The dynamic dairy goats of Modderaskolk

Farming may appear simple from the outside, but behind the scenes it is not always as romantic and idyllic as one might think. Sometimes a farm must be built from the ground up. Whatever the situation, there is a way if you set your mind to it.

- Koos du Pisanie

This was the case in 2017 when Ockert Vermeulen moved to Modderaskolk, the farm he inherited from his grandfather. Situated in the Williston/Fraserburg district, the farm had become neglected and was no longer the place he remembered from his childhood. For Ockert, however, the condition of the farm represented a challenge rather than a disaster.

When he was 12 years old, Ockert lived with his grandfather on the farm and developed a keen interest in the farm's goats. He would follow the herd during the day and report back in the evening, telling his grandfather which does kidded and where the newborn kids could be found.

Starting with dairy goats

Life took several unexpected turns, and it was only when he reached his forties that his dream of farming in the Karoo finally became a reality in 2017. Because the farm offered little to build on, he essentially had to start from scratch.

Ockert always had a fondness for dairy goats and one of his ambitions was to establish a dairy goat stud. He initially experimented with Alpine, Toggenburg and Saanen goats, but eventually focussed exclusively on the Saanen. About four years ago he reached an important milestone when the Modderaskolk stud was officially registered with the South African Milch Goat Breeders' Society.

Apart from its value as a source of nutrition for humans – particularly for babies who are allergic to cow's milk – goat's milk is also used in cheese production. Ockert believes dairy goats are a valuable addition to a sheep enterprise, as their milk can be used to rear bummer lambs. These lambs are sometimes placed with the dairy goats, which readily rear them.

A breed with no name