Sheep & Goats

The first phases of a lamb’s life are crucial for future growth. Kenneth Hamlett of Tau Mills spoke to Gerhard Uys about correct feeding practices for lambs and in-lamb ewes.

By producing medium-framed Merino sheep with ultra-fine wool, Johan Müller can run more animals and generate as much income as producers of larger-framed animals. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his selection criteria, reproduction methods and shearing cycle.

Award-winning stud breeder Gerald Calitz runs a 200-strong Boer goat stud on his 70ha farm near Ventersdorp in North West. He spoke to Annelie Coleman about his breeding techniques.

Hendré Calitz, the chairperson of the Afrino Sheep Breeders’ Association of South Africa, manages the Koppiesfontein Afrino Stud near Smithfield for Piet and Theo Delport of Wesselsbron. Mike Burgess visited him to better understand the value of the Afrino under extensive conditions.

Ross Rayner and his father, Roger, farm 40 Nguni cows and 35 Bosvelder-type ewes on 250ha in the Mankazana Valley near Adelaide in the Eastern Cape. Their operation is an example of what value indigenous livestock holds for small-scale farmers.

In an industry with a history of sustainability and ethics, one thing stands out more than anything else: love.

Since importing his first Damaras from Namibia in the late 1980s, stud breeder Frank Blumenthal has firmly believed in the integrity of the breed. The Free State farmer says that the modern indigenous Damara has over the years evolved into a well-muscled animal with outstanding disease resistance and fertility under the hottest, driest conditions.

World champion Savanna goat breeder Koenie Kotzé believes in strict selection, the best possible genetics, and top conformation and type. Annelie Coleman visited him on his farm Niekerkshoop in the Northern Cape to learn more about his exceptional stud.

Indigenous Veld Goat breeder Erik de Witt is following his dream of preserving indigenous livestock breeds. Sabrina Dean visited him and learnt that with innovative marketing, it is also possible to make handsome returns on these unique animals.

Stefan Erasmus, the 2017 Toyota/AgriSA Eastern Cape Young Farmer, has boosted his Merino weaning rate more than 30% by lambing in a closed system. Mike Burgess visited him near Middelburg in the Eastern Cape to see how his 1 200m2 lambing shed has increased income from his flock of ewes.

The Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute (GADI) Student Angora Stud is accustomed to accolades; it produced, for example, the South African Champion Ram at the 2009 International Mohair Summit in Graaff-Reinet. But it was the National Angora Show in November 2016 at Willowmore that really underscored the esteem with which the stud is held in the mohair industry.

Henning Vorster sold a SA Mutton Merino ram for a South African record price of R110 000 at the National Sale in Bloemfontein in 2017. To find out why farmers are willing to pay record-high prices for his dual-purpose sheep, Mike Burgess visited his stud on the farm Bloubosfontein.

The market for slaughter and breeding goats in South Africa appears to be almost insatiable. With more than 60% of the local goat population in the hands of smallholder farmers, this sector should be benefiting from the strong demand. Denene Erasmus reviews some of the recent research into the factors preventing the smallholder sector from taking full advantage of this opportunity.

A decade of intense research and development in New Zealand, involving geneticists, food technologists and more than 50 farmers, has led to a new breed of lamb that is claimed to offer improved health benefits, while retaining excellent flavour.

In 2013, Farmer’s Weekly reported on the Bergplaas Merino Stud in the Eastern Cape. Gavin Isted recently paid the farm another visit in recognition of its 80th anniversary, and to see what progress the award-winning stud has made over the past few years.

Adél van der Merwe’s Plusline Dorper Stud was a 2016 Stud Book Elite Awards finalist. Mike Burgess visited her on Pinegrove, in the Eastern Cape, to find out how she achieved this.

The Southey family of Middelburg in the Eastern Cape has a long legacy of Merino sheep farming. Generations of dedication paid off last year when Julian Southey was named the 2016 Voermol Sheep Farmer of the Year.

Careful management and marketing are both crucial in Boer goat production. Pip Nieuwoudt of Nama Stud, the oldest Boer goat stud in the Western Cape, spoke to Jeandré du Preez about his management strategy and how he tapped into the Middle Eastern market.

The Fairworld Merino Stud in the Eastern Cape has been at the forefront of genetic fine wool production in South Africa for over a century. It holds the current South African record price of R250 000 for a Merino ram. Mike Burgess assesses the legacy, achievements and future of this 1 000-ewe stud.

At the 2016 National Dormer Sale in Bloemfontein, a Welpic Dormer ram achieved the second-best price of R51 000. Mike Burgess visited JP Potgieter (26) to see how and why he is making an impact in the Dormer stud industry just three years after settling on the farm, Oude Woning, in the Lady Grey district of the Eastern Cape.