The modern Afrikaner breed is a formidable contender in SA

The present-day Afrikaner is a beef cattle breed that makes financial sense for producers. The realities of beef production in South Africa call for highly effective, fertile, and economical cattle breeds like the Afrikaner, writes Annelie Coleman.

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The Afrikaner beef cattle breed has formed the cornerstone of the South African beef production industry over many decades, according to Ben du Plessis, Afrikaner stud breeder from Koppies in the Free State. “The Afrikaner Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa [the society] has over the past few years placed a marked emphasis on the breeding of performance- tested, highly efficient animals and succeeded in the development of animals that can hold a candle to any other beef breed in the country.

“The modern Afrikaner is well-muscled with outstanding depth, width and consequently, optimal meat production,” he says.

IMPROVED GROWTH

According to him, the breed is highly functional with hugely improved growth rates.

The objective is to breed performance-tested animals that produce weaners for feedlotting. At the moment Afrikaner weaners weigh in at around 230kg to 250kg. In a study done by an abattoir in Marquard about two years ago, Afrikaner weaners maintained an average daily gain of 1,5kg with a feed conversion rate of 4,8kg feed for an output of 1kg, underpinning the functionality and effectivity of the modern Afrikaner. The average birthweight is about 32kg.