The political climate of the early eighties made it impossible for Thubelihle Mthombeni’s dad, David Mthombeni, to pursue his dream of becoming a commercial farmer. Today, however, David – the founder of Gegana Farming – works alongside Thubelihle in a mixed farming enterprise of broilers, cattle, small stock and grains. They have three farms spread over 2,162ha in Greylingstad, Standerton and Evander in Mpumalanga. Thubelihle, who manages operations, spoke with African Farming about what drives the family business.
In 2017, young farmer Thubelihle Mthombeni joined his dad’s farming enterprise full-time after completing a diploma in animal production at Glen Agricultural College in the Free State. Under the watchful eye of his father, David, who founded Gegana Farming in 2003, 26-year-old Thubelihle now manages the family business.
In much the same way that his parents influenced David’s decision to pursue his passion for agriculture, David played a huge role in Thubelihle’s decision to study agriculture. Having the opportunity to work side by side is a dream come true for both of them, according to Thubelihle.
David was born at a time when black people were prohibited from owning land, let alone running businesses on it, but that didn’t stop him from dreaming. “My parents, Daniel and Fuduka Mthombeni, raised me in a way that never let the realities of the time dictate their lives,” says David. His mother ran a small bakery in the township, and his father and grandfather farmed communally. David derived courage from them to pursue his dreams. According to him, his parents taught him to take charge, and be independent, responsible and accountable.
“I am now working with my two sons and I am trying to teach them not to give up if they want to succeed in life,” says David. Thubelihle’s brother, Tholo, is pursuing a BSc in soil science, agronomy and agricultural economics at North-West University.
David, who was born in 1966, had a challenging upbringing like many young people at the time. However, due to the discipline instilled by his parents, he was able to finish school then graduate with a diploma in mechanical engineering. He began working as a mining engineer in Gauteng shortly after graduation. Before starting his own farming business in 2003, he worked for Sasol for several years.
David bought his first farm (448ha) in Evander while still working at Sasol. Two years later, he quit to become a full-time farmer and decided agriculture was the only industry where he could leave a legacy for his family.
“Seeing all of us working together on the farm was always his passion,” says Thubelihle. Today, the family has a herd of 650 cattle and 1 600 hectares of grazing, including 156ha of planted pastures.
Thubelihle manages the three operations under David’s direction, and is primarily responsible for the management of three farms alongside three assistant managers.
“We have two herds with about 320 breeding cows and 13 bulls each; one is a mixed-breed commercial herd and the other is a purebred Bonsmara herd,” he says.
Bonsmara bulls are used in commercial cow herds. Thubelihle praises the Bonsmara breed for its excellent mothering ability, ease of calving, adaptability to African conditions and calm temperament. Weaners are auctioned in Mpumalanga, and the Bonsmara is a leader in producing high-quality weaners, making it the preferred breed by feedlots.
Bulls are prepared three months in advance of mating and fed a production lick. Fertility tests and semen quality tests are conducted on bulls in August before breeding season begins in October. Additionally, they are tested for STDs such as trichomoniasis, which is highly contagious in cattle. “It’s important to check the bulls because this disease often does not show any symptoms. The problem only becomes apparent after the season is over when conception rates are lower than normal,” says Thubelihle. “It can result in a major financial loss since calves must be born year after year.”
Gegana Farming has only one breeding season, which begins in October with the bulls being sent in to run with the cows, and ends in January. According to Thubelihle, this is to ensure his cows calve in the spring and early summer when grazing is plentiful. The cattle are supplemented with winter licks and fed chicken litter from the poultry operation during the winter, from April to August. “I vaccinate my cattle against botulism to avoid any risk of contracting the disease, because chicken litter can cause botulism in cattle,” says Thubelihle. However, he maintains that chicken litter is the cheapest source of protein for his animals.
Thubelihle says they plan to expand from two million broilers a year running eight cycles of 33-34 days to at least five million. The company supplies Astral Foods under a contract. Additionally, they farm 200 SA Mutton Merino sheep and have recently started farming goats.
It’s not easy to run a business of this size, but Thubelihle and his family have embraced the challenges and strive to learn from their mistakes.
Their two main problems are an unreliable electricity supply from Lekwa Local Municipality and high feed costs. “While we have a backup generator in case of power outages, using it increases our fuel costs,” says Thubelihle. Meanwhile, feed is a fixed cost determined by commodity markets and they have little control over it.
He feels it is a major advantage to run a diversified farming business, however, as one operation can benefit another. In addition to using chicken litter for the livestock, he plans to use chicken manure to reduce fertilizer costs in grain production. They plant 540ha of soya beans and yellow maize.
“We also rent out machinery and provide contract planting and harvesting services to our neighbours and other farmers in and around Mpumalanga and Gauteng,” he says.
