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Annelie Coleman represents Farmer’s Weekly in the Free State, North West and Northern Cape. Agriculture is in her blood. She grew up on a maize farm in the Wesselsbron district where her brother is still continuing with the family business. Annelie is passionate about the area she works in and calls it ‘God’s own country’. She’s particularly interested in beef cattle farming, especially with the indigenous African breeds.

The story of the Drakensberger beef cattle breed’s evolution in Africa

The Drakensberger cattle breed has been part of the South African landscape for ages. So-called black indigenous cattle existed in South Africa as early as the 15th and 16th centuries and formed the foundation of the current Drakensberger beef cattle breed.

Romagnola beef cattle vastly increased weaner weights on a Free State farm

The Romagnola cattle breed has the inherent quality to increase beef production in South Africa markedly, according to Marnus Lessing, owner of the JML Romagnola stud near Lindley in the Free State, who succeeded in pushing up weaner weights considerably through crossbreeding Romagnolas with Brahmans.

Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys popular as pets in South Africa

Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys are growing in popularity as pets in South Africa due to their sweet, affectionate nature, says Free State breeder Angelique du Preez, who runs her donkey herd as part of the family-run Collett Farming business.

How to show off your animals in a show ring

Andrew and Colette Masterson run an expanded farming concern on the farm Milagro in the Humansdorp district. Their farm includes, among others, a Simmentaler stud and an Angus stud. The Mastersons are active participants in the show ring.

Lessons learnt on the journey to build a Nguni stud from scratch

When Cecilia Prinsloo-Van der Linde started exploring the idea of cattle farming, she was advised to farm animals that are suited to the land, so she decided on Nguni. Annelie Coleman spoke to her about the pros and cons of setting up and developing a stud in a relatively short period of time.

Resistance to internal and external parasite control in the beef cattle sector is a worry

Dr Dave Midgley, CEO of the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa, believes that parasites’ growing resistance to anthelmintic remedies and an increasing parasite load among beef cattle in South Africa is a serious cause for concern. He spoke to Annelie Coleman.

Van Rooy: a highly economical sheep farming option

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.

Nick Serfontein calls on Steenhuisen over FMD crisis

Nick Serfontein, Sernick Group chairperson and Bonsmara stud breeder from Edenville in the Free State, warns that South Africa’s cattle industry is on the brink of an abyss due to the ineffective management of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks.

Meet South Africa’s only herd of iconic Murray Grey cattle

Johannes and Marijke Botha’s herd of the Australian Murray Grey cattle is the only one of its kind in South Africa.

Fighting rural crime: how AfriForum empowers communities across SA

The rural safety crisis in South Africa remains dire, with farm attacks and murders on the rise. Jacques Broodryk, chief spokesperson for community safety at AfriForum, talks about how the organisation’s farm watch initiative helps farmers protect their communities, improve security, and reclaim control over their farms.

Hampshire Down: mutton sheep fast gaining in popularity

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.

Nampo Alfa: ideal networking opportunity for livestock value chain

The Nampo Alfa Livestock, Hunting and Outdoor Expo is taking place at Nampo Park near Bothaville from the 16 to 18 October. Farmer’s Weekly spoke to Albert Loubser, organiser of the Alfa livestock programme, about the expo.

Cape Lob Ears flourish under exacting conditions in the Northern Cape’s Sneeuberg

Ronel Retief, a Cape Lob Ear indigenous veld goat stud breeder, runs her top-performing Klawervlei flock high in the Sneeuberg mountains near Richmond. The flock flourishes under extreme conditions, with winters marked by extreme cold, snow, and sleet.

CRE Brahmans: where structure meets performance

Since its inception in 2004, the CRE Brahmans stud’s motto has been ‘performance meats integrity’. Studmaster Ampie Rossouw told Annelie Coleman that one of the cornerstones of the operation is its commitment to Phase C testing for young bulls to evaluate growth and feed efficiency.