By Johan Norval

The Simmentaler cattle breed likely boasts the champion bull in the Vleissentraal and SA Stud Book bull growth test class for the first time this year, as determined during Bloemskou in Bloemfontein.

Martiens de Jager and his son, Martiens Jr., breeders of the winning bull Gulland Gemmer, say this is the third time their bull has represented the breed and their first win.

The Gulland herd is managed on the farm Vlaknek, located between Koster and Lichtenburg in North West, alongside a mixed farming operation that cultivates wheat and maize mainly for feed, which serves as the source for the farm’s feedlot rations.

The natural veld in the area is predominantly acidic and features many rocky ridges. To achieve optimal growth and yields, they have planted large blocks of Smuts Finger grass in the marginal dryland fields, where it thrives. The planted pasture is fertilised annually with feedlot manure.

Gulland Gemmer comes from some of the stud’s best bloodlines. He is structurally correct, with ample width and capacity. This elite bull moves very comfortably. In 2024, he won his class at the national Simmentaler championship show.

The De Jagers are using him in the herd for his first season and believe he will have a significant impact.

After the winner announcement, Martiens remarked that it was nerve-wracking to be named in the top five alongside the Braunvieh of Gawie and Willem Naudé, the Hugenoot of Henk van Rensburg, the PinZ²yl of Bertie van Zyl (Pty) Ltd., and the Santa Gertrudis of Juan and Marius Freeman. His Simmentaler advanced to the top three after the Santa Gertrudis and the PinZ²yl were eliminated.

The best bulls from 18 cattle breeds participated in the 13th presentation of the bull growth test class. The judges were Willie de Jager, Hans Bester and Heinrich Bruwer.

Vleissentraal rewarded Gert Motumi, Gulland Gemmer’s handler, with a cash prize for his hours of training at Vlaknek.