Veld testing sets new benchmarks

The veld testing concept, as practiced in veld bull and veld ram tests under the auspices of Veld Bull and Ram Southern Africa (VBRSA), is gaining momentum and popularity, according to Dr Hannes Dreyer. He is generally regarded as the father of the veld testing concept in South Africa.

- Izak Hofmeyr

The first Boer goat veld test, consisting of rams and ewes belonging to Ilze Lombaard of Vrede, was recently concluded in the Eastern Free State. Although the criteria for the goat test have been adapted slightly, the concept remains the same.

A concept gaining in popularity

The number of breeders submitting their heifers for veld testing is growing. The test for heifers, explains Dr Dreyer, is easier than the test for bulls in that heifers are only weighed at the beginning and end of the test. Once the test has been concluded, pelvic measurements are taken and a mark given for femininity, coat quality, growth, and condition, which is also the most important criterion. This allows the owner to select only the best replacement heifers.

“Although wool sheep breeders have been participating in veld tests for some time now, mutton sheep breeders are also starting to see the value of these tests. In the Eastern Free State and Mpumalanga there are wool sheep breeders who submit as many as 800 rams at a time. The fact that they are able to identify the top 20% of these rams for retention in the flock, means they’re making excellent progress.”

The main advantage of any veld test, he continues, is that expenses are kept to a minimum, if any. Preparing animals for the market does not require a huge capital outlay. Weaner bulls enter the test at around 250kg and weigh between 350 and 380kg at the end of the test. A bull that does not pass the test can be marketed immediately. The 100 to 120kg that the bull gained in weight happened on the veld at minimal cost – only a basic lick was added. The big win, however, is that a breeder now has an objective and proven measure with which to identify top animals.