Animals

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 and a commercial crop farmer to assist and mentor new farmers in a number of Southern African countries.

There are advantages and disadvantages to using intra-articular injections, says Dr Mac.

Through rigorous selection, Meatmaster stud breeder Nico Grobler from North West has succeeded in significantly reducing wireworm infestation in his Kern Meatmaster flock. This has enabled him to run the stud successfully in an area highly susceptible to the parasite.

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 optimal body condition, with the goal of producing cattle that are fit and efficient.

Pierre and Carine Kleinhans breed horses capable of patrolling large areas of land with minimal inputs, much like the animals used by cowboys in the American Wild West. The couple spoke to Glenneis Kriel on their farm near Touws River in the Western Cape about their operation.

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 animals. Her relentless quest to improve the quality of her animals has earned her a loyal client base.

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome is influenced mainly by feeding and management, says Dr Mac.

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 the average daily gain and feed conversion ratios of the animals. Researchers Melville Ferreira, Alfredo Lepori and Frans Jordaan explore the importance of the results, emphasising that maximum feed efficiency is essential for the long-term sustainability and profitability of the beef industry.

Diversifying to vegetable seed production has enabled Karoo sheep farmer PF Theron to reduce his climatic and production risks while greatly improving profitability. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how he has managed this process.

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 has continued to produce award-winning animals year after year, proving that her expertise and passion are undiminished.

Developing an independent seat is crucial for horse riding, says Dr Mac. This means you need to learn to balance without using your hands, and relying only on your legs and core muscles.

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 weighing livestock regularly.

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 learn which management practices will work best for him or her.

Jo-andra Cloete, who farms in Joostenberg Vlakte near Cape Town, started producing broilers only a few years ago. She is now mentoring over a hundred farmers, whom she supplies with day-old chicks. She spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the growth of her highly successful operation.

On his 2 500ha game farm near Lephalale in Limpopo, Willem Frost aims to provide local and international hunters with an authentic hunting experience, which promotes the farm’s overall sustainability goals.

Sheep production has become a numbers game, with an operation’s profitability being largely dependent on the farmer’s ability to produce large numbers of sheep at low cost. Farm manager Dirk Liebenberg spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how he achieves this goal.

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. Lindi Botha visited SS Brahmane in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.

David Fincham has more than 30 years’ experience in aquaculture and is one of South Africa’s foremost tilapia specialists. Through his business in Muldersdrift near Johannesburg, he has supplied 450 fish farming production units to farmers in Africa.

Colic is the leading killer of horses around the world, and COVID-19 has made it harder for vets to go out to stables to diagnose horses. Virtual diagnosis and colic first-aid kits may be the solution, says Dr Mac.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and Emmanuel Gumede has taken this proverb to heart in his dream to one day own andoperate a large-scale broiler farming operation. He shared his experiences as a fledgling broiler grower with Lloyd Phillips.