Welcome to Farmer’s Diary – a regular feature where real farmers share what they are doing on their farms right now. From seasonal preparations and herd management to planting decisions and daily routines, this is farming told in the farmer’s own words.
Five things Beefmaster farmer Dr Nicholas Lesia does every autumn
- As preparation for winter, I make sure calves are weaned so they don’t lower their mother’s nutritional conditions before the winter.
- I isolate my bulls from the herd.
- I also ensure all cattle get a multivitamin shot and are vaccinated against pneumonia as our Free State winters can get extremely cold.
- I also switch to a winter lick, with at least 50% protein (I was on Sernick winter lick but am now on Voermol Premix).
- I finish off my dehorning in May as the cold weather favours quicker healing without infection.
Also read: Investing in genetics: How Beefmaster farmer Dr Lesia built a thriving enterprise
Dr Nicholas Lesia, a medical doctor and farmer from Clocolan near Ficksburg in the Free State, has built his cattle farming enterprise on the foundation of thorough research, quality genetics and continuous learning. What started as a passion project in 2014 has grown into a thriving operation with more than 100 Beefmaster cattle and ambitious plans for stud breeding.
Also read:
Cattle production: Your guide to artificial insemination (AI)
Expert advice | What to look for when selecting breeding cows: tail set & pelvis
Expert advice | Getting calf feeding right from day one
