By Maile Matsimela
“Our main business is not producing meat; we are into breeding,” says Dr Dolce Motsepe of Brothers Farm Livestock and Crops. While many goat farmers prefer to focus on immediate meat production, Motsepe’s strategic positioning in the value chain represents a profound understanding of where the real opportunities in goat farming lie.
He recognised the foundation of any successful goat farming operation begins with superior genetics. This insight has transformed his Brothers Farm Livestock and Crops from a local operation into a genetics hub that exports breeding stock to Ghana, Zimbabwe, Malawi and numerous other African nations.
“We focus on breeding rather than meat production, catering to farmers who wish to improve their goat genetics,” explains Motsepe as we take a walk around his recently acquired 23-hectare farm in Moloto, Gauteng.
Building From the Ground Up
Dr Motsepe is refreshingly honest about where his operation stands today and where he sees it heading. “We started in this goat farming industry three years ago. We don’t consider ourselves commercial yet, but we are growing daily,” he explains with the confidence of someone who has already achieved remarkable success in a relatively short time.
The scope of his vision becomes clear as he elaborates on his breeding philosophy: “So, we sell breeding stock. We sell to farmers who want to improve their genetics. That’s our main business. Our main business is to produce quality Boer goat genetics and sell breeding animals to fellow farmers”.
Why Boer Goats Dominate the Market
When it comes to breed selection, Motsepe’s choice is both strategic and market driven. “The main focus mainly is Boer goats. That’s what sells. That’s what the market wants. As for Kalahari goats, we’re just doing it as a hobby. The sales part of the Kalahari goats is not as good compared to Boer goats,” he states as a matter of fact.
Motsepe’s decision to focus on Boer goats stems from their proven performance advantages in key areas that matter most to farmers. “We chose Boer goats because of their growth rate. You can grow Boer goats in a very short space of time. The meat quality, obviously. The carcass, obviously. The weight. That’s what we mainly focus. But we are not into meat production. We are into breeding.”
Meet Caesar: The Star of the Show
Walking through the farm, Motsepe introduces us to the star of his breeding programme. “Caesar is our head sire here at Brothers Farm Livestock and Crops. He’s the one that we use for our studs,” he says with evident pride. “He’s a pure blood, top quality Boer goat.”
Caesar’s role in the operation cannot be overstated. As the primary breeding male, this magnificent animal represents the genetic foundation upon which Motsepe has built his reputation for quality across the African continent.
Continental Success and Export Markets
Motsepe’s export success demonstrates the continental impact of his breeding programme. “We export to Ghana, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and the likes of Lesotho and Swaziland,” he explains, noting that “Boer goats are doing very well on the continent.” The demand across these markets reinforces his confidence in the industry: “It’s working in our favour. The interest is there. The market is doing quite well. And I encourage more farmers to venture into the goat industry.”
His approach to pricing and market positioning reflects his understanding of value creation through quality. “Because no one controls our prices, I can charge whatever buyers are willing to pay for quality if I produce exceptional breeding animals – and they pay well for superior genetics.”
The Numbers Game and Farm Management
His business philosophy is grounded in fundamental economics: “Like in any other industry, it’s all about the numbers. The more animals you have, the more profit you’re going to make.”
Motsepe has developed a rotational grazing system that maximises his land’s potential while maintaining traditional free-range practices.
“We’ve got enough grazing land on the farm. And then obviously we’ve got sections that we put our goats in. We’ve got special camps that we put our goats in. That way they can graze freely. It helps us to manage where to put our animals at what time of the season so that we don’t have a feed shortage.”
He emphasises the importance of balancing traditional and modern approaches: “It’s very important to also work alongside modern farming practices to eliminate disadvantages that we come across when doing things in a traditional way.”
The results speak for themselves. “We are fortunate. We just moved to this farm and there is enough grazing – we are not even supplementing our animals. They are 100% grazing,” he notes. “We never had mortalities since we came here. So, generally the programme is doing very well.”
Industry Challenges and Infrastructure Gaps
Motsepe is candid about the challenges goat farmers in South Africa are facing, particularly regarding processing infrastructure. “Most of the abattoirs are privately owned and small-scale. They’re not government facilities or anything like that. I can’t count more than ten in Gauteng that I know of.”
He also addresses the market education challenge: “It’s only now that people are more interested in the meat. We need to get more information to the people, like the advantages of eating goat meat.”
What the Industry Needs to Thrive
When discussing what the industry needs to grow, Motsepe is clear about the priorities: “We need land. We need land to expand. It’s very important that we get land allocations, especially for the disadvantaged communities.”
He also emphasises the importance of financial support: “There should be financial support for farmers so that we can expand the industry.”
Motsepe’s optimism about the goat industry is backed by solid market data. “The market is growing. We import from other African countries – we import about 140 000 goats per month. That tells you there’s a demand in South Africa for goat meat. So that’s one of the advantages.”
Diversification and Future Growth
While Boer goats remain his primary focus, Dr Motsepe is also exploring other opportunities. “We specialise in the Boer goats. We’ve also got Savannas, Kalaharis and indigenous goats. But our primary goats are Boer goats.”
Regarding his recent venture into sheep farming, he explains: “The sheep is something we just started. It has an established market, but now we are just experimenting to see where it takes us.”
Throughout our conversation, Motsepe’s confidence in his vision remains unwavering. When asked about his future plans, he simply states: “We’ve got bigger plans going forward.”
Expansion Plans and Growing Demand
Motsepe’s confidence in market demand is backed by substantial investment in expanding his breeding stock. Brothers Farm Livestock and Crops will soon welcome approximately 200 female Boer goats to the operation – a strategic move that reflects the growing demand for quality genetics across his export markets. With Caesar as the head sire and this expanded pool of breeding females, the farm will be well-positioned to meet the increasing demand from farmers seeking superior Boer goat genetics.
His encouragement to other farmers reflects his belief in the industry’s potential: “I encourage more farmers to also venture into the goat industry.”
Knowledge Sharing and Training Programmes
Beyond breeding and supplying genetics, Motsepe is committed to sharing his knowledge with the broader farming community through structured training programmes. Brothers Farm Livestock and Crops also offers online Boer goat training courses that cover essential aspects of successful goat farming, from animal selection and breeding techniques to nutrition and health management.
“We provide comprehensive training that includes Boer goat qualities and selection, maintenance, breeding, nutrition and animal health,” explains Motsepe, noting that the programme comes with a 12-month mentorship to properly equip farmers with the knowledge and skills to maximise their success.
Building a Legacy Through Superior Genetics
Motsepe’s approach to goat farming represents more than just a successful business model – it’s a vision for transforming goat farming through superior genetics. With Caesar leading his breeding programme and his own strategic focus on genetics over meat production, he has created a model that other farmers across the continent are eager to follow.
His words throughout our conversation reveal a farmer who understands that building a sustainable goat farming enterprise requires looking beyond immediate profits to long-term value creation. Through his focus on breeding and genetics, Motsepe is not just building a successful farm – he’s building a legacy that will improve goat genetics across Africa for generations to come.
