Benchmark Beefmasters in the Eastern Cape’s Stormberg is a combination of the old and new generation of Beefmaster breeders. It seeks to produce a versatile animal that thrives in a harsh climate and resists tick-borne diseases, according to stud owner Justin Stretton.
Benchmark Beefmasters brings together the high-quality cattle, and expertise, of the Stretton and Ford families.
The former’s relationship with Beefmaster cattle began in 1982 with a visit to the Isa Cattle Company in Texas, says Justin Stretton, the owner of Benchmark Beefmasters. This is where the family’s long relationship with the Lasater programme began.
In 1984, Justin’s father, Trevor, owner of Creative Beefmasters near Sterkstroom in the Eastern Cape, secured semen from proven Beefmaster sires in Texas. Two years later, the first genuine Beefmaster calves were born on the farm Coldstream.
To create a solid genetic base, Creative Beefmasters continued to improve its herd by using semen from the Lasater herd and Casey Beefmaster, a Texas-based stud that selects according to
Lasater’s Six Essentials. Using the best of local genetics from top breeders also had a major influence over the years on the Creative Beefmaster herd.
Begelly, the Ford family farm, is situated south of Grahamstown in an area infamous for tick-borne diseases.
In 1999, the family purchased three separate herds of Simbra, Tauricus and Bonsmara cows. In addition, they imported 30 Simbra stud cows and calves, and four bulls from the well-known Metsibra Simbra Stud in Nambia. This would later became the nucleus of Begelly Beefmasters.
In 2010, the Fords introduced the first Creative Beefmaster bulls to the herd to improve uniformity and fertility. Fifty Creative Beefmaster heifers were introduced the following year.
In July 2014, the Stretton and Ford beef farming operations combined their Beefmaster herds to form Benchmark Beefmasters. At present, the enterprise has a female herd of about 800 cows and in-calf heifers, and 250 replacement heifers.
Esta historia es de la edición February 9, 2018 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición February 9, 2018 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
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.
