By Charl van Rooyen
Goat farmers are raving about the Blackberry, a new goat breed developed by Northern Cape farmer Albie Horn. He speaks with great enthusiasm about these glossy black goats as he explains how the new breed came about, here on the Horn family farm Hartebeeshoek near De Aar.
Albie was also one of the pioneers behind the Kalahari Red goat breed – hardy animals that are being described as a major factor in the renaissance of small livestock farming in Africa. He credits his success with developing these new breeds to his ancestors’ deep passion for Boer goats and the variants bred from them over generations.
Albie, who also farms with SA Boer goats and Dorper and White Dorper sheep, always knew he wanted to raise small stock. “My father, Awie, and grandfathers, At Horn and Albertus van Niekerk, as well as their ancestors, all farmed with goats. In my grandparents’ time, they already had brown goats that they milked, though they didn’t have a name for them yet.”
He has had his own herd of goats since he was about 12 years old.
After high school he enrolled for a B.Agric degree at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, majoring in small stock, breeding and genetics, and animal nutrition.
Origins of the Kalahari Red
Albie begins by discussing the development of the Kalahari Red breed, as he followed a similar path with the Blackberry. “I was concerned about the intensification of goat farming, with small kraals and lambing pens to assist weak mothers. My goal was to develop a goat breed that could be farmed like sheep – a breed with strong maternal instincts, hardiness and a uniform brown colour.”
Charl Hunlun, a livestock expert at SA Stud Book and one of Albie’s mentors, encouraged him to focus on the indigenous traits that make goats hardy and excellent mothers. Dr Merida Smuts, animal scientist, agricultural economist and an expert on indigenous goats; and Dr Keith Ramsey, former registrar of Animal Improvement at the Department of Agriculture, also played key roles in shaping his ideas.
Albie began selecting brown goats from hardy indigenous stock that he sourced from all over South Africa and Namibia. These goats were naturally resilient, having had to survive on their own, and exhibited strong maternal instincts. They also remained in their original, unaltered genetic form. “At the time, some farmers already had brown goats, but they were rare, and they did not yet have an official name.”
In 1996, a few farmers raising brown goats came together to establish whether these goats constituted a distinct breed. With funding secured by Dr Smuts, (then Merida Roets) from the International Monetary Fund, large quantities of representative tail hair samples were collected, and DNA testing was conducted. The results confirmed that the genetic variation between the brown goats, traditional Boer goats and other indigenous goat breeds was significant enough to recognise the brown goats as a separate breed.
Albie’s proposed name, Kalahari Red, was unanimously accepted. “‘Kalahari’ reflects the arid region where the breed was primarily developed and where it thrives, and ‘Red’ refers to the colour of both the sand and the goats themselves. It’s also a name that is easy for foreigners to pronounce.”
The Kalahari Red Club was established in 1999.
Blackberry
Albie followed the same approach in the development of the Blackberry, focusing on maternal traits and hardiness. There wasn’t much of a market for black goats in Southern Africa before, he says. Some people would buy them for religious or cultural rituals, but not many. There is, however, significant demand internationally. In countries like China, Japan, Malaysia, Brazil, Argentina, the United States and the United Arab Emirates, black animals are highly sought after for breeding.
Albie developed the Blackberry from black indigenous goats. Essentially, it is a colour variation of the Kalahari Red, and has the same characteristics. Over the course of 20 years, he established a closed herd of about 120 black goats on Hartebeeshoek, selectively breeding black rams and ewes to refine traits such as resilience, strong maternal instincts, meat quality and uniform colouring. The herd consists of five distinct bloodlines to prevent inbreeding.
The name Blackberry came about when Argentine buyers visited the farm to inspect his Kalahari Reds and took notice of the black goats. Awie, thinking on his feet, told them they were Blackberrys – and the name stuck. It was inspired by the dark-coloured berry rather than the smartphone of the same name.
Hardy and fertile
Albie is currently the only breeder producing high-quality Blackberry goats. They have the same desirable meat goat characteristics as the Boer goat, including a body with good length, width and depth for maximum meat yield. The ewes have well-formed udders and teats, strong maternal instincts, and diligently care for their lambs. Both rams and ewes are exceptionally hardy and fertile.
Because he farms extensively, Albie selects for twins. In the Kalahari and Karoo, a ewe cannot successfully raise more than two lambs on natural grazing, especially during times of drought. If a ewe births more than two lambs, supplementation would be necessary – but that would defeat the key principle of extensive farming, Albie says.
The colouration has been so deeply established over generations that all the kids born in Albie’s closed herd are black. Due to the high demand for and value of Blackberry goats, embryos are collected from ewes through flushing and sold as investment opportunities to businesspeople for export. Ewes can fetch up to R50 000, rams up to R100 000, and embryos about R7 000.
Albie stresses that the breed’s appeal goes beyond its colour – it is also prized for its high-quality meat, which is both flavourful and low in cholesterol, making it commercially viable. This stands in stark contrast to the speculative breeding of colour-variant game, which initially fetched astonishing prices but later saw significant declines in value.
New concept
Albie has developed a unique investment model for Blackberry goats. Selected investors provide capital – based on the number of embryos they wish to acquire – through a licensing agreement that includes breeding and marketing the offspring both locally and internationally. The goats remain in the closed herd on Hartebeeshoek. Blackberry goats have a superior genetic standard compared to black goats native to other countries, providing international breeders with an opportunity to improve their herds.
Albie operates his own quarantine station for the export of live goats on the farm Klapogane near Kuruman, about 500 km from Hartebeeshoek. Before export, a state veterinarian inspects the goats to ensure compliance with the animal health protocols of the receiving countries.
Embryo flushing is conducted at registered facilities such as Ramsem in Bloemfontein. Additionally, semen from top rams is collected, frozen, and either exported or sold to local buyers.
Albie personally selects and artificially inseminates (AI) his breeding ewes to ensure continuous genetic progress. During AI, the ewes are hormonally synchronised so they can be inseminated simultaneously with semen from selected breeding rams.
To accelerate genetic improvement, Albie also performs embryo flushing on his top ewes. The fertilised embryos are implanted into recipient goat ewes, which can be of any breed.
These days, embryos are split, and two embryos are implanted into each recipient ewe. This delicate process begins with the hormonal stimulation of the donor ewe to induce superovulation. She is then artificially inseminated. After 12 days, the embryos are flushed from her uterine horns and transferred to the recipient ewe’s uterus. The recipient ewe is also hormonally prepared to ensure her uterus is receptive to the embryos.
Popularity
The Kalahari Red, much like red beef cattle, remains highly popular in Southern Africa and is also in demand internationally. “The Kalahari Red is playing a key role in the resurgence of small livestock farming in Africa,” Albie says. “Demand is so high that we cannot yet keep up.”
These goats are well-pigmented, allowing them to tolerate the sun better and graze for longer periods during the day, which leads to higher daily weight gains. Their hardiness is further enhanced by their short coat, which makes it difficult for ticks to attach.
Some Kalahari Reds have shown resistance to heartwater disease, a trait with significant economic value. Further research is urgently needed to understand and develop this resistance. In a recent development, Brazil has adjusted its import protocols to allow the import of these goats. “Supply and demand dictate the price, and Kalahari Reds continue to fetch strong prices.”
At a recent major auction in Pretoria, Albie’s top-quality ewes sold for between R10 000 and R18 000, and rams averaged R38 500. The highest-priced ram fetched R78 000.
“Many farmers are seeking alternative ventures, especially following the sharp decline in demand for colour-variant game and the impact of listeriosis on the pork industry. Goat farming offers a viable solution, as most farmers already have the necessary infrastructure,” Albie says.
Similar breed standards
The breed standards for Boerbok, Kalahari Red and Blackberry are similar, focusing on key meat goat traits such as conformation, fertility and hardiness. Albie places strong emphasis on production in his selection and breeding process to ensure that ewes are highly fertile and lamb regularly under extensive farming conditions. Well-developed teats and udders are essential, allowing lambs to nurse easily and reducing the risk of lamb mortality.
The animals have to meet strict minimum production requirements. “Fertility is measured by how frequently ewes lamb. They must produce multiple offspring consistently. Our current lambing rate is 180%, with a weaning rate of 160%, which is excellent for the extensive conditions of the Upper Karoo. This applies to both the Blackberrys and the Kalahari Reds.”
Albie expects the demand for goat meat, or chevon, to keep rising. It is popular in international markets, and its lower cholesterol content compared to other meats makes it an increasingly appealing choice for consumers.
Franchising takes intensive production to the next level
Albie developed the Lambco franchise for intensive goat and sheep farming. The concept has already attracted significant interest from businesspeople and government, as it presents an opportunity to empower black farmers. While it follows some of the same principles as intensive slaughter lamb production with sheep, it differs in that Albie offers a ready-to-operate business model – a turnkey solution – that includes an abattoir, among other key components.
The franchise encompasses the entire value chain, from lamb production to slaughtering, butchering, and packaging meat and offal, as well as the processing of hides and wool. This integrated approach creates numerous job opportunities. Albie sees it as a model that could help the government accelerate progress on land reform.
A two-hectare plot is sufficient for intensive farming with up to 1 000 goats or sheep. A single farmer, a consortium of farmers or a company can buy the franchise, after which Albie establishes the necessary infrastructure. The package includes hardware and software, housing, water and feed troughs, and equipment such as scales and electronic ear tags. These ensure proper identification through computer-based systems, meeting the stringent requirements for 100% traceability in meat exports.
A unit for 1 000 sheep or goat ewes costs R9 million, and a system with 5 000 ewes about R50 million. This includes the ewes, all infrastructure, hardware and software for a computer management system, and training. He estimates the return on equity at 35%. Lambco remains the service provider to ensure optimal production and profitability. To this end, it provides training, high-value feed and general management.
The concept requires a high-protein feed. To meet this need, the farmer must produce green feed by planting rye in climate-controlled containers. Once harvested, the rye is fed to the ewes. Additionally, Albie provides balanced rations that include pellets made from lucerne and maize.
The farmer becomes part of a support system where producers work together to maintain consistent production standards. Lambco handles the sales. Each franchisee enters into a contract with Albie to supply a specified number of lambs at set intervals.
“The goal is to produce high-value slaughter lambs,” he explains. “My company will process the carcasses and package the meat.” He will also handle the sale of wool if a farmer chooses to raise wool sheep.
Another aspect of the concept is selling ewes to other farmers, with suppliers receiving a price above the slaughter value. Because the system operates in isolation, it qualifies as a quarantine area, allowing for the export of semen and embryos.
Government has already committed to supporting the system, Albie says, due to its strong potential for agricultural production, value-added processing and job creation.
Albie has already approved several units. “The plan is to establish a main centre in each region, surrounded by smaller production hubs.” The model could even be expanded internationally, as global demand for small livestock continues to grow.
Enquiries: Albie Horn, 083 440 1355; albiehorn@telkomsa.net
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