Animals

The Bridgewater Stud in Hekpoort, owned and run by Garland Poil, has gone from strength to strength since its establishment more than 40 years ago, and offers horse owners and breeders some valuable lessons when it comes to developing a breeding strategy.

Ronel Retief, a Cape Lob Ear indigenous veld goat stud breeder, runs her top-performing Klawervlei flock high in the Sneeuberg mountains near Richmond. The flock flourishes under extreme conditions, with winters marked by extreme cold, snow, and sleet.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza strains, such as H5N1, are threatening poultry and even mammals, forcing industries and governments to rethink biosecurity and vaccination.

Since its inception in 2004, the CRE Brahmans stud’s motto has been ‘performance meats integrity’. Studmaster Ampie Rossouw told Annelie Coleman that one of the cornerstones of the operation is its commitment to Phase C testing for young bulls to evaluate growth and feed efficiency.

The award-winning, top-performing Maize Valley Savanna Goat Stud, run by Andrew Roberts and Ju-mari Pretorius, came about by accident due to broken communications and poor Internet connectivity, writes Annelie Coleman.

Nestled in the heart of the Vredefort Dome, surrounded by the Dome Bergland mountain range, you will find Marius Smit and Heinrich Hamman, co-owners of the Aegagrus Boer Goat Stud.

The Dormer is one of South Africa’s most prolific sheep breeds and exhibits many highly profitable traits. Over the years, selective breeding of the Dormer has led to the development of a medium-framed sheep that produces high-quality meat and wool.

Despite the Dormer’s rapid growth rates and excellent carcass quality, the Dormer Sheep Breeders’ Society of South Africa is actively working to further improve the breed.

Free State cattle farmer Jannie Visagie spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about the resilience, adaptability, and economic benefits of the Afrikaner cattle breed. He shares valuable insights and practical advice for farmers considering this hardy breed for South African conditions.

The Dormer’s ability to pass on its economic traits to its offspring makes it the ideal breed for crossbreeding programmes. The Dormer has many exceptional traits, say Liezel Grobler, secretary of the Dormer Sheep Breeders’ Society of South Africa, and Marius Eksteen, head of the society’s marketing portfolio.

The Dormer is a truly South African sheep, purpose bred to perform locally and compete internationally. Sabrina Dean spoke to Liezel Grobler, secretary of the Dormer Breeders’ Society of South Africa, and Marius Eksteen, head of the society’s marketing portfolio.

Dintle Maphala has been farming Angora goats for the past nine years. Her hands-on approach, from breeding and grazing to mohair handling and marketing, offers a practical roadmap that emerging producers can adapt to improve their own production outcomes. Octavia Avesca Spandiel reports.

The South Africa Invitational Pigeon Race (SAIPR) brings together pigeon fanciers from across the country to compete in a unique One Loft series. The article looks at how the races work, entry rules, the Challenge Race, and tips for breeding and training top-performing pigeons.

Choosing the right site and materials to set up a chicken house or coop on your smallholding or in your backyard is essential to ensure the health and safety of your chickens.

The roots of the Battenhausen family in the Upper Karoo are as deep and meaningful as their family tree. For six generations, they have farmed sheep near Philipstown, and their contribution to the community is well known. Today, it is up to Carl Battenhausen to walk in the footsteps of those who came before him and continue building his family’s legacy.

The global oyster market is on the rise as seafood demand continues to grow. Oysters are valued as a delicacy, a healthy protein, and a sustainable food source.

The Olifantsberg Boran stud may only have been established three years ago, but it’s already showing promise of becoming a name to watch in the industry. Farm managers Johan Geldenhuys and Ruanda Brink spoke to Glenneis Kriel about their breeding strategy, and why they believe the Boran is the breed of the future.

Emerging poultry farmers face a host of legal, environmental, and practical challenges. Poultry nutritionist Dr Sipokazi Nyeleka spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about the complexities of starting and running a compliant and sustainable poultry enterprise.

Known as the mother cow of Africa, the Boran has been developed over more than 1 000 years to provide modern farmers with a hardy, cost-effective animal. Sabrina Dean spoke to Gerrit Potgieter from Komga in the Eastern Cape, a council member of the Boran Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa who oversees the society’s marketing portfolio, to find out more about the breed.

Chantelle Smit, secretary of the SA Boer Goat Breeders’ Association, spoke to Sabrina Dean about what sets South Africa’s Boer, Savanna, and Kalahari Red goats apart from their global counterparts.