She says they initially farmed part-time on a piece of land they rented outside of Vryburg, which was not ideal for her Boer goat stud as the infrastructure wasn’t suitable – if you want to simplify the task of keeping Boer goats, then your kraals, handling facilities and the boundary fences around the farm must be top notch. No one wants to spend money fixing rented land.
A new challenge
During the nineties a few things happened. They purchased their own farm, the children left the house and, with more time on her hands, Desré wanted to set up her own farming enterprise. She already had a number of Boer goats and it was obvious that she had to use them to her advantage.
Initially she supplied wethers for the slaughter market, but this industry did not really appeal to her. So, she followed a different route and started a stud to produce breeding animals. She invested in top quality rams from the outset.
In 1998 her business received a big boost when she bought several ewes at the sale auction of the well-known Boer goat breeder, Dr HP Maree – included in the purchase were ewes from some of the country’s leading breeders. From these ewes she bred maternal lines she still uses in her flock today.
In 2002 she acquired a son of the world champion ram, Dr Pepper, and used him on select ewes. In 2005 she bought a ram from the well-known breeder Stefaans Malan. This ram carried a lot of meat and this trait is still clearly visible in his progeny.
Bu hikaye Stockfarm dergisinin July 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Stockfarm dergisinin July 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Shongololo Boer Goat Stud: Only The Best Will Do
South African Boer goats have proven popular worldwide for their ability to improve indigenous goat breeds. In addition, Covid-19 restrictions necessitated the establishment of electronic auctions, making it easier for foreigners to acquire outstanding genetic material exported by agents via established channels.
Feed Additives: A Veterinary Perspective
In an already volatile environment, dairy profit margins vary as milk prices and feed costs shift annually. Feed costs represent the largest input cost (an estimated 35 to 70% of the variable cost) in the production of milk. As a group of feed ingredients, feed additives can cause a desired physiological response in a non-nutrient way, such as pH shift, growth or metabolic modifier, and will usually be cost-beneficial.
Guard Against Lumpy Skin Disease
Most parts of the country received good rains during the rain season and producers are generally very optimistic. Wet seasons unfortunately come with their own set of challenges and veterinarians have cautioned livestock producers to keep an eye out for elevated biting insect loads, which may lead to conditions such as lumpy skin disease (LSD).
Climate-Related Hazards: How Smallholders Can Mitigate Its Consequences
Rainfed crop production remains the main source of food security and livelihoods for rural communities in South Africa but presents the challenge of climate variability due to its high dependence on weather variables such as rainfall and temperature.
Tips for a successful AI programme
The success of an artificial insemination (AI) programme depends on several factors that are largely within the control of the producer. It is interesting that those producers who take a hands-on approach to their cattle and inspect them regularly are also the ones who achieve the greatest success. Before his passing, Stockfarm spoke to Koot Louw, a well-known reproduction technologist from Brandfort in the Free State, about his insights into and advice regarding the AI process.
Pay Attention To Orf In Your Flocks
Some of our readers may have treated or heard of sheep or goats that have been infected with orf (vuilbek).
Sanele Mbele: Where Passion And Skill Meet
Passion for farming runs strong in the Mbele family’s veins. Sanele Mbele, from the farm Rietspruit in the De Jagersdrift area near Dundee, has inherited this passion in huge dollops.
Land Reform: Case Studies In Kwazulu-Natal
Land reform in South Africa is complex. Land reform solutions are equally complex and within partnership and development models, this is no different – but there is hope. KwaZulu-Natal has several types of partnership models and the wide variation in farming systems, as well as their different needs, set each model up for different strengths and weaknesses.
Brahman Breeders In Limpopo Have A Winning Plan
Several breeders from the Bosveld Brahman Club in Limpopo are applying genetic excellence and genotypic correctness to stimulate the demand for their bulls. At several of the last auctions, the minimum standard of bulls was raised to achieve this goal.
A Brahman Dream Comes True
For as long as he can remember, JP Mlangeni wanted to be a farmer. It might have taken a few years, from being a teacher and later a businessman, but his dream finally took shape and today he runs a fully-fledged breeding and commercial Brahman farming enterprise in Mpumalanga.
