Animals

Juhillin van Wyk grew up on a Northern Cape farm, and today runs a flock of Dorper sheep on communal land near Williston. He spoke to Wouter Kriel about what he has learnt thus far, as well as the importance of buying in rams with the traits to boost flock fertility.

Johan Kemp, Chris van Niekerk and Riaan Venter started the Elandsberg Droughtmaster stud seven years ago. Impressed by the breed’s ability to excel under their extensive farming conditions in a mountainous region in northern KwaZulu-Natal, they are now also in the process of converting their commercial beef cattle herd into a pure Droughtmaster herd.

Extensive veld tests by the Bosveld Santa Gertrudis Study Group have made a valuable contribution to establishing the breed’s reputation amongst other beef cattle in South Africa.

Jonathan Carlson started working on his dream of becoming a farmer straight after he finished school: he made and sold neck clamps for cattle to raise the funds he would need to turn his aspirations into reality. Today, he runs a small yet successful Boer goat and cattle operation.

Leading one horse while riding another is a useful skill that can be hard to learn, says Dr Mac.

All beef cattle producers want their young bulls to develop into productive sires, but for this to happen, they need to manage these animals carefully. Annelie Coleman spoke to livestock nutrition specialist Dr Francois van de Vyver about how to achieve this.

Carol and Charlie Gould started breeding Droughtmasters three years ago and have only been farming full time for one year, but they have ambitious plans and say that even though they are new to farming, the Droughtmaster has made their job easy!

To stay ahead of their competitors in the breeding game, livestock farmers have to continually improve the genetics of their animals. Nollie and Pieter Stofberg, owners of Platdrif Sussex Stud in the Western Cape, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how they make use of embryo flushing to achieve this goal.

Emily Kok, a Karoo sheep farmer and winner of several carcass competitions, spoke to Wouter Kriel about the challenges of communal farming on government-owned land, and how she is overcoming them.

More meat per herd per year is the golden thread that runs through a profitable cattle enterprise, and genetics play a crucial role in the herd’s advancement. While DNA testing is useful for genetic selection, it can’t determine feed conversion rates. This is where Phase D performance testing comes in.

Pressure is mounting on dairy farmers to reduce their carbon footprint. The good news is that research shows it is not only possible, but can be done in a way that increases productivity.

Raising stress-free pigs makes business sense, as it results in better growth of animals and fewer problems caused by disease. Dr Peter Evans of the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation spoke to Glenneis Kriel.

Kalahari Red goat farmer Eddie Goosen is building his stud by buying animals from breeders who can prove full traceability of their lineage. He spoke to Lindi Botha about his meticulous selection process and how this has already paid dividends in two years.

The money-maker in the herd is the bull, says eastern Free State Simbra breeder Rick Dell. He spoke to Annelie Coleman about the management and selection of breeding bulls for commercial cattle herds.

The local wildlife ranching industry has had its share of ups and downs over the past few years, and drought, a boom-bust cycle and COVID-19 have seen many farmers exit the sector. Lindi Botha spoke to Limpopo rancher Jaco Sullivan about the resilience and sound business decisions that have kept his family in the game.

Don McHardy says his interest in Droughtmasters was a natural progression in his quest to breed more efficient beef cattle that are able to realise optimal financial returns.

Farmers suffer their greatest sheep losses before weaning, with the majority of lamb deaths occurring during the first 10 days after birth, and more than 20% during the first three days. Dr Josef van Wyngaard, technical manager at Voermol Feeds, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about ways to limit these losses.

What started out as a hobby for Helene Roodt six years ago has since turned into a full-time and surprisingly intricate and successful show chicken breeding business. Annelie Coleman visited Roodt to find out more about her enterprise.

The cattle industry is one of the chief targets of climate activists who propose plant-based diets as a way of reducing global warming and moving towards sustainable food production. Sara Place, chief sustainability officer at Elanco Animal Health, spoke to Lindi Botha about the underestimated power of cattle to contribute to the well-being of people and the planet.

Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, sometimes called Cushing’s syndrome, is a common hormonal disease in older horses, says Dr Mac.