A family-run stud in the Western Cape began with the purchase of 17 cows from the defunct Glen Alpine Stud. GA 99 0013 is the second cow from this group to scoop the Farmer’s Weekly-ARC Best Elite Angus Cow Award. Wouter Kriel reports.
Gawie Loubser and his sons Danie and Gielie are excited about the future of the Kuilen Stud, operating out of their farm Septemberskraal in the Porterville district of the Western Cape. “Pick ‘n Pay and Checkers are promoting Angus beef and producers need registered bulls to supply them with it,” Danie explains. The has the largest gene pool in the world and there are excellent commercial opportunities for the breed. It’s also known for its calm temperament and adaptability.
Animals are slaughter-ready at an early age and Angus beef has excellent marbling, making the meat tasty and tender. These characteristics ensure premium meat prices for producers. D anie became involved with Angus cattle in 2000 when he managed the Glen Alpine Stud. When the enterprise closed down in 2004, the Loubsers decided to buy the best animals before the stud went on public auction. “We bought 17 cows and in 2004 one of them, Marshmoor Ivory 94 51, received the Farmer’s Weekly-ARC Best Elite Cow Award for the Angus breed,” Gawie says. “This year’s Best Cow, GA 99 0013, is from the same group.” S he has a good genetic heritage – her dam was Veejay 91 1020 and her sire Garvin Red G 95 325.
So far all her calves, two bull calves and five heifers, have been approved for registration. heifer and a bull calf have been sold and none have died or been culled. anie manages the Kuilen Angus Stud as two single-sire breeding herds of 35 to 40 females each. Bought sires and AI are utilised. “We buy a stud bull every second year and artificially inseminate with the semen of three to four US bulls,” he explains. round 60% of the cows in the herd are artificially inseminated. With AI, the conception rate is 55%, and with natural service it’s 95% to 100%. Calving rate is 96% of cows conceiving and weaning rate is practically 100% of calves born. is used on 80% of the heifers in the herd, achieving a conception rate of 60% in contrast to 96% with natural service.
Calving rate is 98% of heifers conceiving with AI and 94% conceiving with natural service. Weaning rate is 99% of calves born. Currently the breeding season is rather long, from 1 July to 30 November for both heifers and cows. Danie plans to shorten it to 1 July to 30 September. Heifers are first mated at the age of 15 months. The average herd ICP for the last three years is 390 days. The average calving weight for heifers is 32kg and 33kg for bull calves. Average weaning weights are 235kg for bull calves and 221kg for heifers. The herd is still too young for relevant long-term statistics on the culling age for cows, but the replacement rate of females is 10% annually. Also, because the stud is still being built up, most of the females are retained for breeding, except underperforming ones which are culled. “But some of the original cows in the stud are getting too old. This is the inevitable in herd-building and we need to pay more attention to it,” Gawie says.
Cattle represent 15% of Septemberskraal’s farming income; the rest being generated by wheat production. The farm is 1 735ha in size and the annual rainfall is 250mm. The soil varies from red clay to sandy loam. The farm is situated on the transition between Acocks Veld Type 46 (Coastal Renosterbos) and Acocks Veld Type 47 (Coastal Fynbos), but the vegetation today is dominated by naturalised ryegrass and wild oats. Around 1 000ha of wheat are established annually, with 700ha being rested and used as grazing during the winter months.
Summer grazing is on wheat stubble with a protein lick and heifers get creep feed with bypass protein as a supplement. Water comes from boreholes and surface water collected in dams. The stud’s greatest risk is unpredictable weather, as drought severely affects their ability to feed the herd. Pink eye, an infection spread by flies and mosquitoes, is the most prevalent disease on Septemberskraal, but with adequate preventative measures, neither pink eye nor ticks are ever serious problems, Danie says. He uses a notebook and the StoetMeester computer programme to manage the stud.
All animals are tattooed and ear-notched for identification and DNA samples are taken of bulls and embryos. The Loubsers sell their animals on the Western and Southern Cape Angus Club Elite Auctions but are careful to only sell good animals. “Our reputation is at stake, and we can’t risk selling inferior breeding stock to anyone,” Gawie says. He adds that he’s fortunate to have his two sons as partners in the business and together they have extensive farming and business knowledge. Danie gained knowledge of Angus breeding while he was managing the Glen Alpine Stud and Gielie has valuable AI knowledge from his dairy days.
“We have excellent genetics in our stud and are in the fortunate position to produce our own energy and roughage, saving on input costs. We participate in shows and have achieved good results so far. It helps that we love what we do,” Gawie says. This passion is evident in the results the stud has achieved. GA 99 0013 was awarded Elite cow status, with GA 98 0017 and GA 00 0016 receiving Superior status, in 2008. Of four bulls that were sent for Phase C testing, two achieved silver merit status and one a bronze merit award. Contact Danie Loubser on 083 270 7510. |fw
