Selection

I am a firm believer in the importance of continuous selection within our herd. To this end, I dedicate as much time as possible to observing the animals, making mental notes on their attributes. Cows must demonstrate fertility, robust constitution, and adequate milk production. Calves should ideally be weaned at approximately 50% of their mother’s mass, with the mother already being pregnant again.

Annually, around the weaning period, we record the weaning weights and calculate each calf’s weaning index. Pregnancy examinations are conducted on the cows to confirm if they have reconceived.

We then evaluate the cow and calf based on three key criteria:

Based on this evaluation, we determine which families and bloodlines are performing well and select the replacement animals accordingly.

Ek glo in deurlopende seleksie in ons kudde. Ek probeer so dikwels moontlik tyd tussen die diere spandeer waar ek dan aantekeninge in my kop maak. Koeie moet vrugbaar wees met goeie konstitusie en goeie melk. Die kalwers moet so na as moontlik aan 50% van die moeder se massa speen en die moeder moet dan reeds weer dragtig wees.

Elke jaar rondom speen-tyd neem ons die speenmassas en bereken die kalf se speen-indeks. Dragtigheids-ondersoeke word op die koeie gedoen om te kyk of hulle herbeset is.

Ons beoordeel dan die koei en kalf volgens drie kreteria:

Op grond van die resultate van dié evaluasie besluit ons watter families en bloedlyne goed vaar en waaruit die vervangings-diere geselekteer sal word.