Breeding top-performing Dohne Merino on 95ha
The Patience family started farming on 95ha of rented land in Saron in the Western Cape in the 1960s, beginning with just 10 sheep and a handful of cattle. Today,...
The fertility factor in mohair success
Eastern Cape mohair producer Paul Webber has twice won the prestigeous Daidoh Trophy Competition for the highest average price for a summer kid clip. Mike Burgess visited him on his...
Unlocking the potential of the Merino Landsheep
The Merino Landsheep is rapidly gaining popularity in South Africa due to the breed’s impressive performance in the feedlot as well as its value as a dual-purpose meat and wool...
Meet one of SA’s top Merino wool producers
Kleiheuwel Trust, based in Bredasdorp, recently achieved one of the top 10 best prices in the history of South African wool sales, and the highest price during the previous season’s...
Harnessing the dual-purpose potential of Merino ewes
Matthew Morgan of Tarkastad has developed his family farms vertically by establishing permanent mixed pastures for his 3 000 Merino ewes to lamb on. The excellence of his farming won...
Feeding your sheep sorghum
Sorghum makes excellent fodder for livestock and can cope with dry conditions better than most other grain crops.
Wool and maize: perfect partners on marginal lands
While wool accounts for only about 30% of his income, Free State farmer Le Roux Fourie views it as a crucial element in his cropping and livestock operation. He spoke...
Kalahari Red goats: Hardy and profitable
The proven economics of the Kalahari Red breed motivated Cobus Meyer to branch out into goat production on the family farm near Leeudoringstad. He told Annelie Coleman that establishing his...
Running veld-adapted Dohne Merinos since 1945
The Blaine family near Kei Road in the Eastern Cape began breeding Merinos in the 1880s, and by the 1940s had established the Ross Dohne stud. This became a foundation...
Rewards and pitfalls of communal wool production
Volumes of formally marketed communal wool in the Eastern Cape have increased from 222 610kg in the 1997/1998 season to more than five million kilograms in 2017/2018. Mike Burgess spoke...
Karoo sheep farmer outwits predators with his nail collar
In a desperate attempt to limit livestock losses due to predation, Karoo farmer Eddie Steenkamp devised a plan to protect his livestock, and has achieved remarkable success. Jeandré van der...
Award-winning goat’s cheese from Clarens
After teaching herself cheesemaking, Estee van Aswegen entered her Baris cheeses at the South African Dairy Championships and won top of class.
Breeding fuss-free Mutton Merino sheep
The changing climate and rising input costs are forcing farmers to find innovative ways to remain economically viable. Hugo Wiehahn, owner of Hugo Wiehahn en Seuns Mutton Merino stud near...
Intensive lambing system produces better weaning percentages
Theron Swanepoel of AM Swanepoel Boerdery near Smithfield in the Free State began converting his extensive lambing operation into an intensive system more than a decade ago. At the Free...
Diarrhoea in lambs: prevention and treatment
Thousands of lambs and calves have died in South Africa and Botswana in recent years due to a virulent, fast-spreading Cryptosporidium and Escherichia coli disease complex. Veterinarian Dr Liezel Wasserman,...
Valais Black Nose sheep: adorable, delicious and lucrative
On a small lifestyle farm near the rural town of Cambridge in New Zealand, Andrew and Leigh-Anne Peake are establishing the Valais Black Nose sheep as a new breed in...
The future of Boer goats in South Africa
Boer goat stud breeders from across the country were in Bloemfontein at the start of May to participate in the annual Boerbok, Kalahari Red and Savanna World Show. Sabrina Dean...
Meatmasters: bred for tough conditions and good meat
Jean du Plessis refers to himself as a ‘bush breeder’, someone who selects with the eye and farms in harmony with his natural environment. Sabrina Dean visited him in the...
Self-made farmer shares his success story
The story of Cornel Landman shows what can be achieved through good business sense and sheer determination. He told Glenneis Kriel about his farming enterprise, which grew from humble beginnings.
Intensive Boer goat farming: Good money, endless demand
Free State Boer goat farmer Mariaan Grobler says intensive production is a viable option as there are never enough goats available to meet demand. Sabrina Dean visited her on her...
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