Boran: the ideal choice for the commercial farming sector
The Boran is renowned for its ability to maintain body condition despite extreme weather and difficult circumstances.
Young farmer cuts costs by focusing on Bonsmaras
Cornel van Heerden is the Eastern Cape’s 2016 TAU SA’s Young Farmer of the Year. Mike Burgess visited him recently on the farm Wildefontein in the Lady Grey district to...
Resurrecting the Nagenoeg Polled Hereford Stud
The Nagenoeg Polled Hereford Stud was established by Gerhard Botha and his father, Manie, on their family farm near Barkly East in 1975, but by the 1990s only commercial animals...
Namibia’s first Romagnola stud
The Romagnola cattle breed is a relatively new entrant to Namibia, but is set to add great value to the country’s beef production industry in the long term. Annelie Coleman...
Santa Gertrudis: top-quality beef with minimal inputs
The modern Santa Gertrudis is a compact, well-adapted animal that excels on the veld and in the feedlot, says stud breeder Desmond Robertson. Annelie Coleman reports.
Beef cattle fertility – top Nguni stud raises the bar
Mike Burgess visited Christo Nowers at the state-run Dohne Agricultural Development Institute near Stutterheim to better understand how the herd has achieved an average calving percentage of 83,8% since 2000,...
Environmental benefits of Afrikaner cow productivity
Improved cow productivity reduces greenhouse gas production, according to specialist Agricultural Research Council researcher Prof Michiel Scholtz, who gave a presentation on the topic at the 1st International Conference on...
The way forward with grass-fed beef
Cloete Afrikaners takes the increasing consumer demand for grass-fed beef seriously. Adrian Cloete spoke to Gerhard Uys about the challenges of doing so in an industry currently geared to the...
Preparing cattle for summer production
Winterfeeding, according to Free State commercial cattle farmer Johan Dannhauser, should not be seen as a separate operation. Rather, it is part of a year-round system that involves all aspects...
‘EBVs are not negotiable’ – top Sussex breeder
Using estimated breeding values has dramatically improved the stud genetics of Free State breeders Chris Nel Snr and Chris Nel Jnr of Eversar Sussex stud. Yet they continue to take...
How to supplement this winter
In preparation for winter, most farmers in summer rainfall areas are supplementing their livestock feed. However, agricultural researcher, Jan Hoon, explains that normal winterfeed supplementation is not enough for animals...
Twee Plus Brangus pushes the breed to new heights
In 2015, Flippie Kotze and his son, Walter, sold a Brangus bull for a SA record price of R500 000 at the National Brangus Sale in the Free State. Mike...
Bonsmara-infused Afrikaners: enhancing performance
Bothaville Stud breeder, Herbert Bruinette, has succeeded in breeding Afrikaner cattle with excellent breeding values and muscling through the introduction of Bonsmara genetics into his herd. He started in 2008...
Locheim Herefords: bred for balance
Philip de Waal, owner of the Locheim studs in the Swartland and on the West Coast, has won regional, national and international awards for his top-performing Hereford cattle. He spoke...
Three-way crossbreeding for optimal production
Crossbreeding two beef breeds is a popular practice among South Africa’s commercial beef producers. A KwaZulu-Natal family that has been in the beef farming business for several decades believes it...
Achieving shorter ICP
Fertility and a short intercalving period (ICP) are more heritable than experts suggest, says cattle farmer Peter Schultz. He explains to Gerhard Uys that cattle well-adapted to their environment and...
Technology – a resource to drive profit in beef operations
Breeding and associated genetic technologies can make a difference to the bottom line in beef cattle herds, says Japie van der Westhuizen of SA Stud Book.
One family, four livestock enterprises
When Cornelius van Niekerk passed away, he left his sons, Jan and Bertie, a commercial beef cattle herd. He also left his daughters-in-law, Marizelle and Annie, a cattle stud each.
Dexter cattle: Ideal for meat and dairy
The Dexter cattle breed is hardy and well-adapted to South Africa's harsh farming conditions.
Bonsmaras: Offering great returns on investment
Holomo Lebona believes that Bonsmaras' adaptability makes them exceptional investments.
