Asked how much green feed is planted on the 1 200ha property, Tom Blaine smiles.
“Green feed? The best green feed on our farm is the kikuyu under the dripping gutters.”
The veld and lick, he says, are all that his sheep have access to.
“Our sheep cope in this environment, and it’s all because of the guys before us. I can honestly say that the sheep on this farm are the closest to the original true intention of the Dohne Merino: a dual-purpose sheep producing from the veld.”
FROM MERINO TO DOHNE MERINO
Tom, who farms alongside his father, Peter, and brother, John, on Ross farm near Kei Road in the Eastern Cape, is proud of the family’s historical contribution to sheep breeding in the region.
He tells of the first Blaine in the region, George, who imported Australian Merino genetics in the 1880s. The family continued importing Australian fine-wool genetics up until the 1930s, when stud ewes were producing on average 7,7kg of wool.
Tom’s great-grandfather, Jack, who inherited Ross farm, then started becoming concerned about their reliance on wool at the expense of fertility and mutton production. In fact, the problem became so severe that he was forced to buy wethers (hamels) from up country to make up for the paucity of lambs.
By the 1940s, Jack was determined to breed a more efficient, plain-bodied, dual purpose Merino for the sourveld conditions of Ross. His intentions dovetailed with that of JJJ Kotze from the Dohne Research Station near Stutterheim, and Jack, with his brother Deemie (from neighbouring Wauldby farm) were amongst the first farmers to become involved in the official Dohne breeding programme.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 11, 2019 من Farmer's Weekly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 11, 2019 من Farmer's Weekly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
