Rustin Shawe: Cattle Farmer of the Year tells how

Rustin Shawe of Grassfields Farm in the Groenvlei district of Wakkerstroom has been named the 2024 Voermol Cattle Farmer of the Year.

- By Izak Hofmeyr

He is well-known for his Grassfields cattle, which consist of two herds, namely the Grassfields Droughtmaster stud and the Grassfields commercial herd.

Until his father Hubert's passing four years ago, Rustin farmed alongside him. “Everything I know, I learnt from my dad,” Rustin says. Grassfields, he explains, is built on simplicity. “We stick to straightforward, practical principles, most of which were instilled by my dad. I owe everything I know to him.”

The commercial herd is made up of Brahman, Simmentaler, Angus, and Beefmaster cattle. Beefmaster bulls were introduced in the mid-1990s, a strategic decision to improve balance within the herd.

“The Brahman added hardiness but also brought some temperament issues. The Simmentaler, despite its many strengths, tended to have more calving problems. We introduced Angus to balance things out, and it helped, but not enough. That's when we started looking for a composite breed that carried the right mix of traits to make farming easier. The Beefmasters proved to be exactly what we needed, bringing the balance and ease of management we were after.”

Fertility: A defining trait

The hallmark of the Grassfields herd is fertility. “For at least 30 years, we maintained a 110-day mating period, only keeping animals conceived within that window.

Over time, we shortened it to a 60-day period, which is what we use today,” says Rustin.

At weaning, the best bull calves – those conceived in the first 60 days of the breeding season - are identified. From this group, bulls are selected to return to the herd for breeding. Fertility therefore has been the cornerstone of the commercial herd for decades.

The Grassfields Droughtmaster stud was established in 2010. According to Rustin, the Droughtmaster contributed predictability, improved weaning weights, and a stronger Indicus influence - traits that translate into hardiness and superior mothering ability.