary growth and reach exceptional weaning weights.

The medium-framed South African Beefmaster represents an unmatched combination of Bos indicus and B. taurus genetics. It is a highly competitive breed that offers South African farmers the best option for profitable beef production, Gerrie Janse van Rensburg, co-owner of the Nooitverwag Beefmaster Stud near Ermelo, told Annelie Coleman. He runs the stud with his father Kerneels.

While large parts of South Africa have battled droughts, heatwaves and unpredictable weather patterns over the past few years, the Beefmaster breed continues to prove why it is regarded as one of the most adaptable and hardy beef cattle breeds.

The decision on choosing the Beefmaster beef cattle breed was based on simple mathematics, according to Wynand Potgieter, who runs the NGB Beefmaster Stud near Thabazimbi in Limpopo with his sons Phillip and Willie. He told Annelie Coleman the breed was the obvious choice for optimum production per hectare and, obviously, optimum income.

At the 2026 ADMA Agri Show in Harare, Zimbabwe, held from 4 to 6 June, Farmer’s Weekly spoke to participants about how indigenous cattle breeds are attracting renewed interest among livestock farmers due to their fertility, resilience, and lower production costs.

At Ingwavuma Game Reserve in southern Eswatini, Liz and Ted Reilly run a Boran stud focused on producing functionally efficient cattle adapted to extensive bushveld conditions. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Liz Reilly explained why she believes the indigenous African breed offers a practical and cost-effective option for beef production, particularly in challenging environments.

For more than three decades, Bos Blanco near Kroonstad has built its reputation on a simple principle: profitable cattle start with fertility and functionality. Through disciplined selection, a relentless focus on economically important traits, and a commitment to adaptability, the Staal family has developed one of South Africa’s most influential Beefmaster breeding operations.

The Beefmaster has built a reputation in South Africa's beef industry as a fertile, hardy and adaptable breed that weans a heavy calf under commercial conditions. Theo Coetzee of Majesto Beefmasters has become known for investing in elite Beefmaster genetics at the top end of the market. He outlines the selection philosophy and breeding decisions behind the stud.