Your input as a goat farmer is needed for this study on Brown Hyenas - 21 June 2010

Dear Sir,/Madam

My name is Louisa Richmond-Coggan, I am PhD student studying Brown Hyenas across South Africa. I would greatly appreciate if you could take a few minutes to fill out this short survey by clicking on one of the links below.

Neem asseblief keenis dat daar 'n Afrikaanse weergawe van die navorsingsdokument is. .

Brown Hyena Survey - English
Bruin Hiëna navorsing - Afrikaans

Your opinion as a goat farmer is extremely important to me and I am very keen to hear what you have to say about carnivores and brown hyenas. The information you provide is vital to the project

Please pass the link on to anyone who would like to participate but please copy me into the email. If you have any further questions about the project please feel free to email me.

Many thanks
Louisa

Rift Valley Fever causes significant losses - 15 May 2010

The South African Boergoat industry has been significantly less affected by Rift Valley Fever (RVF) than the sheep sector. This could be due to the Boergoat's hardier constitution but may also be attributable to the fact that Boergoats are raised largely in the more arid regions of the country.

While Namibia has temporarily stopped all imports of livestock into that country, Botswana has not implemented similar measures and exports continue to this country.

The outbreak of RFV has undoubtedly caused significant losses for a number of livestock producers with certain individuals in the western Free State province having suffered significant losses in their sheep flocks. The onset of cold winter weather and the attendant occurrence of frost is later than normal this year and this may see the disease remain active for the next few weeks. Reports of light fost from certain areas have been received at the time of writing and producers are hopeful that heavy frost in the coming weeks will put an end to the outbreak before long.

Large parts of the interior have received above normal rainfall and standing water is a common occurrence in many areas. This factor has contributed in large part to the outbreak of the disease but will, ironically, also lead to possible heavy frost occurence in the coming winter.

Onderstepoort Biological Products still has very limited supplies of inactivated vaccine due to the relatively long production time. The peak threat period is, however, weakening as winter approaches and hopefully, vaccines will be available when needed for the next season.

Farmers are encouraged to take all neccessary precautions such as moving livestock from low-lying areas, near rivers, marshes and dams and to treat weekly with a cypermethrin-containing ectoparasiticide.

2010 World Boergoat Show, Lichtenburg - 15 May 2010

The 2010 World Boergoat Show was held at Lichtenburg in the Northwest Province of South Africa from 27 to 30 April. While Boergoats do best under hot and dry conditions, they showed their adaptability by adapting to the soaking wet conditions that existed for the entire duration of the show. On the first day a cloudburst delivered 100mm of rain that turned the showgrounds into a mud marsh.

Organisation by members of the Central Interior Boergoat Club was good, especially considering the wet conditions. Unfortunately no Namibian or Botswana breeders took part, possibly due to the Rift Valley Fever problems.

From feedback received after the show, there is a feeling that functionality and practical considerations, rather than purely aesthetic factors, need to play a more dominant role in the judging process. Many of the animals presented on shows are on semi-permanent high quality feed - often under feedlot conditions - and may adapt to practical veld conditions with great difficulty.

The Boergoat industry is growing rapidly with many new entrants and the next 3 to 5 years have the potential to deliver new names to the winner's podium in the future.

Results were as follows:

• Junior Champion Ram - H and R de Witt
• Senior Champion Ram - H and R de Witt
• Junior Champion ewe - Hennie and Hein Booysen
• Senior Champion ewe - H and R de Witt
• Overall Champion ewe - H and R de Witt
• Overall Champion ram - H and R de Witt
• Breeder of Champions - H and R de Witt
  

The show auction on the evening of 30 April delivered the following results:

• Total animals offered (Boergoats, Savannas and Kalahari Reds) - 69
• Auction Turnover R694 000
• Boergoat ewe average - R8 480
• Boergoat ram average - R14 590
• Kalahari Red ewe average - R8 250
• Kalahari Red ram average R10 833

Market Feedback - 15 May 2010

Prices for good quality Boergoat breeding stock have improved significantly recently. This can be attributed to the fact that stock is scarce and demand from new breeders continues to increase in sympathy with consumer demand.

Recent slaughter auctions show that slaughter animalsare trading at prices between R20/kg and R23/kg liveweight. On some auctions nearer the large consumer centres where good quality animals have been offered, prices as high as R24.30/kg have been achieved.

Demand from the Black and Indian sectors continues to grow as buying power increases on the back of government grants given to lower income sectors. The sustainability of this growth at the current prices is questionable considering government deficits and growing global economic crises. Spectator numbers for the coming World Cup Soccer have declined due to increasing criminal activity in South Africa, the inability and unwillingness of the government to address these issues and fears for the safety of visitors. This decline will impact on red meat demand during this period and a subsequent negative influence on prices in this sector.

While government continues to encourage grass roots level goat farming schemes, most of these remain at a very small and disorganised level and pose a limited threat to commercial producers. Hobby farmers entering the market have limited scope for commercial growth and the churn factor in this sector of the Boergoat industry is significant. Restrictive factors like cost of infrastructure (fencing especially), the high levels of input required of a commercial level enterprise and uncertainty regarding the government's attitude to land ownership are all factors that limit the long-term growth of the industry. Added to these elements is an increasing hesitancy from commercial banks to finance agricultural start-up operations.