Annelie Coleman
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.
Boer goat buck sold for a record price on auction
A Boer Goat sire, Komatsu (762210143), bred and sold by the Lucas Burger Boer Goat Stud in Griekwastad, recently achieved the highest price ever recorded for a Boer goat sold at auction.
World Rhino Day celebrates an increase in rhino numbers
The Black Rhino Range Expansion Project (BRREP) has translocated 230 rhinos to create 15 new black rhino populations on sites in South Africa and Malawi over the past 20 years.
Arsonists allegedly behind many of the veldfires
South Africa’s organised agricultural structures are extremely concerned about evidence that a huge proportion of veldfires that occurred in the country so far this year were caused wilfully and deliberately.
Zimbabwe aims to grow a biodiversity economy
In an effort to mainstream the value and contribution of nature in development planning and policy development, the Zimbabwean Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality, supported by the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), recently announced the landmark Zimbabwe Biodiversity Economy report.
Award-winning gin from Namibia’s dry interior
The innovative Naute Kristall Distillery is situated near Keetmanshoop in Namibia’s arid southern region. Established by Michael and Katrin Weder, it has become renowned for its outstanding, prize-winning gin.
Simbra bull sets new SA record of R550 000
The Simbra bull JM 18 022 (‘JacMar Buffel’) recently set a new South African record for the breed when he was sold for R550 000.
Hundreds of thousands of hectares lost to veld fires in North West
About 600 000ha in the North West have been lost to veld fires since the beginning of August. According to Naude Pienaar, assistant general manager of Agri North West, a large percentage of these fires had been caused by arson. Four people had also lost their lives in the veld fires.
Extensive veldfires continue in the Free State
The annual scourge of veldfires was continuing in the Free State, with numerous major and widespread fires actively burning on Sunday night in the areas of Smithfield and Reddersburg, as well Steynsrus and Ventersburg, among others.
Sourveld and rocks no obstacles to this Simbra producer
Rocco Botha runs a commercial herd of Simbra cattle on North West’s Klipveld, an aptly named area noted for its rocks and sourveld. Annelie Coleman spoke to him about his veld and animal management.
Three hundred sheep killed by veldfire in the Free State
Free State Agriculture (FSA) urgently called on members of the public for donations of animal feed after the past weekend’s devastating veldfires in which, among others, 300 sheep and 18 in-calf cows succumbed to the flames on a farm near Winnie Mandela (previously Brandfort).
How elephant populations are being controlled using contraceptives
Contraceptives are now being successfully used to prevent elephant overpopulation in South Africa. Approximately 75% of all breeding-age female elephants outside of the greater Kruger National Park had been successfully treated with immunocontraceptives in 47 reserves to prevent overpopulation.
New export destinations for livestock producers
The conflict and political unrest in Sudan have opened up an additional export market for red meat from Namibia in the Middle East. This was according to a statement by the Namibian Meat Board following a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar.
Aquaculture programme aims to counter unemployment in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe had so far stocked 37 dams with fish countrywide as part of its multi-million-rand aquaculture programme that was announced in 2022.
Namibia’s Meatco expects a profitable year
The Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) expected a significant turnaround for the financial year running from February 2023 to January 2024.
SA beef cattle producers must ‘up their game’ to meet future demand
The South African agriculture sector currently had to feed a population of 60,3 million people, according to Dr Ben Greyling, research team manager for the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) Beef Cattle Improvement scheme.
Angora: good money from a great breed
Mohair production is a valuable farming option even outside the Karoo. This is being demonstrated at two studs in North West’s Wolmaransstad district, as Annelie Coleman found out on her visit to three brothers-in-law: Petrus Marx, Reco Pieterse and Stephan Erasmus.
SA record price for Beefmaster semen
Ten Beefmaster semen straws achieved a South African record price for the breed of R20 000 each at the recent national Beefmaster auction in Parys, Free State.
Deadly virus strikes SA rabbits and hares again
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) urgently called on farmers and members of the public to report unusual deaths of wild hares and domestic rabbits to the trust and their nearest state veterinarian after the second outbreak of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV2) was confirmed earlier in July.
Bonsmara bull sold for record price of R4,4 million
A Bonsmara bull recently set a new South African record when he was sold for R4,4 million. The bull, LAR 19 373, was characterised by outstanding conformation, a strong head and exceptional depth, said Louis Steyl, CEO of Bonsmara SA.
More red meat exports needed to stabilise market
Exports of beef could be increased from the current 4% of local production to 20%, according to Koning Scholtz, newly elected chairperson of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation Northern Cape (RPO Northern Cape).
