The Importance Of Maintaining Reproductive Health In A Herd

Fourth-generation farmer Gerhard Grobler says he has been able to achieve better results from his beef cattle herd after introducing crossbreeding. But, he adds, South Africa’s beef producers need to start managing animal health more proactively. Pieter Dempsey reports.

- Pieter Dempsey

Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, Gerhard Grobler, of Smitsfield farm in Lothair, Mpumalanga, started farming intensively about 10 years ago. His great-grandfather started out as a sheep herder and systematically bought pieces of land in the area. When Grobler began farming, he was breeding Bonsmara cattle, but about three years ago, he started introducing Beefmaster genetics into his herd after realising his farming operation was better suited to a crossbred herd.

His beef herd now consists of 60% Bonsmara cattle and 40% BeefmasterBonsmara crossbred animals.

Grobler farms on 1 800ha, but only 600ha is cultivated land. He also has 80ha planted to weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula). The rest of the farm is used for natural grazing.

The area has sandy loam soil, receives an average of 650mm of rain per year and is predominantly sourveld, with some red grass (Themeda triandra).

CARRYING CAPACITY

On the Highveld, Grobler says, a sustainable grazing capacity is 5ha/LSU. “Carrying capacity increases if you take into account planted pasture and cropping areas where animals can feed on crop residue after harvesting. If a farmer has enough supplementary feed available, carrying capacity on a farm can increase to about 3,8ha/LSU.”

Grobler plants 600ha to maize and soya bean on a 50/50 rotational basis, which means his livestock has plenty of crop residue to graze on.