The Tuli breed immediately impressed him when he first heard about the breed’s remarkable traits.
“My farm isn’t big enough for a commercial cattle enterprise, which meant that I had to add value to my herd in another way. One of the features of the Tuli that impressed me from the outset was its fertility,” he says.
Rich African history
Well-known agronomist, Len Harvey, first encountered the Tuli in 1945 when he spotted them among the Tswana people. The breed’s good constitution compared to other cattle immediately impressed him and piqued his interest.
Later on, Tuli cattle were purchased with the permission of Ian Smith, former prime minister of Zimbabwe, and kept at the Motopo breeding station on the Zimbabwean Highveld to preserve the breed’s purity. During the freezing weather of 1968, which saw temperatures dropping suddenly to -16°C, the only mortality at the breeding station was an old cow of 21 years.
The bulls of Paul Goodwin, Zimbabwean beef farmer of the year in his day, stood out to Cornelis because they were veld raised. Bulls were only sent to the market after the age of three, which meant that the best bulls were available for breeding.
A good intercalving period
Cornelis liked the way records were being kept in Zimbabwe. According to those records, an average intercalving period (ICP) of 365 days was quite common.
As importing animals from Zimbabwe was fraught with logistical problems, Cornelis opted to import open heifers. He offloaded his first consignment of Tuli heifers in 1982.
“I decided on an ICP cut-off of 380 days and selected heifers from mothers I considered to be the most fertile. As for the other indices, I went for the average. I don’t like outliers. My cattle must be average to strong in every respect and must have no weaknesses.”
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 2019-Ausgabe von Stockfarm.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 2019-Ausgabe von Stockfarm.
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Shongololo Boer Goat Stud: Only The Best Will Do
South African Boer goats have proven popular worldwide for their ability to improve indigenous goat breeds. In addition, Covid-19 restrictions necessitated the establishment of electronic auctions, making it easier for foreigners to acquire outstanding genetic material exported by agents via established channels.
Feed Additives: A Veterinary Perspective
In an already volatile environment, dairy profit margins vary as milk prices and feed costs shift annually. Feed costs represent the largest input cost (an estimated 35 to 70% of the variable cost) in the production of milk. As a group of feed ingredients, feed additives can cause a desired physiological response in a non-nutrient way, such as pH shift, growth or metabolic modifier, and will usually be cost-beneficial.
Guard Against Lumpy Skin Disease
Most parts of the country received good rains during the rain season and producers are generally very optimistic. Wet seasons unfortunately come with their own set of challenges and veterinarians have cautioned livestock producers to keep an eye out for elevated biting insect loads, which may lead to conditions such as lumpy skin disease (LSD).
Climate-Related Hazards: How Smallholders Can Mitigate Its Consequences
Rainfed crop production remains the main source of food security and livelihoods for rural communities in South Africa but presents the challenge of climate variability due to its high dependence on weather variables such as rainfall and temperature.
Tips for a successful AI programme
The success of an artificial insemination (AI) programme depends on several factors that are largely within the control of the producer. It is interesting that those producers who take a hands-on approach to their cattle and inspect them regularly are also the ones who achieve the greatest success. Before his passing, Stockfarm spoke to Koot Louw, a well-known reproduction technologist from Brandfort in the Free State, about his insights into and advice regarding the AI process.
Pay Attention To Orf In Your Flocks
Some of our readers may have treated or heard of sheep or goats that have been infected with orf (vuilbek).
Sanele Mbele: Where Passion And Skill Meet
Passion for farming runs strong in the Mbele family’s veins. Sanele Mbele, from the farm Rietspruit in the De Jagersdrift area near Dundee, has inherited this passion in huge dollops.
Land Reform: Case Studies In Kwazulu-Natal
Land reform in South Africa is complex. Land reform solutions are equally complex and within partnership and development models, this is no different – but there is hope. KwaZulu-Natal has several types of partnership models and the wide variation in farming systems, as well as their different needs, set each model up for different strengths and weaknesses.
Brahman Breeders In Limpopo Have A Winning Plan
Several breeders from the Bosveld Brahman Club in Limpopo are applying genetic excellence and genotypic correctness to stimulate the demand for their bulls. At several of the last auctions, the minimum standard of bulls was raised to achieve this goal.
A Brahman Dream Comes True
For as long as he can remember, JP Mlangeni wanted to be a farmer. It might have taken a few years, from being a teacher and later a businessman, but his dream finally took shape and today he runs a fully-fledged breeding and commercial Brahman farming enterprise in Mpumalanga.
