The Blom brothers, Robert and

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1 Robert with some of his Ayrshire cows. Love is the main ingredient By Marike Brits The Blom brothers, Robert and Louis, run three successful branches on the farm Rhenosterfontein, just outside Bredasdorp in the Southern Cape. They are both responsible for the crop enterprise which covers 900 hectares planted with wheat, barley, canola and oats. Louis is responsible for the sheep, a commercial Dohne Merino flock of animals, and Robert uses his talents to manage and grow the 140-strong Ayrshire milk cow stud and dairy. The Bloms are continuing a family tradition of farming at Rhenosterfontein, which started back in We ve been farming together for the past 20 years and our partnership has seen the farm going from strength to strength. After all, blood is thicker than water. Farming together also makes it easier for them to diversify and run different branches that actually complement each other and enhance their business. The Melkhout herd The Ayrshire herd was established by the brothers father, Uys Blom, in Robert took over from him in He focused on breeding and gradually bringing in good genetic material. The Melkhout Ayrshire Stud was officially registered in Melkhout Ayrshires are well adapted on the veld. In summer the animals receive a selfmixed ration of hay, silage, lucerne and concentrate. In winter the animals are kept on planted oats pastures in combination with a reduced feed ration. The name originates from the gigantic white melkhout tree, a national monument, situated next to the homestead. While Robert still uses the best genetics from America and Canada to add new genetics to the stud, he also breeds his own bulls. He is proud about the fact that Taurus purchased one of his homebred Melkhout bulls about a year ago. This was a first for us and something I would like to see happening more often. Volume rather than content When it comes to selection criteria, Robert focuses on high production rather than high butterfat and protein percentages. We supply Ayrshire milk to a processor who sells the product as fresh drinking milk. Therefore the percentage of solids is not that important. They are paid per litre and the milk therefore only has to comply with a minimum percentage of solids. Their income is therefore influenced by volume. The two aspects don t necessarily work against each other, but you get bulls whose progeny performs solely in terms of percentage solids while others achieve high volumes. We select for volume. Longevity is also important to Robert. To me production and longevity go hand in hand. It is important that a cow maintains her production over as many lactations as possible. It is a fact that very high production often has a negative impact on longevity. 12

2 AT HOME WITH... Melkhout Norman, the bull which Taurus bought in The herd s average production is litres per lactation. According to Robert, this is not very high. But I have cows in the herd that still produce sufficiently in their eighth, ninth or tenth lactation. It is important to maintain a balance between longevity and milk production. I would rather milk a cow that produces to litres continuously for eight lactations, than a cow which peaks at litres in one lactation and collapses in the next. With rising production costs and low producer prices putting pressure on dairy farmers and farmers at large, agriculturalists are increasingly trying to produce more with less. Robert says it is something he also strives to do, but a fine balance must be maintained in order to ensure sustainable production. If production per cow is too high, you sometimes end up in a situation where you have to cull half your herd every year. Because you always have to sacrifice something, it is important to try and achieve the correct balance. Balanced breed The Ayrshire truly is a balanced breed, both with regard to conformation and milk. Ayrshire milk has average butterfat and protein percentages, making their milk tasty and healthy to drink. This is why our retailer is spending a lot of money on the marketing of Ayrshire milk and is prepared to pay a premium for it. It is an easy breed to farm with and will achieve relatively high production figures without chewing away your profits. The breed also has a meat component. When you cull dry cows or feed and sell steers, you can achieve a reasonable income. The most important advantage is that I am fond of the breed. You can have success with anything if you love it. A farmer who likes his Jerseys will fare just as well. The same applies to someone with a passion for Friesians. In my case, I am fond of Ayrshires. Marketing platform Robert inherited two fancies from his father a love for the Ayrshire breed and a love for shows. He often shows his stud animals and they perform well. The Melkhout Stud delivered the champion heifer and reserve champion young cow at the Heidelberg Show in February 2013, and champion heifer and champion senior cow at the September 2013 Agri Mega Week. I have sold several bulls and heifers through our attendance of shows. And in this lies the value. A show is one of the best marketing platforms available, especially for breeders in the dairy industry. Apart from its marketing value, shows also have great value as a meeting place for breeders. When all the breeders animals are together in one place, you can see the route they are following. It always helps to look at other animals to see whether you are on the right track. One is born with a passion for showing. I have been attending shows for nearly 20 years and have seen many people who don t really want to participate in shows and seldom achieve success. Showing takes a lot of time and effort and must necessarily become one of your passions. But just as important is that you have to show animals that can produce on the farm. It often happens that a cow which performs exceptionally well at a show, cannot do her job on the farm. I therefore try to keep the animals as natural as possible when preparing them for a show. It is easy to disguise weak points with good preparation, but it gives the wrong impression. Farmers should press ahead Robert says dairy farmers must not lose hope during the weak cycles in the industry. It isn t easy to leave the dairy industry. Because few farmers are entering the industry at the moment, it is difficult to sell your whole herd. Farmers must be ready for the time when the market improves. They have to guard against unnecessary capital expenses and rather focus on high production with what they already have. He believes that a shortage in the market is due, because there are fewer dairy farmers producing for the market. This, combined with marketing opportunities in neighbouring countries, will see us into a positive turn. Carry on with the genetics you already have in your herd, and you will be ready when the market turns. If you leave the industry now, it will be almost impossible to return and make a profit. SB Issue 38 May

3 Miljoene rande word deesdae vir uitsonderlike buffels betaal. Smokkelaars kan egter sulke diere se waarde na n vleisprys afdwing deurdat hulle diere waarvan die gesondheidstatus verdag is, onwettig die land inbring. Inligtingstelsels kan smokkelhandel kniehalter Deur Andries Gouws Die gefragmenteerdheid van die Suid-Afrikaanse natuurlewebedryf is een van die grootste probleme wat wildboere in die gesig staar, omdat die bedryf nou n produksiebeen (landbou) en bewaringsarm (omgewingsake) het. Die feit dat die nege provinsies se natuurbewaringsafdelings en landboudepartemente nie n stelsel het om sake binne die bedryf te koördineer nie, vererger die probleem. Dr Kobus du Toit, wildveearts en bedryfsraadgewer, sê die situasie bring mee dat die regulerende liggame van dié twee departemente sowel as die veeartsenykundige dienste uit 27 onafhanklike eenhede bestaan wat met mekaar moet kommunikeer. Voeg die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens by en daar is uiteindelik sowat 36 onafhanklike liggame. n Nasionale bate Die probleem moet op nasionale vlak hanteer word om die wildlewe, wat n nasionale bate is, te bestuur. n Nasionale inligtingstelsel, wat deur n onafhanklike trust bestuur word, kan die probleem grootliks oplos en dit baie maklik maak om ongerymdhede tydig waar te neem en te ondersoek. In werklikheid is die inligtingstelsel of databasis reeds daar. Dit is ten volle ontwikkel, betaal en by die internasionale ouditeursfirma Deloitte en Touche gesetel, waar die inligting agter slot en grendel gehou sal word. Dit lyk net asof die politieke wil ontbreek om die stelsel te begin gebruik en te laat werk, sê Kobus. Hy sê hoe duurder skaarswild raak en hoe gesogter renosterhoring vir mense is, hoe groter raak die versoeking om bestaande regulasies en wetgewing te oortree en onwettig handel te dryf. As n florerende smokkelbedryf eers gevestig is, is daar n groter gevaar dat siektes soos bek-en-klouseer en korridorsiekte op enige plek kan uitbreek. Trouens, ek dink ons het klaar die punt bereik waar die vraag nie is of die siektes gaan uitbreek nie, maar eerder wanneer. As dit gebeur, sal die duur buffels en ander skaarswild waarvoor telers nou miljoene rande betaal, bloot n jagwaarde of selfs vleiswaarde kry. Wat erger is, as die siektes in gebiede uitbreek waar intensief (byvoorbeeld met vrugte en groente) geboer word, sal daardie produkte in baie gevalle ook nie uitgevoer kan word nie. Dit is tog interessant dat wetgewing bestaan om al die misdrywe te beheer wat met die onwettige handel en smokkelary van wild gepaard gaan, maar dat dit weens swak kommunikasie baie moeilik is om te sien wanneer moontlike ongerymdhede plaasvind en dit dan te ondersoek. Al die inligting moet verskaf word, want dit word nie in een sentrale databasis gehou nie. n Sentrale stelsel Dit alles sal saamgevat word in sewe datastelsels binne die nasionale databasis, soos n wildsensus, teenstropingsinligting, n jag- en taksidermie-register, n DNS-biobank en inligting oor veeartse se medisyneregisters en siektebeheer. Die stelsels sal elektronies met mekaar verbind wees. Dit sal dit moontlik maak om met Dr Kobus du Toit. 14

4 OP BESOEK... die druk van n knoppie te kan sien hoeveel wild waar is, hoe wild verskuif word, hoeveel middels n veearts gebruik of voorskryf, ens. Die inligting van n individu word egter beskerm, net soos die boer se inligting by die Ontvanger van Inkomste vertroulik is. Dit word nou deur permit- en aantekeningstelsels beheer, maar dié inligting is nie op n sentrale punt beskikbaar nie, wat dit moeilik en tydrowend maak om onreëlmatighede op te spoor. Met n sentrale inligtingstelsel sal n mens maklik kan sien as n boer skielik baie meer diere as normaalweg laat jag, as baie diere skielik in n streek vrek, of as n veearts skielik self buitengewoon baie middels gebruik om wild mee te verdoof of baie van die middels voorskryf in n spesifieke gebied. Dit op sigself is nie noodwendig n misdaad nie, maar dit kan n rooi lig laat flikker. Dié stelsel kan soos n doeltreffende polisiemag werk. As jy niks verkeerd doen nie, is dit jou vriend en beskermer, maar vir die misdadiger raak dit n probleem. Met dié inligting sentraal beskikbaar, behoort permitte vir boere vinniger uitgereik te kan word, sal akkurate inligting beskikbaar gestel word wanneer voorleggings aan internasionale bewaringsinstellings gedoen moet word en kan dit polisie-ondersoeke na wilddiefstal, renosterstropery en die skuldigbevinding van oortreders deur howe vergemaklik. So n stelsel sal noodsaaklik wees as die handel in renosterhoring gewettig word om te bewys watter horing is van watter renoster geoes, meen Kobus. Misdadigers se slim planne En hy suig nie alles uit sy duim nie. Ondersoeke het aan die lig gebring dat skaarswild met vliegtuie in die nag uit buurlande ingesmokkel word en daar word beweer dat mikroskyfies wat in n renoster se horing ingesit is, al in ander renosters se horings gekry is. Hoe duurder die wild raak, hoe groter gaan die versoeking word om gesogte diere op onwettige maniere te bekom. Met so n inligtingstelsel kan die bedryf homself bestuur. Met die belegging wat wildboere gemaak het, behoort hulle druk op hul organisasies uit te oefen om Daar word beweer dat swartwitpense snags met vliegtuie uit buurlande na Suid-Afrika gebring word. Sulke smokkelhandel kan diere soos hierdie feitlik waardeloos maak as siektes uitbreek. so n stelsel aan die werk te kry. Wild het betreklik onlangs eers n waarde begin kry toe boere teen die einde van die vorige eeu eienaarskap van die diere gekry het. Kobus sê dit is interessant dat, sover bekend, die eerste wildplaas in 1837 deur Alexander van der Byl op die plaas Nacht Wacht sowat 10km buite Bredasdorp gevestig is. Hy het sowat hektaar toegespan en 27 bontebokke daar gevestig. In 1873 het 200 boere met 300 plase in die Staatskoerant laat afkondig dat hulle die wild op hul plase beskerm. Die plase was in die omgewing van Lydenburg, die Waterberge, Pretoria en Wakkerstroom. Toentertyd, van ongeveer 1851 tot 1930, het talle mense voltyds gejag en n lewe uit die verkoop van wildprodukte gemaak. Trouens, baie wild is toe uitgeroei om plek te maak vir die vestiging van veeplase. Afname in wildgetalle Runderpes het ook n groot invloed op wildgetalle gehad. Tussen 1888 en 1902 is miljoene stuks vee en wild aan dié siekte dood. Om sake te vererger, is wild op groot skaal uitgeroei om tropiese veesiektes te bekamp. Die redenasie was dat wild draers van dié siektes was, wat deur die tsetsevlieg oorgedra is. Daar word beraam dat daar teen 1966 net sowat stuks wild in Suid-Afrika oor was. Sedert 1964 het veegetalle op plase dramaties begin afneem en het boere uiteindelik van 4,2 miljoen beeste, 11,7 miljoen skape, 2,1 miljoen bokke (in totaal 18 miljoen stuks vee) ontslae geraak. Van dié ruimte is deur wild opgeneem. Sedert die begin van die vorige eeu is diere hoofsaaklik in nasionale wildtuine en reservate bewaar, en is mettertyd begin met die teel van skaarswild. Vanaf 1981 het privaat wildboere toenemend n groter rol in wildbewaring begin speel, en sedert die draai van die eeu het die pryse vir skaarswild die hoogte begin inskiet en het die bedryf behoorlik vlam gevat. Die bedryf het nou gegroei tot n reus met n monetêre waarde van R10 miljard of meer. Dit is nie net voordelig vir enkelinge nie, maar hou n bedryf met talle vertakkings in stand wat duisende werksgeleenthede skep en n groot voordeel vir die land se ekonomie inhou. Daarom is dit noodsaaklik dat iets dringend gedoen moet word om dit te beskerm en volhoubaar te laat voortbestaan, sê Kobus. Logix Wild is die antwoord SA Stamboek het reeds die behoeftes van die wildbedryf raakgesien en sy omvattende aantekeningstelsel aangepas om ten volle aan die behoeftes van dié bedryf te voorsien. Wildboere wat op Logix aanteken, is deel van n volledige inligtingstelsel wat sentraal gesetel is en alle aspekte van wildboerdery aanspreek, insluitend die lokaliteit, naspeurbaarheid, siekte- en gesondheidsbestuur, stambome, oorsprong en ekotipes, DNAprofiele en elektroniese identifikasie, gebruik van middels vir behandeling, n register van veeartse en ander persone wat metings op wild doen of behandelings toepas, metings van ekonomiese waarde (soos horing- en ander mates) en nog heelwat meer. Stamboek se sentrale aantekeningstelsel is ook die enigste van sy soort vir wild in Suid-Afrika wat internasionale akkreditasie geniet. Vir meer inligting, kontak dr Helena Theron by helena@studbook.co.za. SB Issue 38 May

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6 AT HOME WITH... Balance is the Weska way of life By Marike Brits The Weska Dohne Stud will celebrate its 30th birthday in Since its inception, this Dohne stud has had several achievements and built a reputation for animals with outstanding best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) breeding values and a balanced ratio between wool and meat traits. One of the biggest challenges for farmers in the Overberg is to achieve and maintain a balance between sheep and grain farming, says Boeta Wessels of Kars River, Bredasdorp. Boeta is at the helm of the Weska Stud, which was established in 1974 by Jurie Wessels. Besides the sheep farming enterprise at Kars River, they also plant cash crops on approximately hectares. Apart from the Weska Dohne Stud, they also have approximately commercial ewes. Of course the three farming branches don t operate independently of each other, as fodder is produced for the sheep and the commercial flock is constantly being improved with genetics from the stud flock. The stud consists of 800 ewes. Boeta says his father chose the Dohne Two prime examples of the outstanding dual-purpose rams bred by Weska Dohnes. Merino breed because he identified a good balance between wool and meat traits in this breed. Dohne Merino ewes also exhibit extremely good mothering abilities. These two traits are therefore the focus of Boeta s selection targets. A good mother When it comes to numbers, lambing percentages are important because a farmer wants ewes on his farm that add value to his farming enterprise. Boeta agrees, but adds that good weaning percentages are equally important. It is of no value if a ewe maintains a lambing percentage of 200, but she isn t able to raise her lambs. Reproduction traits and a ewe s ability to raise her lambs are the selection criteria that carry the most weight for Boeta. To me it is important to firstly select for reproduction and mothering traits in order to ensure that outstanding lamb and weaning percentages can be maintained in the stud. The latter has a direct influence on your income. You can perform stricter selection, also in respect of other criteria, if you have more lambs to select from. Issue 38 May

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8 AT HOME WITH... One of the biggest challenges of the region is to find an optimal balance between sheep and grain farming. Not only should an ewe be able to raise her lamb, but she must have enough milk to raise vigorous lambs. A ram with a mother who raised six lambs after three matings, each with a growth index of 108%, will be considered strongly as a breeding ram. To Boeta ewes that have proved themselves in this respect, are valuable. I usually have a replacement percentage of 25%, but will easily keep an older ewe on the farm for another season or two if she is in a good condition and has shown that she has outstanding lamb and weaning percentages. Farmers usually say that you should only keep an ewe on your farm for four to five years. Boeta agrees, but says that in exceptional cases he will bend the rule in order to get a sixth or seventh season s lambs, thus entrenching excellent features even more into the stud. When I cull old ewes, I also look for top ewes in the cull group. If I find one, I perform embryo flushing in order to make sure that more of her progeny remains in the stud, he says. Lambing pens give control Of course more factors play a role in weaning percentage than only the ewe s ability to raise lambs. Weather is just one of these factors. In a bid to excercise more control over these external factors, Boeta started using lambing pens two years ago and recorded an increase of 15 to 20% in the weaning percentage. The ewes still lamb in the veld, but a couple of days prior to lambing we put them in pens that we erect on the pastures. Not only are the ewes and lambs protected better, but it is also easier to mark the animals. The lambing pens were implemented because the lambing season from February to March is dry. We used to approach the herd with the bakkie during the lambing season in order to feed them, which meant that the ewes and their lambs were easily separated. For recordkeeping and marking, as well as the wellbeing of the lambs, it is much better to have ewes lambing in the pens. Our stud lambing season is in February/March and again in July/August. I use tested rams that are twelve months old in my stud and commercial flock. In this way I double the value of the rams and always use young rams in the flock. Numbers versus the eye Boeta has been using BLUP breeding values for a long time and has drawn much value from it. We weigh the lambs at about 100 days and then send in all the data. The results are valuable, especially in respect of my focus on reproduction and mothering abilities. While it is an excellent measuring tool, it remains important that not too much emphasis is placed on numbers and that other issues are not neglected. For example, you should not focus on BLUP values only and ignore an animal s physical properties. It is important to maintain a balance. Commercial farmers want to see good numbers if they buy a ram from you, but they also want a ram with good conformation another reason to focus on numbers and physical properties. I tell commercial farmers to look at the numbers of the ram s mother in order to also consider genetic traits such as reproduction and mothering ability. It is important and can help you to select a better ram. Wool and meat It is important that physical properties are not forgotten during selection, Boeta says. This is exactly where his focus on the balance between wool and meat traits is important. Weska animals must look good, must walk easily, be broad at the front and rear, and carry enough meat. Although physical evaluations of dams might be useful, it is important to remember that the performance of the dam is already taken into account for breeding value estimations. He says the Dohne Merino has very good white wool. The average micron of the Weska Dohne clip has improved from 21 micron to 18,6 and 19,5 micron within ten years. By focusing on better wool, without abandoning other important traits, I was able to lower the average micron within ten years by two micron without having to sacrifice body weight. Wool still yields a good income, and therefore we can t have animals that don t carry enough wool. I therefore aim for an average wool production percentage (WPP) of between 5 and 6%. If you move to a higher WPP, you will most certainly lose vitality. The advantage of such a balanced dual-purpose breed is that you can spread your risk and income. If the wool market is low, you ll probably receive a good income from the meat. And if the meat market isn t good, you can always rely on your wool cheque. SB Issue 38 May

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10 Dis die ekonomiese eienskappe wat tel Ferrero Bonsmaras van Kietwiet Ferreira en sy seuns kom al van 1982 af, toe Kiewiet se skoonpa, Kerneels Labuschagne wat by Thabazimbi geboer het, onverwags aan n hartaanval oorlede is. Kiewiet het sy Afrikanerkudde oorgeneem en aanvanklik Simmentalerbulle op hulle gebruik. Op hierdie kruise het hy deurgaans Bonsmarabulle gebruik en die stoet opgebou tot die uiters funksionele kudde wat dit vandag is. Die Ferreiras boer op die plaas Grootdraai in die Eeram-omgewing by Harrismith in die Vrystaat. Die boerdery bestaan uit aartappels, mielies, suikerbone, koring, appels en beeste. Hulle het, afgesien van die stoetkudde, ook n groot kommersiële kudde. Ons boerdery, verduidelik Kiewiet, is in wese n familieboerdery en ons boer vanjaar reeds 30 jaar op die plaas Grootdraai. My twee oudste seuns, Theo en Nelius, is reeds tien jaar saam met my op die plaas, terwyl Johan vanjaar by ons aangesluit het. Een van die uitdagings wat hulle nou in die gesig staar, sê Nelius, is om die familieboerdery só te struktureer dat dit loopbane aan die volgende geslag Ferreiras, wat nou op pad skool toe is, sal kan bied. Ons mikpunt is dus om nou die nodige strukture te vestig waarbinne sinvolle uitbreiding kan plaasvind, hetsy horisontaal of vertikaal. Beeste Vandat ons die boerdery in 1984 Vrystaat toe geskuif het, het ons deurgaans n winter- en somerdekseisoen gehandhaaf. In beide dekseisoene het ons baie swaar van kunsmatige inseminasie (KI) gebruik gemaak, in later jare in die besonder van Arthur de Villiers se genetika. In 2005 het ons byvoorbeeld n seun van die bekende AG98-338, met die nommer AG02-220, vir die hoogste prys op n veiling gekoop en sterk in ons kudde gebruik. Twee ander Kiewiet Ferreira met Theo links van hom en Nelius regs. 338-seuns, AG en AG04-61, is ook in die kudde gebruik. Omdat 338 so baie in die ras gebruik is, het ons ook n onverwante lyn van die 338-lyn, AG05-439, sterk gebruik. Ander telers van wie hulle ook genetika gebruik het, was John Liechti, Gerhard Brönn, Lawrence Ralfe en Fourie Scheepers. Ons is veral opgewonde oor ons nuutste toevoeging van die Ralfe-familie se LAR tot ons genetiese poel, sê Kiewiet. Vandag is ons kudde bekend vir sy eenvormigheid in tipe en ons selekteer baie sterk vir vrugbaarheid. Ons is van die min telers wat elke Fase D-bul met sonar vir die vleiseienskappe van marmering, oogspiergrootte en sagtheid meet. Die oogspiermeting doen ons nou al vir lank, en die resultaat van seleksie op grond van goeie oogspiergrootte is n lekker breë bees. Dis een van die kenmerke van ons beeste hulle breedte en diepte. Ons glo dis wat die mark wil hê. Ons besef dat die mark neig om aan groter diere prioriteit te gee, maar ons is ook terdeë bewus daarvan dat mens veral hier op die Oostelike Hoëveld baie versigtig moet wees vir té groot diere. Deur Izak Hofmeyr Hulle het onlangs weer hul eie statistieke ontleed van hoe verskillende raamgrootte-diere in hul kudde gevaar het, en dis baie duidelik dat die doeltreffendste en mees ekonomiese koei n dier is van ongeveer 500kg. Om dus die mark se vraag na n groot, sterk dier te bevredig sonder om diere te teel wat nie optimaal ekonomies is nie, sê Nelius, bly n voortdurende balanseertoertjie. Hul definisie van n groot, sterk dier is n dier met n groot sprong van rib en baie goeie diepte en lengte. Dis nie die hoë dier met lang bene nie. Ons soek n koei wat n speenkalf van tussen 230 en 260kg gee, want dit is wat die kommersiële beesboere hier in die Oos-Vrystaat wil hê. Seleksie by speen Die afgelope twee jaar het hulle hul eie afsnypunt vir die seleksie van kalwers tydens speen opgeskuif, sodat alles onder n 92-indeks nou uitgeskot word. Verder gebruik hulle die koeikalf gewigsverhouding as volgende seleksiemaatstaf, en hulle selekteer niks met n verhouding laer as 46% nie. Omdat hulle twee speenseisoene het, is hulle Issue 38 May

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12 OP BESOEK... twee weke om net kalm te raak voordat hulle inkom om met die Fase D-toets te begin. Dan kyk ons hulle weer deeglik deur en ons haal weer n klompie uit wat nie aan ons standaarde voldoen nie. Op die ou end neem ons in die somer sowat 90 bulletjies Fase D-toets toe en in die winter sowat 60. Van hulle bly ongeveer die helfte oor, wat as bulle oorweeg word. Van die beste bulletjies word dan direk in ons eie kudde gebruik, en ons selekteer nog verder sodat net n klein groepie van ongeveer 35 van die allerbeste bulletjies oorbly, wat op die ou end in Augustus op ons produksieveiling aangebied word. Die teelbul AJF effens meer toegeeflik in die winter omdat die kalwers nie in die winter so goed doen soos in die somer nie. Die finale seleksiemaatstaf is n visuele evaluasie, wat hulle as uiters belangrik beskou. Tot op hierdie punt word bulletjies en versies oor dieselfde kam geskeer, maar tydens die visuele evaluasie word die geslagte geskei. By versies moet ons spesifiek oplet om nie te veel bespiering toe te laat nie. Omdat oogspieromvang een van ons seleksiemaatstawwe is, bestaan die gevaar dat bespiering oordrewe kan Die koei AJF05-13 saam met haar drie maande oue kalf. raak. Daarteen moet ons waak. By die sterker verse selekteer ons baie streng vir vulvagrootte. As n sterk vers enigsins neig na n klein vulva, word sy onmiddellik uitgegooi. Aan die bulletjies se kant kan al die indekse en die koei-kalf verhouding reg wees, maar as die dier nie visueel aan hulle vereistes voldoen nie, is hy uit. Bulletjies moet van jongs af potensiaal toon dat hulle al die eienskappe van n goeie volgroeide bul kan besit. Ná speen loop die bulletjies sowat Bestuur van verse Wat die verse betref, gaan hulle ná speen terug veld toe waar hulle dan verder uitgroei. In die verlede is hulle op 18 maande gepaar, maar hulle is al vir die afgelope paar jaar meer intensief op n 14 maande-paarstelsel, waar die verse se gewig (ongeveer 280 tot 320kg) n groot rol speel. Op 12 maande word pelvismetings gedoen en die onderste 15% verse word uitgehaal. Pelvismetings word reeds vir sowat ses jaar gedoen, en dit lei definitief tot n positiewe uitwerking op kalwingsgemak. By die verse wat reeds op 14 maande gepaar word, is daar egter steeds sporadies kalwingsprobleme. Dit is te verstane, gegewe die ouderdom van die versies. Omdat ons ook heelwat vroulike diere aan die bedryf beskikbaar stel, is dit belangrik dat ons nie verse met klein pelvisse aanbied nie. Daarom is dit belangrik om tydens pelvismetings telkens die onderste 15% uit te haal. Verse wat op 14 maande gepaar word, het n 60 dae-dekseisoen. As hulle nog nie dragtig is nie, gaan hulle na die 18-maande groep vir nog 60 dae by die bul. As hulle daar ook nie dragtig raak nie, word hulle uitgeskot. Die toekoms? Nelis sê: Ons beste bul is die bul wat ons volgende gaan teel en ons beste koei is die koei wat die volgende beste bul gaan teel. Ons mikpunt is om een van die beste aankooppunte vir enige SB beesprodusent in Suid-Afrika te wees. Issue 38 May