Speaking at the Bonsmara SA Red Event in Bothaville, he said Botswana, in particular, affords an ideal opportunity for the expansion of the breed.
“The Bonsmara is suited to the extensive production conditions and taxing climate of Botswana. We should prioritise the expansion of the breed to the rest of Africa,” said De Villiers.
He said hair quality, tick resistance and polledness in the Bonsmara will have to be addressed in future. All animals that do not have smooth shiny coats now after the good rains and exceptional veld condition ought to be culled.
“We’ll have to actively start measuring for tick resistance to correct the problem genetically. The demand for polled animals is increasing globally and we must position ourselves accordingly.”