Better Results With A Single-breed Herd On The Highveld

After suffering the effects of a trichomoniasis outbreak in 2010, Afrikan Farms, winner of the ARC’s National Commercial Beef Producer of the Year award for 2018, decided to switch from running a mixed-breed cattle herd to a Beefmaster herd. Siyanda Sishuba reports.

Based near Amersfoort, Mpumalanga, Afrikan Farms is a diversified commercial enterprise, with cattle farming as its core business. In 2000, through the Vusi Khanyile Family Trust, the Khanyile family bought farming land on auction and immediately started their operation. About two years later, the business corporatised with the establishment of Afrikan Farms (Pty) Ltd.

The business comprises four farms, all sharing boundaries, spread over 4 709ha. They are Zwelihle (the centre of the family’s cattle farming operations), Vaalpoort, Zoetfontein and Broederstroom. The last three are used for sheep farming and as grazing land.

The management team comprises predominantly people in their 30s.

“Having diverse skills has helped us to manage the farm better,” says general manager Phakade Khanyile, the son of Vusi. He runs the farm with cattle manager Nsika Shabalala, feedlot manager Sibongeleni Mthenjwa, COO Siphiwe Kumalo, and technical manager Thinus de Jager. The directors of the company are Vusi, Ndoni Khanyile and Mthenjwa.

NOT JUST CATTLE

Afrikan Farms’ activities comprise animal husbandry, crop farming and apple production. This includes managing a commercial herd of breeding cattle, sheep farming and an experimental piggery. A cattle feedlot is a recent addition.

Eragrostis grass is grown for baling, and Kikuyu, clover and ryegrass are planted for grazing. The farms’ carrying capacity is approximately 1 MLU/2,5ha.

The enterprise has entered into a partnership with a neighbouring farm, BB Boerdery Agri Trust, to form a subsidiary company called WeGrow Farming Enterprise, mainly for community development. This plants 1 600ha to maize (70%) and soya bean (30%), which are also used for feed production. Planting equipment is shared by both parties.