HARTEBEESTLOOP INFO DAY AND AUCTION CONTINUE TO SHINE
Published: 05 Jun 2015

Agra and Hartebeestloop once again presented an excellent event with the annual Hartebeestloop Farmers’ Day on 28 May and the Hartebeestloop Bonsmara auction on 29 May 2015. The hall on the farm was packed for the lectures on Thursday and the auction on Friday performed above expectation, confirming why this event is a highlight on the agriculture and stud breeding calendar. 

At the auction on Friday on the farm Hartebeestloop of Dr Joggie Briedenhann, a total of fifty (50) bulls were sold for an average price of N$55 560. Hartebeestloop Bonsmaras sold 44 bulls, while six bulls were sold by guest sellers. The top price achieved for a Hartebeestloop Bonsmara bull was N$300 000; the second highest price was N$200 000 and two more bulls sold for N$150 000 each. Forty buyers registered for the auction and as the policy of Dr. Joggie Briedenhann is that he has no reserve price for the bulls, buyers had the opportunity to buy well adapted bulls of good genetic quality at the prices they offered. 

The auction was preceded by the annual Hartebeestloop Farmers’ Day on 28 May, which was hosted by the Agra retail division for the third consecutive year. It was once again a very successful information day where more than 130 guests were entertained by valuable and relevant information, focusing on farming in Southern Africa; veld management; breeding of polled Bonsmara and fertility of bulls. 

Dr Briedenhann started the program giving information on the polled Bonsmara breeding program. They use DNS tested polled Simmentaler, Braunvieh, Tuli and Senepol to breed towards pure polled Bonsmara. Guests got the opportunity to see and learn about examples of the progress in this “long, challenging, exciting and full of suprises” project, as described by Dr. Briedenhann. 

Theo Venter political and policy specialist at the Potchefstroom Business School and advisor on politics, strategy and planning gave an overview of agriculture in Southern Africa and left the audience with the question whether we are passive or active and whether we are opponents or supporters. 

Kobus Marais shared valuable information on rangeland management and with his experience, had a valuable contribution to make to the farmers’ day. Marais has been involved since 1997 in a stock farming partnership that farmed on an area of approximately 70000 ha in the Kalahari dune veld north east of Upington. With the help of grazing experts he developed a grazing system which was practical and effective and addressed the risks of the area. He was involved with the edition of the grass identification book “Grasses of the Kalahari Vegetation Types”. In 2014 he received the Peter Edwards Award from the Grassland Society of Southern Africa for Best Conservation Farmer in the Free State. 

Dr Martin Ferreira, veterinarian and consultant for Virbac gave a comprehensive lecture on the important aspects of the scrotum of a bull as part of the fertility of the animal. He also gave a practical demonstration on how to test the fertility of bulls and how to do sample collection to test for sexually transmitted diseases. 

Before the participants joined for the evening get-together, with a steakbraai hosted by Agra livestock, the information day was ended by discussing bulls in the auction ring. 

Suppliers of Agra and role players in the agricultural industry hosted exhibitions of various products and services while guests enjoyed delicious refreshments throughout the day.