Animals

Running 250 cattle on 90ha of land, producing farm-to-fork grass-fed beef without any feed supplementation, is a remarkable feat, especially when the land is rented and requires building soil health from scratch. Lindi Botha visited Balgowan Beef Company in KwaZulu-Natal to learn how it’s done.

By day, Sibonele Gumede navigates the precise world of radiography; by dawn and dusk, he is a dedicated cattleman tending to his emerging stud in Haakdoornboom. What began as a desperate search for a replacement bull transformed into a deep-seated passion for the Limousin breed, renowned globally for its exceptional muscling and feed efficiency.

At Narrow Creek Stud, success in the Thoroughbred industry is driven by specialisation and disciplined management. Owner John Everett rejects traditional diversification, focusing entirely on a high-turnover commercial model that brings elite athletes to market by age two.

The Great Karoo of the 19th century saw the trekking of massive herds of springbok across the region’s arid plains in what was then one of the natural world’s great mammalian migrations. Mike Burgess writes about how these trekbokke defined a region and its people and why they had disappeared by 1900.

In south-western Buenos Aires, the Lafontaine family produces Angus cattle with low birth weights but which show extraordinary growth and reach exceptional weaning weights.

The medium-framed South African Beefmaster represents an unmatched combination of Bos indicus and B. taurus genetics. It is a highly competitive breed that offers South African farmers the best option for profitable beef production, Gerrie Janse van Rensburg, co-owner of the Nooitverwag Beefmaster Stud near Ermelo, told Annelie Coleman. He runs the stud with his father Kerneels.

While large parts of South Africa have battled droughts, heatwaves and unpredictable weather patterns over the past few years, the Beefmaster breed continues to prove why it is regarded as one of the most adaptable and hardy beef cattle breeds.

As elephant numbers rise across the Greater Kruger National Park, conservationists face a complex challenge: balancing the ecological benefits of elephants with their impact on woody vegetation, biodiversity and carbon storage.

Cold, wet and windy conditions can quickly become life-threatening for goats, particularly newly-shorn Angoras. Proper planning, good nutrition and access to shelter are essential to minimise losses during adverse weather.

The decision on choosing the Beefmaster beef cattle breed was based on simple mathematics, according to Wynand Potgieter, who runs the NGB Beefmaster Stud near Thabazimbi in Limpopo with his sons Phillip and Willie. He told Annelie Coleman the breed was the obvious choice for optimum production per hectare and, obviously, optimum income.

At the 2026 ADMA Agri Show in Harare, Zimbabwe, held from 4 to 6 June, Farmer’s Weekly spoke to participants about how indigenous cattle breeds are attracting renewed interest among livestock farmers due to their fertility, resilience, and lower production costs.

At Ingwavuma Game Reserve in southern Eswatini, Liz and Ted Reilly run a Boran stud focused on producing functionally efficient cattle adapted to extensive bushveld conditions. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Liz Reilly explained why she believes the indigenous African breed offers a practical and cost-effective option for beef production, particularly in challenging environments.

For more than three decades, Bos Blanco near Kroonstad has built its reputation on a simple principle: profitable cattle start with fertility and functionality. Through disciplined selection, a relentless focus on economically important traits, and a commitment to adaptability, the Staal family has developed one of South Africa’s most influential Beefmaster breeding operations.

The Beefmaster has built a reputation in South Africa's beef industry as a fertile, hardy and adaptable breed that weans a heavy calf under commercial conditions. Theo Coetzee of Majesto Beefmasters has become known for investing in elite Beefmaster genetics at the top end of the market. He outlines the selection philosophy and breeding decisions behind the stud.

The fertile, hardy and even-tempered Boran beef cattle breed truly is a gift to the commercial red meat producers of South Africa, according to Johna Boshoff, owner of the Bosiu Borane stud in Fouriesburg in the eastern Free State. He told Annelie Coleman how the breed’s inherent qualities makes it a supreme choice in crossbreeding concerns.

A young breeder is building on a strong foundation while shaping the future of one of South Africa’s growing Boran studs.

When MJ Ernst climbs into his bakkie on a Sunday morning to check his cattle at Bona Bona, a family-owned game lodge and livestock enterprise near Wolmaransstad, he admits there’s one herd that gets more of his attention than the others.

For Edwin Hewitt and his family at Hope Private Game Reserve in Limpopo, Ankole cattle are more than a striking African breed with enormous horns. They represent a long-term investment in genetics, resilience, and African livestock heritage, with the potential to contribute meaningfully to future commercial beef systems.

At just 29, Hennie Goosen represents a new generation of agricultural professionals who combine deep-rooted farming heritage with formal scientific training and practical market experience.

Dail van Rensburg farms in the Delareyville district of North West. His mixed-farming enterprise includes grain production and beef cattle. He has been farming Ankole for 25 years and has built up a large herd.