The Cornish Beefmasters stud is defined by 250 cows run on predominantly sourveld in the Indwe/Dordrecht regions of the Eastern Cape. The Stapelbergs’ first exposure to the Beefmaster breed was via a Karan Beef holding station they agreed to have established on their farm, Milford, near Indwe in 2008. It was here that, for years, they were able to witness how Beefmaster calves outperformed their counterparts from other breeds.
“The Beefmasters simply outgrew calves from other breeds,’’ says 28-year-old Marcel Stapelberg, who co-owns the stud with his father, Willem, and his uncle, Hennie. “The Beefmasters’ incredible growth potential made us really take notice.’’
By 2014, the Stapelbergs had started using Beefmaster bulls in their commercial cow herd, and the ensuing ‘genetic revolution’ convinced them to register a Beefmaster stud in 2017. “The fertility and weaner weights in the commercial herd improved significantly,’’ says Stapelberg. “We then committed to starting a Beefmaster stud.’’
TOP FOUNDATION GENETICS
Once the Stapelbergs made the decision to establish a stud, it was agreed that only topquality Beefmaster genetics would be sourced as a foundation. Stapelberg, his father and uncle all committed to pooling their financial resources and purchasing the very best Beefmaster genetics available from the Bos Blanco Beefmaster stud near Kroonstad and the WO Beefmaster stud near Vrede, both in the Free State.
A total of 70 individual animals were relocated to the Indwe/Dordrecht region, where soon the impact of certain carefully selected bulls became satisfyingly evident. “You simply need to invest in top bulls, as your herd is the sum of the quality of your bulls. In my opinion, a bull breeds back to his dam, so we have always tried to acquire bulls from the best dam lines.’’
Esta historia es de la edición August 23, 2024 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 August 23, 2024 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.
