By Johan Norval
The Northern Cape Veld Ram Projects, now in its second year of collaboration with the Prieska Veld Ram Club, recorded comparatively high average prices for stud animals and breeding ewes during their auction on 6 February at Orange River Feeds in Prieska.
The Northern Cape Veld Ram Projects was established 40 years ago and held its first auction in 1986 in Griekwastad. According to the chairman, Jaco van Rensburg, it was then expanded to Kenhardt and Prieska.
“The project aims to assess potential breeding rams under normal veld conditions as accurately as possible and provide producers with as much information as we can offer.”
They also believe that animals should be bred phenotypically for reproduction rather than based on a specific appearance favoured by breeders. “The significance of an animal’s form was overstated in the past, leading to the neglect of economically important traits such as fertility and growth potential.”
The most expensive Type 5 ram was a White Dorper (2280 23 0287W) from Egbert van Rensburg of the Louis van Rensburg stud farm in Prieska, which sold for R70 000 to Johann van der Colff of Williston.
The average price for T5 Dorper rams was R14 833.33, while Dorper stud rams averaged R13 166.67 and flock rams R11 275.86. The average prices for White Dorpers were as follows: T5 rams R32 666.67, stud rams R10 900, and flock rams R10 388.89. The average price for Boer goat rams was R14 600 (stud) and R8 750 (flock), whereas Van Rooy rams averaged R17 000 (T5), R9 833.33 (stud), and R9 300 (flock).
Average ewe prices were as follows: Dorper R2 280.96, White Dorper R3 048.75, Boer goat R2 000, Meatmaster R2 415.61, Meatmaster ewes with lambs R2 825, Van Rooy R2 443.88, and Van Rooy crosses R2 021.79.
Vleissentraal Port Elizabeth presented the auction. Danie Strauss was the auctioneer.
