Cattle

The South African Braunvieh has all it takes to become a serious contender in the international red meat production arena, says Gawie Naudé, owner of the award-winning Eduan Braunvieh Stud near Rhodes in the Eastern Cape.

Zimbabwe’s quintessential Nkone cattle breed is back from the brink of extinction, says Annelie Coleman. She spoke to George Hulme, a Nkone farmer and breeding society vice-chairperson, who jointly runs the Pungeni stud near Harare.

In 2001, Steve Kretzmann, introduced a beef component to his dairy farm, Edendale, in the Eastern Cape. Mike Burgess visited him recently to better understand the impact that the Panorama Brangus stud has had on his agricultural venture near East London.

The US Department of Agriculture recently released its latest report on dairy production in the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and the trends driving trading.

Lubabalo Ngcwembe (43), from Zwelitsha near Qonce, shares his remarkable journey into farming, overcoming challenges to build Ikhasilethu, a thriving livestock and vegetable enterprise.

The Beef Shorthorn is probably as close to a perfect beef cattle breed as you can get, Barry Stretton, owner of the Brotherlea stud in Molteno, told Annelie Coleman.

Research shows climate change may have a negative impact on cattle farming in some regions, says Jorisna Bonthuys. Farmers must do more to secure their herd’s welfare and their own bottom line.

The Tuli is an iconic beef breed of Zimbabwe that will make any breeder proud, according to Kerry Stewart, Tuli stud breeder and chairperson of the Zimbabwe Tuli Breeders’ Society. Annelie Coleman spoke to her and other breeders about the advantages of farming Tuli cattle.

Identifying and including a low-methane trait in livestock breeding programmes could be the answer to the methane problem faced by animal farmers globally. But how conclusive is the research and will it impact production traits? Lindi Botha reports.

Dr Japie van der Westhuizen, general manager of SA Stud Book, describes how to make use of animal genetic resources to select for sustainable profit in beef cattle from a stud and commercial perspective.

The Agricultural Research Council’s Farm Assessment Toolkit has been developed to allow for the evaluation of a farm in a scientific manner, using the natural resource base of the farm as a foundation.

Fair Cape Dairies won the ARC National Master Dairyman of the Year Award for the fourth time in 2022. Johannes Loubser spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the drivers of the dairy’s success.

The Orpen family has been farming near Barkly East in the Eastern Cape since 1866. Gavin Isted looks at the history of the farm and the current production methods used for running the Avoca cattle and sheep studs.

A peek over the farm gate into an Irish dairy farm reveals that although the grass is certainly greener, farmers are facing unprecedented challenges that are placing their survival at risk. The O’Connor family spoke to Lindi Botha about countering the headwinds and sustaining production.

Breeding using sexed semen can help your bottom line by creating cattle the market demands, says Dr Ken Odde, professor and department head emeritus of the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University.

Public opinion on farming practices has taken a negative slant the world over as social media perpetuate stereotypes of farmers who only seek profit, to the detriment of the environment. Irish farmers Pete and Paula Hynes are challenging those views by placing their farm firmly in the spotlight.

The relocation of a feral herd of 16 Dexters that lived in the Addo Elephant National Park’s Wilderness area has caught the attention of scientists after the South African Dexter Cattle Breeders’ Society became aware of the herd roaming in the park a few years ago. The society initiated the relocation of the animals to Bronkhorstspruit in Gauteng.

Tara Felix, an extension beef specialist, and Nathan Briggs, a former beef extension educator, both from Pennsylvania State University in the US, provide guidelines as hypothetical scenarios that show dietary comparisons across a singular system for growing beef cattle.

The award-winning Koperkop Hugenoot stud has proved the breed’s economic value in the exacting farming conditions south of the Soutpansberg. Owners Henk and Gerda van Rensburg told Annelie Coleman how the breed fares in an area where animal diseases such as redwater, heartwater and anaplasmosis are rampant.

Driven by passion and a dream to develop his business to its full potential, livestock farmer Petros Sibanyoniis persevering despite trials and tribulations. He spoke to Lindi Botha about the challenges faced by emerging farmers, many of whom seem stuck in the proverbial development freezer.