To Johan Greyling and his son, Michael-John, cattle farming should focus on low-cost, sustainable production of the maximum marketable kilograms of beef per hectare of natural grazing. Their Arwin Farms Bonsmara Stud is a product of a near fourdecade-long selection process aimed at producing functionally efficient cows that raise marketable weaners off the veld.
“You don’t start a stud to sell bulls; you start a stud to improve your cows,” says Johan. “If you want to go in a certain direction, you breed them in that direction. It’s a long process but that’s what you have to do.”
TOWARDS THE BONSMARA
The Greylings’ forebears moved to the area between Dordrecht and Lady Grey in the 1840s and settled with their span of Afrikaner oxen and a small herd of breeding cows. Their Afrikaners remained pure up until the 1950s, when Johan’s father, Michiel, bought some Dairy Shorthorns to produce milk for the cheese factory based at the nearby settlement of Clanville.
By the time Johan started farming with his father in 1968, they had 80 Shorthorn x Afrikaner cows and a vibrant sheep enterprise. Johan put Hereford bulls to the herd, and although the initial offspring, fuelled by hybrid vigour, were excellent, it became clear that the new type could not cope well with the mountains in the area. This lack of functional efficiency proved to be a fatal flaw, as an economic analysis of their productivity exposed their redundancy.
“The cattle weren’t paying,” Johan recalls. “We had two options: fix the problem or get rid of the cattle.”
Denne historien er fra September 27, 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra September 27, 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
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Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
