The School is presented by Breedplan under the banner of the Livestock Registering Authority (LRF). Mr Lee Leachman was one of the overseas speakers at the 2011 Stockman School. He is the owner of the huge Leachman Cattle Company in Colorado, America, and is considered one of the world’s best and biggest stud breeders. His studs sell about 1 600 bulls annually.
He recently delegates in the USA that the South African Stockman School has one of the best programmes he has ever come across anywhere in the world. “It has a unique balance of practical demonstrations and expert lectures. When I attended it in 2011, the lectures were all very practically orientated and conveyed a message to the individual cattle breeder that was easy to grasp and which he could take home to apply on his farm,” he says.
Leachman further mentions that the interaction with other lecturers and farmers is also an extremely worth-while experience. He currently applies a grazing strategy on his farms that he learned at that school and refers to lectures delivered there when he addresses audiences across the world.
Dr Michael Bradfield, head of Breedplan South Africa and convenor of the organizing committee of the Aldam Stockman School, says that the school was started for the very purpose of filling the gap in the knowledge of especially emerging and commercial farmers on management principles and methods, which will enable them to make more money. New keynote speakers are added each year to discuss diverse topics. In the process the whole value chain of the beef industry is covered.
Speakers that will add an international flavour to the occasion this year is Mr Toby Jordan and Dr Roger Hunsley from the USA and Prof. Michael Goddard from Australia. Of the foremost beef cattle experts from South Africa will also share their knowledge with farmers. Among them are Prof. Johan Willemse (agricultural economist, Free State University, Prof. Frikkie Neser (animal breeding,Free state University), Dr Dietmar Holm (veterinary science, University of Pretoria) and Martin Seyfferdt (head of interbreed judges). Another well-known speaker is Mr Brand Pretorius, retired chief executive officer of McCarthy.
Attendance fees are R6 000, which include lodging, all meals and the Thursday evening dinner.
Those interested can apply on the internet at www.stockmanschool.co.za, or contact Me. Charmaine Alberts at tel. 051 821 1783 l. Closing date 30 September or as soon as the School is fully booked.
Sponsors involved with the school are Pick ? Pay, LRF, Molatek, Zoetis, Land Bank, Unistel, Rudd Products, Taltec, BKB and Sparta. Parties affiliated to the Stockman School are the RPO, University of the Free State, Nerpo, SA Grainfed Beef/Feedlot Association and Aldam Estate.
