VEA sets new standard in Boer goat breeding
VEA Stud Breeders made headlines in the past two years for paying the highest prices at various auctions for top Boer goats. William Smit, general manager of VEA Agri and...
World-class mohair producer adds value with clean clip practices
Michau Nortjé, an Angora farmer who was this year named among the top two in the world, says successes came following small shifts in how he was managing the quality...
Dormers: when quality meat really does count
The Kinko Dormers stud near Swellendam in the Western Cape is proving that precision breeding, backed by performance data, can deliver measurable financial advantages. Johan Swart, the owner of the...
A Boer goat stud on the rise
Joubert Horn, owner of the Joubert Horn Boer Goat Stud, has high hopes for the future of the breed in South Africa and abroad.
Van Rooy: a highly economical sheep farming option
The Van Rooy sheep breed, developed by South Africans for South African producers, is a treasure trove of genetics and has proven itself time and time again as a decidedly...
The Dorper: a home-grown meat sheep
The Dorper breed is valued for its adaptability, fertility, and meat quality. Eastern Cape farmer Shane Scorgie spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about why this South African success story is...
Why our locally bred goats are gaining global popularity
There are over 650 registered members with the South African Boer Goat Breeders’ Association focusing on three distinct breeds: the Boer goat, the Savanna and the Kalahari Red. Association secretary...
Hampshire Down: mutton sheep fast gaining in popularity
Hennie Jonker, an award-winning Hampshire Down stud breeder from Kroonstad, describes this sheep breed as a topmost mutton producer that provides sterling terminal sires for commercial and crossbred flocks. Annelie...
Genetics and breeding pave the way for Bessiesfontein’s success
Dohne Merino sheep are renowned for their dual-purpose capabilities, excelling in both wool and meat production. In addition, the breed is known for its adaptability to a variety of climates...
Dormer sheep: proven performer in SA’s meat market
Dormer sheep continue to dominate commercial meat systems with their fast growth, high weaning weights and impressive carcass yields. Agricultural economics lecturer and Dormer breeder Dr Mariëtte Geyser spoke to...
Cape Lob Ears flourish under exacting conditions in the Northern Cape’s Sneeuberg
Ronel Retief, a Cape Lob Ear indigenous veld goat stud breeder, runs her top-performing Klawervlei flock high in the Sneeuberg mountains near Richmond. The flock flourishes under extreme conditions, with...
Maize Valley Savanna Goat Stud rises to record-breaking success
The award-winning, top-performing Maize Valley Savanna Goat Stud, run by Andrew Roberts and Ju-mari Pretorius, came about by accident due to broken communications and poor Internet connectivity, writes Annelie Coleman.
Boer goat farming: a simple recipe for prosperity
Nestled in the heart of the Vredefort Dome, surrounded by the Dome Bergland mountain range, you will find Marius Smit and Heinrich Hamman, co-owners of the Aegagrus Boer Goat Stud.
Enviable Dormer traits: exceptional growth rates and early maturity
The Dormer is one of South Africa’s most prolific sheep breeds and exhibits many highly profitable traits. Over the years, selective breeding of the Dormer has led to the development...
Dormer breeders’ society is dedicated to improving the breed
Despite the Dormer’s rapid growth rates and excellent carcass quality, the Dormer Sheep Breeders’ Society of South Africa is actively working to further improve the breed.
Why sheep farmers should consider the Dormer for crossbreeding
The Dormer’s ability to pass on its economic traits to its offspring makes it the ideal breed for crossbreeding programmes. The Dormer has many exceptional traits, say Liezel Grobler, secretary...
Development of the Dormer, a purely South African breed
The Dormer is a truly South African sheep, purpose bred to perform locally and compete internationally. Sabrina Dean spoke to Liezel Grobler, secretary of the Dormer Breeders’ Society of South...
Mohair wins: practical tips from an Eastern Cape emerging farmer
Dintle Maphala has been farming Angora goats for the past nine years. Her hands-on approach, from breeding and grazing to mohair handling and marketing, offers a practical roadmap that emerging...
Building on a family wool farming legacy
The roots of the Battenhausen family in the Upper Karoo are as deep and meaningful as their family tree. For six generations, they have farmed sheep near Philipstown, and their...
South African goat breeds raise the bar for global meat quality
Chantelle Smit, secretary of the SA Boer Goat Breeders’ Association, spoke to Sabrina Dean about what sets South Africa’s Boer, Savanna, and Kalahari Red goats apart from their global counterparts.
