Efficient cattle a must for Nigel stud breeder
Farmer's Weekly|November 27, 2020
The 2020 Unistel/SA Stud Book Developing Breeder of the Year, Bookholane Mokoena of Boggie Bonsmaras in Nigel, Gauteng, says that one of his most important breeding aims is to maintain optimal body condition, with the goal of producing cattle that are fit and efficient. Siyanda Sishuba reports.
Siyanda Sishuba
Efficient cattle a must for Nigel stud breeder

FAST FACTS

Beginning with 36 mixed-breed cattle just five years ago, Bookholane Mokoena is today the owner of a 90-head Bonsmara stud.

Mokoena farms on 270ha of leased land, but hopes to get access to more land soon so that he can increase his herd and plant maize for feed.

He selects for medium-framed bulls that produce calves weighing between 27kg and 32kg at birth to ensure ease of calving.

Bookholane Mokoena farms on 270ha of leased land near Nigel in Gauteng. He started farming in 2015 and has since managed to increase his herd from 36 mixed-breed cattle to a 90-head Bonsmara stud herd.

Mokoena grew up in the Free State, where his father was a subsistence farmer, and he developed a passion for agriculture from a young age. After matriculating, however, he did not have enough money to go into farming, so he took a job with Sasol. He saved for years to accumulate start-up capital, and finally resigned in 2015 to begin his career as a farmer.

This story is from the November 27, 2020 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.

This story is from the November 27, 2020 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.

MORE STORIES FROM FARMER'S WEEKLYView All
Protests in Poland turn violent
Farmer's Weekly

Protests in Poland turn violent

The farmers’ protest in Poland is fast becoming known as the most violent agricultural protest in Europe, according to national media.

time-read
1 min  |
29 March 2024
Banana Hall of Fame celebrates banana industry
Farmer's Weekly

Banana Hall of Fame celebrates banana industry

In celebration of its 125th Bananaversary, Dole Food in the US recently established a National Banana Hall of Fame to honour culinary and cultural institutions that have helped to establish bananas as one of the world’s most popular and most purchased fruit.

time-read
1 min  |
29 March 2024
Underutilised crops come into their own
Farmer's Weekly

Underutilised crops come into their own

Diverse food systems are the focus of collaborative efforts at UKZN, writes Jyothi Laldas.

time-read
2 mins  |
29 March 2024
Why cybersecurity is needed in farming
Farmer's Weekly

Why cybersecurity is needed in farming

The agriculture sector could be the most susceptible to cyberattacks.

time-read
3 mins  |
29 March 2024
Minister launches third National Status of Biological Invasions in SA programme
Farmer's Weekly

Minister launches third National Status of Biological Invasions in SA programme

Biological invasions need to be treated as an urgent matter as they pose a risk to water security as well as biodiversity, writes Jyothi Laldas.

time-read
3 mins  |
29 March 2024
Two brothers who left their mark on SA
Farmer's Weekly

Two brothers who left their mark on SA

Born in Germany, Alfred and Otto Beit came to the Transvaal's diamond fields in the late 1800s, helping to found mining companies and build crucial infrastructure, writes Graham Jooste.

time-read
5 mins  |
29 March 2024
Driving impressions: Honda Elevate 1,5
Farmer's Weekly

Driving impressions: Honda Elevate 1,5

Honda SA is back to its best in terms of packaging, build quality, value-for-money and efficiency with a new entry to the hotly contested compact SUV market. Ian McLaren for CAR tested the vehicle at its launch.

time-read
3 mins  |
29 March 2024
Starting a small-farm vegetable project: Part 2
Farmer's Weekly

Starting a small-farm vegetable project: Part 2

The process of developing a small vegetable farm is gradual and the full benefits will only be realised later, writes Bill Kerr.

time-read
2 mins  |
29 March 2024
Basic vaccination and health protocols for pigs
Farmer's Weekly

Basic vaccination and health protocols for pigs

Pigs are usually produced in intensive environments such as purpose-built piggeries, sties, or even enclosed sheds.

time-read
3 mins  |
29 March 2024
Saving Nigeria's forest elephants
Farmer's Weekly

Saving Nigeria's forest elephants

Nigeria risks losing all its forest elephants. This is what Rosemary Iriowen Egonmwan, professor of environmental physiology of animals at the University of Lagos, and Bola Oboh, professor of genetics at the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics at the University of Lagos, found when they went looking for them.

time-read
4 mins  |
29 March 2024