Running a Meatmaster stud on just 65ha

Innovative Meatmaster breeder René Rossouw runs her 350-strong Jumike Meatmasters stud on only 65ha on the family farm, Alice, in Wesselsbron in the Free State. She spoke to Annelie Coleman about how she manages to effectively run her flock on such a small piece of land.

The Meatmaster originated as a cross between an indigenous fat-tailed breed and European sheep breeds, with the aim of producing a hardy, fertile animal with a carcass that was acceptable at the abattoir.

“This is what attracted me to the Meatmaster, and I have not been disappointed yet,” says René Rossouw, owner of the Jumike Meatmasters stud.

“It is a privilege to work with this outstanding breed but, most of all, it makes economic sense,” she adds.

The farm, Alice, is situated 22km outside Wesselsbron in the direction of Bothaville, Free State. Rossouw’s husband, Michiel, runs the grain production branch, which is the main component of the farming concern, with Rossouw running the sheep concern as a second source of income.

She describes herself as a perfectionist who manages the stud along very strict rules as far as quality, biosecurity, selection and animal health, among other factors, are concerned.

“I farm intensively, which calls for detailed planning and control. This means constant monitoring and hands-on management. An intensive sheep producer who does not like manure on his or her shoes should rather not consider this type of production system.

"I have spent many hours in the kraal or with the sheep in grazing camps. The sheep are checked and reviewed on a daily basis.

"In a high-density grazing system such as mine, a balance between animal production and the maintenance and improvement of the available grazing is a priority.

"The main focus is on profit per hectare and optimising the production per hectare, so meticulous planning is called for to allow for sufficient days of grazing, recuperation and regrowth," explains Rossouw.