He won in the commercial category in 1992, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2008. His 2009 accolade was awarded to Cow 4461 98 0836, a Simmentaler x Sussex.
“She wasn’t a very big cow – she just produced an exceptional calf every year,” he recalls. She was recently culled at the age of 11, having produced nine calves. “Her sire was an outstanding Simmentaler bull, Geoff Taylor’s Garrisford Falcon. I have had a handful of elite cows from that bull.”
Hylton’s Diepekloof Farm is 283ha of hilly land, with 174ha cane and 40ha kikuyu. The balance is indigenous bush. His late father Archie started the beef enterprise in 1972 by buying 10 open heifers from Paul Crausex in Richmond and putting in a Simmentaler bull from Geoff.
Over the years the herd grew, but Hylton cut it back in 1999 to concentrate on sugarcane. Since then, beef has remained a sideline, bringing in 4% of farm income.

Breeding by the basics
Hylton’s commercial herd now numbers 62 cows, with 14 replacement heifers and three bulls – one Simmentaler and two Sussex bulls.  “We chose Simmentaler bulls because we believe they have a good frame size and muscling,” Hylton says.
He breeds for medium-framed cows. “When conditions are tough, bigger framed cows struggle to maintain condition,” he points out. The average calving weight for the herd over the last three seasons has been 33kg for heifers and 36kg for bull calves. The average weaning weight for the last three seasons is a hefty 220kg for heifers and 232kg for bull calves. Hylton’s mature cows weigh about 550kg.
Hylton runs three breeding herds with one bull to a group of 25 females. He performs AI in the early part of season and recycles with a field bull to catch any non-takers. “Cows cycle every 21 days, so I work out from there whether it was a natural or AI sire,” he explains.
His herd’s three-month breeding season starts on 23 October and calving on 1 August. “Heifers and cows that don’t take to AI get an opportunity to be covered by my bulls. Any cows that don’t conceive are culled. I make very few exceptions, so I would rather give them a good opportunity to conceive,” he says. 
Heifers are first mated at 12 to 14 months and replacement heifers are calved at 24 months. The herd average intercalving period for the last three seasons was 365 days. Cows calve near the main farmhouse where Hylton can keep a close eye on them. They are weighed before being sent off to the paddocks.

Care and feeding
In winter, newly calved cows are fed Japanese radish, cane tops and 500g of Econolek a day, to supplement the kikuyu. In summer, they graze on kikuyu and are fed 200g phosphate block a day.
While small variations in calving percentages occur every year, Hylton’s herd averages in the lower 90%. He maintains this figure by a strong emphasis on regular inoculations. Calves are dosed five times for worms in their first year, while cows are dosed according to Hylton’s experienced eye.
The main cattle diseases in area are red water and tick-borne diseases, which Hylton keeps under control with regular inoculations, dosing, and vitamins A, D and E. The animals are also dipped every three weeks in winter and every two weeks in summer. Hylton visits his cattle every day to check up on them. It’s a routine he advises new beef farmers should follow. “Check cattle at least once daily and stick to the basics.”

The selling game
Out of 60 animals born last year, Hylton has kept 12 heifers, fattened 12 as oxen to sell at a show, and sold the balance as weaners. He sells his oxen at monthly auctions at the Beaumont Eston Farmers Club, run by AAM Auctioneers brother and sister team Rolf Aadnesgaard and Karen Melouney.
Sales at the Eston club have spiralled dramatically since 2006, when five sales were held with 615 head. In 2007, nine sales with 1 184 head generated R3,8 million turnover, and in 2008, 2 667 head generated R9,6 million.
“Many cattle producers in the area have stopped producing livestock due to stock theft and the high cost of vaccinations, so the sales have been very good for us,” says Hylton. “AAM has also brought in black buyers, which has really helped. They don’t necessarily buy quantity, but are prepared to pay well for cows that exhibit the markings and horns their culture requires.”
Even though beef doesn’t bring in a big income for Hylton, he takes great pleasure in what he does. “I love cattle farming and get great satisfaction out of caring for them,” he concludes.
Contact Hylton Hackland on 031 781 1928.     |fw