Sheep & Goats

Grant Naudé, president of Merino South Africa, spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about the Merino breed’s adaptability, dual-purpose strengths and vital role in sustaining South Africa’s wool and meat industries.

In just over a decade, Dorper breeder, inspector and judge Ashley Phillips has visited more than a dozen countries around the globe to conduct work involved with the breed. He spoke to Sabrina Dean about how the sheep breed’s adaptability, fertility, and proven carcass quality have positioned it as a global player.

Twinning in Dorper sheep can greatly boost productivity, but it requires precise nutrition, fertility management, and seasonal planning to safeguard ewe health and lamb survival.

As the agriculture sector starts to adapt to the fast-paced development of technology, producers and processors need to decide what to implement and what to avoid. Henning Naudé spoke to Izak Klopper, manager of shearer training at the National Wool Growers’ Association, about how shearing has changed, and what the industry can expect from new research and development from international markets.

Ashley Phillips, a Dorper farmer in Tarkastad in the Eastern Cape, spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about genetics, production systems, nutrition, breeding efficiency and the economics of sheep farming.

Nestled in the arid expanse of the Northern Cape, the ATKA Dorper Stud, owned and run by Dr Corrie Avenant, is producing world-class Dorpers that are in high demand.

Zimbabwe’s goat industry is steadily growing, moving towards a structured, traceable, breed-standard-driven system. Farmer, Sifiso Ndlovu Agbetorwoka discusses the industry’s progress, South African training programmes, and how her farm is helping to shape commercial goat production in Zimbabwe.

Giel Swiegers’s Boer goats aren’t the farm’s main income, but by grazing once-unused slopes, they play a vital role in keeping his farm, Witrivier, resilient and productive.

South African Merino wool thrives in global luxury markets thanks to centuries of selective breeding, environmental stewardship, evolving export systems, and increasingly transparent and technology-driven supply chains. We take a look at the local industry.

Dorper breeder Christo van Deventer believes the breed has a bright future, with growing interest in the ‘veld rams’ produced by him and a select group of breeders in the Northern Cape. He spoke to Sabrina Dean about the importance of selecting based on performance data.

VEA Stud Breeders made headlines in the past two years for paying the highest prices at various auctions for top Boer goats. William Smit, general manager of VEA Agri and Tourism, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how these strategic purchases are helping them build a stud that excels both on the farm and in the show ring.

Michau Nortjé, an Angora farmer who was this year named among the top two in the world, says successes came following small shifts in how he was managing the quality of his end product.

The Kinko Dormers stud near Swellendam in the Western Cape is proving that precision breeding, backed by performance data, can deliver measurable financial advantages. Johan Swart, the owner of the stud, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his breeding philosophy and the performance-driven approach behind his success.

Joubert Horn, owner of the Joubert Horn Boer Goat Stud, has high hopes for the future of the breed in South Africa and abroad.

The Van Rooy sheep breed, developed by South Africans for South African producers, is a treasure trove of genetics and has proven itself time and time again as a decidedly economic choice. Pieter Wiese, owner of the Kasteel stud in the Northern Cape, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the value of the breed.

The Dorper breed is valued for its adaptability, fertility, and meat quality. Eastern Cape farmer Shane Scorgie spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about why this South African success story is thriving worldwide.

There are over 650 registered members with the South African Boer Goat Breeders’ Association focusing on three distinct breeds: the Boer goat, the Savanna and the Kalahari Red. Association secretary Chantelle Smit spoke to Sabrina Dean about these breeds.

Hennie Jonker, an award-winning Hampshire Down stud breeder from Kroonstad, describes this sheep breed as a topmost mutton producer that provides sterling terminal sires for commercial and crossbred flocks. Annelie Coleman visited his Zorro stud to find out more about the breed.

Dohne Merino sheep are renowned for their dual-purpose capabilities, excelling in both wool and meat production. In addition, the breed is known for its adaptability to a variety of climates and management systems. Julius Beukes, a well-known Dohne Merino breeder near Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal, spoke to Magda du Toit about his production system.

Dormer sheep continue to dominate commercial meat systems with their fast growth, high weaning weights and impressive carcass yields. Agricultural economics lecturer and Dormer breeder Dr Mariëtte Geyser spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about the breed’s production edge.