Breeding for the Future

Mecki and Brigitte Schneider of the Okabra Brahman Stud in the Grootfontein district in Namibia own one of the largest stud and commercial beef cattle operations in Southern Africa. Wayne Southwood investigates how they made significant improvements to their herd by continually applying sound scientific principles.

Mecki and Brigitte Schneider manage a large-scale farming operation based mostly in the Grootfontein and Okahandja districts in Namibia. The home farm, Okamutombe, near Grootfontein, has been in the Schneider family for 103 years, with Mecki the third generation to run the farm.

The Schneiders run a Grey Brahman stud herd of more than 1 000 animals, a smaller Simmentaler stud herd and a large commercial beef herd. They breed a Manso type Grey Brahman and built the stud using top genetics from famous herds in the US, South Africa and Australia.

“It’s important to be linked to the commercial sector and not only the stud industry,” Mecki explains. “A stud breeder must breed what the commercial sector wants and what is relevant to it. There’s no point in breeding classy show winners when the market needs profitable and productive breeding stock.

“We’re living in very challenging times, with the worst drought in 50 years. It’s not going well economically in the livestock industry. The meat price is stagnant and input costs are skyrocketing. Research shows that cattlemen have to be 8% more efficient every year, which means 80% more efficient than 10 years ago for the same profit margin.”

Mecki has used the Breedplan and Herd Master programme for more than 15 years. After expanding the gene pool and their Brahman herd, the Schneiders concentrated on estimated breeding values (EBVs) from 2007 onwards to effect change, with very positive results. The herd’s vast genetic improvement resulted in some of the older, previously top performing cows relegated to the bottom of the list.

THE BREED