Thabana Mokgohloa is a part-time smallholder and producer of maize and sheep on a farm near Nnoko village in Ga-Mothapo, Limpopo. His parents had always been subsistence farmers, and Mokgohloa attributes his love for farming to the experience he gained while watching over the family’s livestock when he was a young boy.
His father, Selepeng, could not farm full-time, as he worked in Johannesburg and was only able to spend some weekends and holidays on the farm. However, when he retired in 2000, he moved back home to Ga-Mothapo permanently to focus on his livestock.
Mokgohloa studied towards a BCom through Unisa, which he completed in 2004. He worked as an economic development practitioner in the local government sector, and is now an assistant manager for economic planning and development at the Polokwane Local Municipality.
In 2009, he took the decision to become more invested in the family’s farming business and began to introduce Dorper genetics to their mixed-breed sheep flock. After the death of his father in 2011, Mokgohloa hired a shepherd, who helped him continue growing the flock. When he had first joined the farm, the family had about 20 sheep, but he grew the flock to more than 200 head in less than five years. Then, in 2020, inspired by an article in Farmer’s Weekly, he switched to Meatmaster breeding.
WORKING WITH MEATMASTERS
“I decided to change to Meatmasters because the breed is hardy, the animals can graze and browse and therefore make maximum use of the veld, and the breed has been developed along economic principles,” says Mokgohloa.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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.
