By Charl van Rooyen
Reproduction, meat production and profitability are the primary goals of cattle farming and farmers must make sure their cow herds are functional efficient, said Sandile Nzuza, breed advisor of Bonsmara SA, during a farmer’s day presented by well-known Bonsmara farmer Nick Serfontein on his farm near Edenville.
He explained that the cow herd will determine his profitability. That is why he must give attention to the following aspects:
- Producing with the lowest possible input in cost, labour and effort.
- Ease of calving in the cow herd.
- Give enough milk to produce a strong weaner calf.
- Weaning 50% of the cow’s weight (called the cow-to-calf ratio).
- Getting pregnant early in the breeding season.
- Selling a marketable product.
Reproduction. This entails functional efficiency, fertility, average feed conversion (AFC), intercalf period (ICP), longevity and adaptability. Only those animals that can breed and survive in a specific environment where they are placed, are of economic importance to a farmer. “It is far more expensive to change the environment in order for animals to survive, than to change or select the right type of animal to adapt in a specific environment,” Nzuza said.
Meat production. The important factors are feeding and supplementing, animal health, veld management and environment.
Profitability. Factors that are relevant in profitability, are breed, environment, production system, market, functional efficiency and minimum input (which leads to maximum output).
Nzuza also mentioned the factors that have an influence on feedlot production and carcass quality, being growth, feed intake, morbidities, mortalities and dressing percentage.
In this regard, the Bonsmara breed has performed brilliantly in the annual South African national carcass competition. From 2010 until 2021 the breed has won the competition for the best single carcass every year and missed out only once in each year for the reserve single carcass champion, group carcass champion and reserve group champion.
Enquiries: 068 191 4616, sandile@bonsmara.co.za
