Limousin stud: starting well and getting better

At 23, Limousin breeder Rehan van Niekerk has already made a name for himself. This young Bothaville farmer established the Eran Limousin herd while still at school and has since built it into an award-winning stud.

Limousin stud: starting well and getting better
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“My Limousins are my pride and joy,” says Bothaville stud owner, Rehan van Niekerk. “I reckon there are very few, if any, cattle breeds that can hold a candle to these animals.”

History
The Limousin herd book was established in France in 1886, but the breed and its immediate ancestors date back many hundreds of years. Originally used for draught purposes, it was developed into a highly efficient beef breed, with a well-muscled carcass without excessive fat. Rehan bought his first three Limousins in 2009 when he was only 16.

“A family friend, Corrie Meyer, introduced me to the Limousin and I immediately knew this was the breed for me,” he recalls. “I bought three cows from our neighbour Andries Els’s Floris stud. I couldn’t afford a bull at that stage, so Andries kindly lent me one of his bulls. That’s how Eran Limousins started. I now have 35 cows, 15 heifers and 20 bulls.”

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After matriculating in 2010, Rehan started farming on Inhoek with his parents, Johan and Antoinette. Johan runs an agriculture implement manufacturing and repair business and Rehan is in charge of the farming business, including a feedlot of about 150 sheep. He runs the cattle component as a separate enterprise.

“My father allocated a piece of land to me to plant maize when I was 16. He wanted to see if I had what it takes to become a farmer. I must have done something right because by the age of 18 I was responsible for all our maize!” he recalls.

Production conditions
The Eran Limousins’ herd runs on 50ha sweetveld, mainly on sandy loam soil. Red grass (Themeda triandra) is the dominant grass species. A 115ha portion is planted to Smuts finger (Digitaria eriantha), and Speedfeed, an annual pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) cultivar from Capstone Seeds. The average annual rainfall on the farm is between 400mm and 500mm.
Rehan maintains a stocking rate of 5ha/MLU on the veld. On Smuts finger grass pasture it is 0,14ha/MLU, and on Speedfeed it is 0,10 ha/ MLU.

“A quick-rotation grazing programme linked to pasture condition makes this high stocking rate on pasture possible. The pasture is divided into five 23 ha camps, and I keep a keen eye on them to prevent overgrazing,” he explains.

Cattle are run on the veld and pasture according to relative forage quality and availability. In summer, cows with calves on pasture benefit from the increased protein in the green feed, giving the veld time to recover and provide grazing during winter.
Show animals are placed on a specially designed feeding programme three months before the show to get them into condition. The ration includes Molatek’s Beesvet 33 protein concentrate, molasses meal, maize and lucerne.

Weaners are fed Molatek’s Meester 20 crude protein as well as maize and lucerne for up to five months, and are then moved to the veld with Molatek Meester 20 supplement. A summer and winter lick programme further ensures top condition. The summer lick consists of Foslek and Background 18, while the winter lick programme includes Protein lick 40, Dryveld 46 and a condition lick, all from Molatek. The bulls get Meester 20 Bypass to supplement possible amino acid deficiencies, as well as maize meal and a salt lick.


Rehan and his fiancée, Elmé Leibbrandt, are equally passionate about Limousin cattle.

Why the Limousin?
The Limousin’s low birth weight (32kg to 36 kg) and rapid growth impressed Rehan. After researching the breed, he became convinced of its profit potential, especially considering its slaughtering percentage of between 62% and 65%. This figure is due largely to the breed’s unique F94L gene, the so-called ‘profit gene’. It can increase beef yield by 20% without additional feed, while simultaneously increasing tenderness. Show animals gain between 2,5kg and 3kg a day on a daily feed intake of 3% live weight.

The Eran herd’s average intercalving period is 395 days, far below the breed average of 600 days. The average weaner weight is between 280kg and 300kg at 200 days. Rehan favours medium- framed animals with good muscling, rapid growth, a calm temperament and adaptability. The bulls’ colouring varies from light straw to dark red. The breed’s ideal sire is strong and masculine, with well-defined muscling in the back, hindquarters, shoulder, forearm, withers and neck. A well-developed, uniform scrotum and a short sheath are important.

The ideal dam is feminine and wedge- shaped. The udder must be well-balanced, clearly visible and properly attached, with pigmented teats. “The Limousin is known as the carcass breed. I look for a relatively fine bone structure that ensures a high slaughtering percentage,” explains Rehan. “The motto of the SA Limousin breeders is ‘We Breed Meat. It’s for a reason’.”
Like all stud breeders, Rehan aims to provide top-performing genetic material to the commercial sector. But he also emphasises affordability.

“I aim to provide value-for-money genetics that will produce more beef to contribute to the long-term profitability and sustainability of a commercial beef enterprise. The commercial cattleman is my main client and I sell most cattle out of hand.”

Breeding
Rehan follows a single sire breeding season – 25 females per bull – that runs from November to January. The cows and heifers are tested for pregnancy seven weeks later. Should any not be in calf, it is put back with the bull for a month. A cow failing to conceive for the second time is culled. Testing and pregnancy certification is performed by a local vet, who also selects for calving ease.

Approximately 10% of females are selected for AI annually to introduce specific genetics for smaller calves and increase growth in the herd. “However, stud sires Ghandi LR 07 4 and Lexus LR 10 75 produce such exceptional calves that I don’t have to use AI on a large scale,” says Rehan.

The Eran herd health programme includes annual inoculations against gall sickness, anthrax and black quarter, as well as tests for brucellosis and TB every second year. The Limousin’s smooth coat makes it reasonably tick-resistant, so he dips the animals only when necessary.

The value of shows
Eran Limousins is making its mark in the show ring. The cow KC 00 14, bought from Kobus Steenkamp of the Kentron Limousin Stud (since deregistered), was voted the Super Cow at the 2013 Bloemfontein Show. Ghandi (LR 07 4), bought from the La Rhone Limousin Stud, was the Supreme Champion and Breed Champion Bull at the 2013 and 2014 Bloemfontein Shows, as well as the Reserve Interbreed Champion at the 2014 Lichtenburg Show.

The bull calf DL 12 155, bought from John Devonport of the Devlan Limousin Stud, was the Calf Champion at the 2014 Bloemfontein Show. Rehan participates in shows to market his cattle and compare them with those of other Limousin breeders, and because he enjoys it.

“I know it’s one thing to win with an animal I’ve bought and another to win with one I’ve bred. But I enter animals that I’ve bought to introduce myself to the SA stud breeding fraternity and to show what genetics I have introduced into my herd. I’ll soon start showing my own bred cattle.”

Quality before quantity
Rehan does not plan to extend his stud beyond 70 animals due to limited available land, but his long-term goal is to establish Eran Limousins as one of the best Limousin studs in South Africa within 10 years. “It’s my mission to breed top genetics for both the stud and commercial sectors. I believe the Limousin is the best breed for commercial beef production and crossbreeding, and can play an important role in increasing the productivity of the beef sector in South Africa.”

Email Rehan van Niekerk at [email protected].