For many Animal Sciences students, cattle production is first encountered in textbooks, lecture halls and laboratory practicals. At North-West University (NWU), however, students are getting a very different education: one where cattle, feed, health records and production decisions become part of their daily learning.
By Lebogang Mashala, editor at African Farming
The university’s Feedlot Challenge, based at the NWU Molelwane Agricultural Farm in Mahikeng, is giving students first-hand exposure to the realities of commercial cattle production while helping bridge the gap between academic theory and practical skills.
Now in its third year, the initiative involves diploma and BSc Animal Sciences students and provides a working environment in which they can apply what they learn in the classroom to real livestock production.
Learning by doing
The feedlot belongs to NWU and is managed by the university’s Animal Science Department under principal technician Kgaogelo Meso and senior technician Kemiso Monyaki.
Students conduct practicals at the farm and also visit different sites to broaden their exposure to livestock production. They participate in the day-to-day monitoring of cattle, observe their health and behaviour, assist with feeding programmes and keep records of animal performance. They monitor factors such as body weight, growth rates, feed intake and overall health, developing a better understanding of how these variables interact to influence production efficiency and profitability.
For Lesego Molema, a final-year BSc Hons student at NWU’s Mahikeng Campus, the practical exposure has been instrumental in turning academic knowledge into usable skills.
“The NWU Feedlot Challenge has given me an opportunity to take what we learn in the classroom and apply it in a real production environment,” Molema says. “The hands-on experience with cattle management, nutrition and animal health has strengthened my practical skills and confidence.”
Understanding what makes cattle grow
Nutrition is another critical component of the programme.
Students are exposed to feed formulation, nutritional requirements, feed intake and feed conversion, while learning how feeding strategies affect animal growth and production.
The experience also highlights the financial importance of efficient feeding. With feed representing one of the major costs in feedlot production, students gain an appreciation of the relationship between nutrition, animal performance and profitability.
Also read: Why stock density is the ‘muscle’ in veld management
Health and welfare take centre stage
Animal health and welfare are equally important aspects of the Feedlot Challenge.
Students learn to recognise signs of illness, monitor animal behaviour and apply appropriate welfare practices. This gives them practical insight into health management and the importance of early intervention in a commercial livestock environment.
Industry partnerships are helping to strengthen this practical training.
Kyron Agri supports the programme through the sponsorship of medication and contributions to animal health management, giving students exposure to animal health products and practices used in the feedlot sector.
“The support from industry partners makes the experience even more valuable because it exposes us to the realities of the sector,” Molema says.
Also read: More emerging farmers mean little if they’re not equipped to survive harsh conditions
More than just cattle
The programme is also developing skills that students will need when they enter the workplace. Through their involvement in the feedlot, students are also exposed to the economic side of livestock production, including the costs associated with feed, animal health and general production management.
The reality of working with livestock means that not everything goes according to plan. Unexpected animal health problems and the daily demands of maintaining efficient production provide students with opportunities to respond to real challenges.
Also read: Highest price of R71 000 for Dohne Merino
Preparing the next generation
For Molema, the value of the programme extends well beyond his university years.
“It is an invaluable experience because it prepares us for the realities and challenges of the livestock industry beyond university,” he says.
Also read
From Brahman roots to Simmental growth: Obakeng Ntshabele’s strategy for a stronger beef herd
SA red meat cleared for Egypt as farmers battle worst FMD outbreak in decades
Preparing your cattle herd for a potentially dry summer – Beefmaster Group
