The South Devon stud that keeps on breaking records
The Miller family from Cathcart in the Eastern Cape pride themselves on their adapted and efficient Winston South Devon cows that consistently produce record-breaking bulls. James Miller explained their selection...
Calf health: the foundation of a productive cattle herd
Prevention is better than cure, and this mindset is especially applicable when it comes to preparing calves for their productive adult lives. Dr Schabort Froneman, technical manager for ruminants at...
Beef cattle basics: Choose the right breed for your farm
Bos indicus, B. taurus or Sanga cattle: which do you choose? Dr Michiel Scholtz and Prof Japie van der Westhuizen spoke to Glenneis Kriel about these breeds.
Committed to improving the productivity of livestock farmers
As seasons change, so do the feeding requirements of your animals. Voermol has a range of products to keep your animals performing at their best during any time of the...
Improving heat stress management in beef cattle
Anette Theunissen, an animal scientist based at the Vaalharts Research Station, explains the results of a study conducted by researchers at the Agricultural Research Council’s Animal Production Institute, in collaboration...
Mentorship: lessons from a pioneering Boran breeder
Johan Erasmus, who farms near Derby in North West, is one of the pioneers of the Boran cattle breed in South Africa. He uses his experience as a stud breeder...
Keep bulls fit and fertile: advice from a Bonsmara breeder
The 2020 Unistel/SA Stud Book Developing Breeder of the Year, Bookholane Mokoena of Boggie Bonsmaras in Nigel, Gauteng, says that one of his most important breeding aims is to maintain...
How trusting her instincts has paid off for Brahman breeder
From small beginnings, Lizemari de Klerk, who farms just outside Pretoria in Gauteng, has expanded her Brahman cattle operation from only three cattle to a breeding herd of around 200...
Measuring and improving the performance of cattle in feedlots
An Agricultural Research Council study of the performance of Brahman bulls in feedlots across South Africa has highlighted the non-genetic traits, such as environment and herd of origin, that affect...
Top Santa Gertrudis breeder’s endless search for perfection
Having farmed Santa Gertrudis cattle for nearly half a century, Amy Williams is sought after for her professional advice, and many farmers credit her for their success. Moreover, her stud...
Weighing your cattle: a crucial step towards profitable livestock production
Technological advances are making it easier to weigh livestock and use this information to influence herd management decisions. Glenneis Kriel spoke to a number of experts about the advantages of...
North West cattle farmer puts his trust in proven stud bulls
Kgomotso Bantsho has been farming Bonsmara cattle and goats full-time in North West since 2017. He says that support from other farmers is critical, and that each farmer needs to...
On a quest to breed ‘the perfect Brahman’
A dream to farm Brahman cattle saw Auldrich Spies switch from construction to farming. Ironically, it was his initial ignorance that led him to become a successful stud farmer today....
Record-breaking, high-altitude Ngunis
On 9 May 2020, the Biggs family, who farms in the Eastern Cape, sold a Nguni herd sire for a world-record price of R310 000. Clive Biggs spoke to Mike...
The importance of maintaining reproductive health in a herd
Fourth-generation farmer Gerhard Grobler says he has been able to achieve better results from his beef cattle herd after introducing crossbreeding. But, he adds, South Africa’s beef producers need to...
Choosing Afrikaners for extensive beef production
Jacquies Steenkamp produced the 2019 Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Afrikaner National Performance Test Class bull. Mike Burgess visited him on his farm near Rouxville to see why he believes this...
Breeding a resistant and resilient Sussex stud herd
John Viedge of the Lehana’s Pass Sussex Stud has been breeding cattle that survive in some of the harshest redwater disease areas in South Africa. Wayne Southwood spoke to him...
How Beefmaster Group helps cattle farmers
In these times of uncertainty, cattle farmers can rely on the Beefmaster Group to help them overcome short-term challenges and access markets, says Roelie van Reenen, supply chain executive at...
Maximising efficiency against heat stress in cattle
Expected temperature increases due to the effect of global warming will have a negative impact on the productivity of livestock. According to animal science researchers at the Agricultural Research Council,...
Traceability: beyond the tag
Any farmer who thinks that a tag in the ear represents a traceability system for a beef herd is far off the mark; it simply links the animal to a...
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