“With Bonsmaras, I can produce quality weaners that are attractive to the market, says Desmond Siteti, who runs 75 commercial breeding female animals on the 500ha mixed-veld farm, Tower Hill, near Makhanda in the Eastern Cape. Correct genetics is everything; I'm serious about quality rather than quantity.”
Achieving genetic progress in a livestock enterprise requires a long-term vision.
“When breeding livestock you must be patient; it's a journey without an immediate destination, says Siteti. “You can never relax and must be dedicated to improving genetic quality. An integral part of this vision for Siteti was to commit to work in the mining sector of Gauteng for almost four decades to be able to acquire top genetics for his livestock initiative back in the Eastern Cape. Family members and managers kept an eye on the animals in his absence.
He finally returned to the Eastern Cape for good in 2016 and admits great relief in being able to personally oversee the management of his livestock, a situation that has resulted in fewer overall mortalities. Now that I'm back, there are fewer skins from dead animals!” he says.
Siteti grew up as a farmworker's son on a commercial farm in the Makhanda district. His father, Thompson, was responsible for a flock of goats that Siteti helped manage after school. In the 1970s, the family relocated to the nearby Pikoli area of the former Ciskei, where Siteti and his brother Metford managed a handful of goats and cattle on communal land.
In 1979, after much deliberation, Siteti decided to leave for the mines of the Witwatersrand, while Metford agreed to manage the livestock in his absence.
Denne historien er fra April 01, 2022-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra April 01, 2022-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
Understanding eye conditions in horses: causes and first aid
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IPM requires a completely different mindset
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Does parrot farming protect wild species?
Those in favour of commercial captive breeding argue that breeding parrots to sell can relieve pressure on wild populations. Researchers Neil D'Cruze and Rowan Martin review the evidence.
Bacterial and fungal diseases of garlic
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Responsible wastewater management: a crucial part of farming
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Technology that can help protect South Africa's farms
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The impact of theft on farms in South Africa
A high number of livestock are being stolen every year in South Africa. Insurance is expensive and farmers are battling to find solutions to the problem, says Dr Lindie von Maltitz, agricultural economics lecturer in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State.
Staying afloat amid the cost-price squeeze
John Hudson, head of agriculture at Nedbank Commercial Banking, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the importance of environmental and social sustainability for a prosperous agriculture sector.
Free State has no reason to mark Transport Month
Free State Agriculture (FSA) is very concerned about the extremely poor state of rural paved and gravel roads in the province and has very little, if anything, to celebrate during Transport Month, which takes place every October.
SA's food system ‘vulnerable to climate change'
The Just Transition Agenda for Food System Policymaking in SA webinar, hosted by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) in October, highlighted the role that South Africa’s food system plays in contributing to climate change and how vulnerable it is to the impact thereof.
