Rego Malao, the 2019 Unistel SA Stud Book Developing Stud Breeder of the Year, owns three thriving herds across Rustenburg and Ventersdorp, combining Brahman, Boran and Simbra cattle in a sustainable and profitable enterprise.
By Lebogang Mashala, Editor at African Farming
What started as a detour from the corporate world has become an extraordinary farming journey for Rustenburg-born Regomoditswe “Rego” Malao. After returning home with a degree in industrial psychology, he found that his true calling was in the rugged cattle country of the North West province. Today, Rego is a renowned stud breeder combining Brahman, Boran and Simbra breeds across three farms in Rustenburg and Ventersdorp. Lebogang Mashala spoke to him.
When Regomoditswe “Rego” Malao graduated from university with a degree in industrial psychology, there were no clear job prospects, so he returned to his family’s communal farm, intending to bide his time. But then he found himself falling back into the rhythm of cattle farming, and two decades later, he was honoured as the 2019 Unistel SA Stud Book Developing Stud Breeder of the Year. He owns three thriving herds across two farming districts, combining the best traits of Brahman, Boran and Simbra cattle in a sustainable and profitable enterprise.
Rego’s journey, built on patience, wise breeding choices and a deep respect for the land, demonstrates that resilience and strategic thinking can transform a small beginning into a lasting agricultural legacy.
Born and raised in Rustenburg, North West, Rego grew up in a family where farming wasn’t just a hobby, it was a way of life. His father, an experienced commercial farmer, managed a Brahman herd on a 1 000-hectare CPA farm that the family has owned for over 40 years.
After matriculating in 1995, Rego pursued higher education, earning a BA in industrial psychology from the University of Port Elizabeth (now Nelson Mandela University) and a postgraduate qualification in management from the University of Cape Town. However, job opportunities were limited.
“I started working with my dad, hoping something would come up while passing time with cattle farming,” he recalls. “But this is where my real education took place. My father taught me everything I needed to know, from handling and vaccinating cattle to dehorning and branding.”
The R15 000 that Sparked a Herd
In 2000, Rego’s parents gave each of their children R15 000 in savings. While others might have spent it differently, Rego saw an opportunity. He bought five pregnant Brahman heifers from his father at a discounted price, and his father added two more as a gift.
Those seven heifers formed the foundation of his herd. “I adopted the philosophy of never selling females unless they’re old or there’s something wrong with them,” he says. “That’s what helped my herd grow so quickly.”
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Rego worked full-time on the family farm for seven years before securing his first job outside of the farm.
After five years in employment, he decided to pursue a career in business, with a particular focus on contract mining. At this point, he began to buy more cattle. “Since I was still sharing the farm with my dad and my cattle were increasing, I needed to come up with a plan to prevent overstocking,” he recalls. He purchased his first farm at an auction in Swartruggens, located approximately 40km outside Rustenburg, en route to Mafikeng in the North West. He moved his cattle there, and seeing their rapid growth in numbers, his dad decided to find another farm for his operation. He bought a farm in Ventersdorp and relocated there, leaving the Rustenburg farm to Rego.
When Rego’s father decided to retire, he sold most of his cattle and handed over the farm in Ventersdorp to him. With operations on three farms now, Rego found it increasingly difficult to manage all the travelling. As a solution, he decided to sell the Swartruggens farm and look for another farm in Ventersdorp. This way, he would be situated between Rustenburg and Ventersdorp.
Discovering Borans
Rego’s introduction to the Boran breed happened quite by chance at a livestock auction in Derby, North West. He was impressed by their calm temperament, combined with a reputation for adaptability and resilience, which made an immediate impression, especially on Ventersdorp’s tough highveld conditions where only the hardiest consistently produce off the veld.
He left that auction with his first Boran bull to pair it with Brahman cows back home in Rustenburg. The results were remarkable: vigorous calves that adapted quickly, grew well and displayed the very qualities he had admired. It was enough to persuade Rego to venture into stud breeding, investing in registered Boran females to establish a dedicated herd.
“They adapt exceptionally well to conditions here,” he says. “They tolerate the heat, resist parasites and make the most of the grazing we have. Furthermore, they convert feed efficiently and produce superb meat.”
For Rego, the Boran’s maternal traits are equally important. The cows have strong, well-formed udders and teats, producing ample milk to wean calves weighing more than half their body weight. Their protective nature helps guard against predators, while light birth weights – around 28kg for males and 25kg for females – mean that calving problems are nearly unheard of. “They’re exceptional mothers and their calf survival rates are outstanding,” he adds.
With his herd thriving, Rego looked to expand. His search for more land led him to apply for a lease on a state-owned farm in Ventersdorp. Fortune favoured him; he secured a property not far from his father’s land, positioning himself to develop both his cattle and his legacy.
Starting with Simbras
Rego later expanded his operation by introducing a third breed, the Simbra. “Even before I bought my first Borans, I’d always wanted Simbras,” he recalls. “When I acquired more land, I finally took the opportunity to start a Simbra herd.” This increased his total to three distinct herds: Brahmans in Rustenburg, and Borans and Simbras on separate farms in Ventersdorp.
Each herd, he explains, serves a different purpose. “My golden rule is to farm in harmony with my environment, not against it,” he says. The climate in Rustenburg is harsh, scorching hot and infested with ticks, making it prone to diseases such as heartwater and redwater. “You need a breed like the Brahman that can handle those conditions.”
Simbra cattle, by contrast, are more expensive to maintain but provide exceptional carcass weights and meat quality. “That’s why I mainly use Simmentaler bulls in my Brahman herd to produce Simbra F1s, which I then put through my feedlot,” Rego explains. “Right now, I’m using both Simmentaler and Boran bulls with the Brahmans, building my commercial Boran female stock while producing heavy weaners from the Simmentalers for the feedlot.”
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The Borans require minimal additional input. “They get no additional feed beyond seasonal supplements,” he says. “In winter, I give them a Molatek Dryveld 46 lick for protein and energy. In summer, both herds receive a phosphate lick, and that’s it.” Simbras, however, need extra winter feed. Fortunately, Rego has 500 hectares of arable land planted with yellow maize. “I collect all the maize that drops during harvest, plus a small portion of the harvested crop, to feed both the Simbra herd and for the feedlot.”
Demand for Borans
According to Rego, demand for purebred commercial Borans is surging. “Farmers have realised Borans tick all the boxes – hardy, fertile, low-maintenance and less prone to disease,” he says. “That’s what a farmer needs. You don’t want to be walking around with antibiotics all the time. I hardly ever buy dip for my Borans.”
Although Rego remains a registered stud breeder, he admits that he is not yet fully established in this specialised field. He explains that success in stud breeding demands intense focus and a thorough understanding of genetics.
“Many animals in the stud industry, to me, look like glorified commercial stock. To develop a proper stud animal, you must invest in the right genetics,” he says. “Additionally, it’s crucial to understand how to pair animals. It’s not just about putting a stud female and a bull together; you need to know their pedigrees and what you aim to achieve through pairing them.”
Rego recalls a workshop led by the Hurwitz brothers of Hurwitz Farming, one of South Africa’s leading Boran breeders, where the significance of genetics was emphasised. “They explained that stud breeding requires time to master. You have to understand genotypes and phenotypes and develop an animal that will generate demand among other breeders,” Rego shares.
While he remains passionate about stud breeding, Rego is adopting a gradual approach. He keeps a small herd of stud animals but mainly focuses on producing commercial purebred Boran cows and heifers. “I only buy properly registered stud bulls and cows, but only a few remain registered as stud animals in my herd,” he says. “My immediate aim is to meet the growing demand for purebred Boran females. Farmers are beginning to appreciate the breed, especially given our changing climate.”
Rego highlights that climate change, with less rainfall as well as smaller farm sizes, has impacted grazing conditions.
“Farmers now need animals that are low-maintenance, highly fertile, adaptable and functional. The Boran fits this need perfectly. It is medium-framed and thrives on less grass.”
He also points out a “missing middle” in the Boran market. “At the top end, stud animals can be prohibitively expensive, discouraging many aspiring breeders. I want to serve this market with good-quality animals that are affordable, but not cheap,” he explains.
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Rego challenges the idea that Borans are not sought after, especially in the feedlot weaner market. “I have never seen this with my cattle. I keep my Borans on the veld for 10 to 12 months before finishing them off in the feedlot for a short while,” he says. This method helps him achieve good prices while keeping input costs low.
He suspects that some feedlot operators’ reluctance to work with Borans stems from their systems rather than the breed itself. “Farming is personal. You have to find what works for you, not conform to someone else’s system. Our systems should complement one another,” Rego stresses.
Looking ahead, Rego’s medium-term goal is to reach 600 breeding cows across his farms, a milestone he is close to achieving. Once there, he plans to stop selling weaners on the open market and instead finish them in his feedlot, which is stocked entirely from his herds and maize. “I want the feedlot to be self-sustaining,” he says.
Above all, Rego aims to create a lasting legacy for his children. “My kids, though still young, are very interested in farming. They spend weekends and school holidays with me on the farm, learning the ropes voluntarily. “It’s important to me that they grow up with a strong connection to this land and way of life,” he concludes.
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