The 17th ProGen Sussex Production Auction, held on Wednesday 10 June, is the result of a successful partnership between the Pothou Sussex stud of Vredefort and the Blema ba Kan Sussex stud near Kroonstad. Together, the two breeders market their genetics at an annual production auction where 40 quality Sussex bulls and 40 females are offered to the industry.
By Salomé van den Berg
The name ProGen refers to production genetics and reflects the group’s focus on breeding functional, profitable Sussex cattle for South African livestock producers.
Blema ba Kan Sussex Stud
Junior Keyser owns the Blema ba Kan Sussex Stud, a well-known Sussex stud established in 2009 on the farm Rustbank near Kroonstad. The name “Blema ba Kan” means “red cattle”.
Under his leadership, the stud has built an outstanding reputation for fertility, adaptability and performance under challenging veld conditions. The herd has received numerous awards, including repeated recognition as one of the leading Sussex herds in South Africa.
Keyser is also well known for his involvement in Sussex auctions and his commitment to breeding productive cattle with superior genetics for both the commercial and stud sectors. His emphasis on genetic excellence is demonstrated by his continued investment in top-quality bulls to strengthen the herd’s genetic potential. In 2025, he purchased the record-priced bull at the National Sussex Auction, confirming his commitment to progressive breeding.
He also plays a key role in ProGen, where a unique partnership has been established with the Potgieter family. In this collaboration, the Potgieters focus on breeding and marketing the bulls, while Keyser is responsible for the female line. This approach has taken the breeding programme to a new level of efficiency and genetic progress.
As the seller of the females, Keyser sold the highest-priced open heifers to Janus Oberholzer for R12 000 each. Oberholzer purchased the animals on behalf of Eddie van Heerden of Hoopstad. Attie Danhauser of Vredefort bought the highest-priced pen of in-calf heifers for R25 000.
Pothou Sussex Stud
George Potgieter and George Potgieter Jr. are the driving force behind the Pothou Sussex Stud on the farm Uithou in the Vredefort district. George Potgieter Sr. is recognised for his passion for Sussex cattle and his focus on breeding hardy, functional animals that add value to commercial herds.
George Potgieter Jr. and his wife, Janke, play an important role in managing and developing the stud. Over the years they have established a strong reputation within the Sussex industry. Their dedication to quality, genetic improvement and customer satisfaction forms the foundation of the success of both Pothou Sussex and the ProGen Sussex Production Auction.
Lot 33, an early maturing bull with excellent masculinity and outstanding testicular development, was the highest-priced bull at the auction. The Potgieters sold him to Junior Keyser for R75 000.
According to George Potgieter Jr., they were extremely pleased with the auction results.
“With the uncertainty surrounding foot-and-mouth disease, we are grateful that the bulls achieved acceptable prices while the females realised excellent prices. Thank you to everyone for your support and confidence in our genetics.”
Sussex cattle
The Sussex breed is renowned for its hardiness, fertility and excellent beef-producing ability. Sussex cattle adapt well to a wide range of climatic conditions, possess strong maternal traits and produce calves with excellent growth potential.
They are docile animals with efficient feed conversion, making them popular among both commercial and stud breeders for profitable beef production.
Mr Sparks, a bull from the ProGen stable, was awarded SA Stud Book Elite Diamond status this year.
Successful presentation and marketing
The auction was expertly conducted by auctioneer Jan Mostert, while Francois Duminy of BKB managed the marketing in collaboration with SwiftVEE’s digital platform. Their combined expertise ensured a successful auction that reached buyers across South Africa and further strengthened the reputation of the ProGen Sussex Production Auction as one of the country’s leading Sussex sales.
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