SA genetics ready to take on the world

The South African Braunvieh has all it takes to become a serious contender in the international red meat production arena, says Gawie Naudé, owner of the award-winning Eduan Braunvieh Stud near Rhodes in the Eastern Cape. Annelie Coleman reports.

- Annelie Coleman

Many believe that when South Africa regains its foot-and-mouth disease-free status, international demand for South African Braunvieh genetics will shoot up to such an extent that local breeders will not be able to meet the demand. The South African Braunvieh has all it takes to become a serious contender in the global red meat production arena, according to Gawie Naudé, who farms on Buttermead and Earlstown near Rhodes.

He says it is becoming increasingly difficult to find pure Braunvieh genetics in the US and Europe, creating an ideal export market for local producers.

Braunvieh breeding in the US can be divided into three categories, namely full blood, purebred (80% to 90% pure) and the so-called beef-builder crossbreed. "A significant portion of the beef builder crosses includes Braunvieh genetics as the breed is genetically so far removed from other breeds," says Gawie. He adds that crossing Braunvieh with Angus cattle has taken off to such an extent in the US that the Angus/Braunvieh crosses have, for practical reasons, developed into a separate breed. All the crossbreeding means that 100% pure genetics are increasingly difficult to come by.

A CENTURY OF ADAPTING TO SOUTH AFRICA

Over a period of about 100 years, the local Braunvieh has developed into a truly African breed with all the requirements needed for optimum meat production irrespective of the farming conditions they are subjected to. Not only is the breed an excellent choice for crossbreeding, but it is also able to survive and flourish in the most challenging conditions. The Eduan Braunvieh, for example, thrives on the sourveld of the Eastern Cape Highlands.

"The modern Braunvieh is almost unrecognisable from the cattle that initially arrived on Buttermead. They were large-framed animals bred mainly for milk production," says Gawie.