Just outside the small Free State town of Villiers, which lies on the border of Mpumalanga, is the land that has been farmed by three generations of Odendaals for over 80 years. Adriaan Odendaal and his three brothers started farming here with their father, also Adriaan, in the 1970s, but when he retired in 1996, each of the brothers went their separate ways. Odendaal continued farming on the farm Uithoek, and he has recently handed over the reins to his two sons, Riaan and Gerrie. Both his sons produce soya beans and maize. Riaan inherited the OdensimSimmentaler Stud. Gerrie and Odendaal’s granddaughter, Mariza van Niekerk, help manage the Rocky Droughtmaster stud.
“I started breeding Droughmasters in 2012. Ian Curren, who was the breed adviser for the Africa Droughtmaster Club at the time, invited me to attend a meeting with him in Parys about establishing the Droughtmaster in South Africa. At the time, I wasn’t even really aware that the breed existed, but my interest was piqued,” says Odendaal. Shortly after this, Johan van der Nest, who introduced the first Droughtmaster genetics to South Africa in the 1990s, invited Odendaal to his farm to examine his cattle.
“I was immediately impressed with what I saw,” says Odendaal.
He then decided to start breeding Droughtmasters, buying in his first group of cows towards the end of 2012.
This story is from the September 17, 2021 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 17, 2021 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Africa goes from net carbon sink to source
New research shows Africa's impact on greenhouse gases and the need to focus on climate-smart agriculture
Ireland potato farmers unable to complete planting
Irish potato farmers have reported a delay in harvest and said that the UK might have to prepare for shortages of the produce. The shortfall is due to extreme wet weather during their planting season.
Zero-residue fresh produce a reality
Retail giants are calling for caution when using biologicals and chemical pesticides,
Big boost for mohair producers in Eastern Cape
A collaboration between the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the Mohair Empowerment Trust (MET) has resulted in a R1,4 million injection into four emerging Angora goat farming operations in the Eastern Cape.
KZN Youth Show at Roval Agricultural Exhibition
The KZN Youth Show will run from Friday, 24 May to Sunday, 26 May at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg.
Hemp permits and irrigation system handed over
In an effort to fast-track the entry of rural farmers into the cannabis and hemp industries, KwaZuluNatal Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Super Zuma, visited the Shukasibheme Project in Mbazwana, a co-operative in Mseleni, uMhlabuyalingana in the Umkhanyakude District, to hand over cannabis and hemp permits as well as a borehole and irrigation system.
Meet some of the heroes behind avitourism destinations
Exploring what the Garden Route offers birdwatchers, Brian Berkman discovers some special people who run hospitable places to meet and see a variety of species.
What the Citrus Academy offers aspiring producers
Cobus du Plessis takes a look at the Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa's Citrus Academy and how it is helping to develop aspiring farmers in the sector.
Natural-born killers of the insect world
The Myrmeleontidae family of lacewings from the Neuroptera order of insects consists of about 2 000 species of which 125 are found in South Africa.
Seeder kick-starts vegetation in challenging environments
Dr George Craven of Noorspoort, Steytlerville, in the south-eastern Karoo, is successfully using a home-built 'bedstead seeder' to re-establish veld plants in an arid area, writes Roelof Bezuidenhout.