How Merino farmers are battling predation, disease and rising costs

Whether you are a stud breeder or commercial Merino farmer, environmental, operational, and infrastructural challenges have an equal impact on a farming operation. The aim of any livestock farmer, whether stud or commercial, is to keep losses at a minimum, and although farmers are facing many challenges, they implement various strategies to ensure both the survival and financial security or profitability of farming operations.

- Magda du Toit

The fundamental goal of any sheep farmer is that each ewe must successfully rear and wean at least one lamb per cycle.

Livestock producers, however, are facing many challenges on a daily basis, including drought and other adverse climatic conditions, animal diseases, predation, as well as infrastructural challenges including road conditions, which can all lead to livestock losses. Additional challenges include rising parasite and pest resistance, fluctuating wool and meat prices, and labour shortages.

Fourth-generation Merino farmer Jacques Pienaar from Mega Merino farming on Klipplaatsfontein in the Colesberg district in the Northern Cape says one of the main challenges he faces is the rising cost of doing business.

“Our input costs are increasing while our wool and meat prices are not keeping up in comparison. We review all expenses closely to identify cost-cutting opportunities.”

He adds that all measures employed to address many of the challenges they are facing make a difference to the bottom line. “Every problem needs a solution, and that solution most often means that we have to incur costs,” he says.

Pienaar also cites the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks as a real challenge and notes that it is costing the country a great deal of money, including a ban on meat exports.

According to Merino South Africa manager Willie van Heerden, and its president, Grant Naudé, issues such as FMD definitely have an impact on the country’s meat and wool farmers.

“As an industry we experienced a couple of challenging months, but as Merino South Africa we are working with our members to find solutions. We’ll have to address the challenges at our door collectively so that everybody can benefit in the long run,” says Van Heerden.

GOOD OPTION