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.