Despite being a stud breeder for only five years, the ARC’s 2017 National Young Beef Cattle Breeder of the Year, MJ Ernst, has already made his mark. Annelie Coleman visited him on the family farm between Klerksdorp and Wolmaransstad to find out more about his Red Angus stud.
MJ Ernst’s Bona Bona Angus stud is relatively small. Yet the outstanding fertility of his cow herd has resulted in the stud matching, and often surpassing, the local Angus breed’s estimated breeding values (EBV). The stud achieved a 100% calving rate and a 95% weaning rate during the 2016/2017 breeding season. The average age at first calving is 29 months, compared with the breed average of 31 months. Similarly, the average intercalving period (ICP) for the Bona Bona herd is 378 days, which is markedly lower than the average of 409 days for SA Angus cows.MJ decided on the Red Angus breed rather than the more traditional Black Angus due to commercial farmers’ preference for red cattle. His 35-strong Bona Bona stud consists of 21 breeding animals, including replacement heifers.
FEED EFFICIENCY AND BREEDING VALUES
The herd’s genetic improvement in terms of feed efficiency has increased substantially since its inception, with the feed conversion ratio improving from 110 in 2012 to 118 in 2014. In 2016, a Bona Bona bull, MJ 14 0020, competed in the ARC Special Performance Test Class, and received a Platinum Award in the same year.
MJ stresses that his selection criteria are based on what commercial breeders demand.
“They need top fertility and feed efficiency to produce heavy weaners with feed lotting in mind. Optimal meat production calls for a blocky beef conformation.
Fast Facts
MJ Ernst is the aRc 2017 National Young Beef cattle Breeder of the Year.
He uses the best genetics available in his Bona Bona angus stud.
The stud regularly exceeds the breed’s EBV averages. “These attributes are crucially important for my commercial clients and that’s what I aim for,” he explains.
この記事は Farmer's Weekly の 10 November 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Farmer's Weekly の 10 November 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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.
