At our AGM in March 2022 the importance of Clubs and Regional Representatives were identified as a strategic intervention. From March to date this strategy was implemented and many Simbra events were arranged throughout the country with great success and positive feedback from the attendees.
The Mpumalanga Club, under the chairmanship of Arné Grobbelaar, was inaugurated in May 2022 and had its first event at Delft Simbra in July 2022.
Kobus Bester, our Breed Director, presented the course.
Various Simbra stud breeders, commercial farmers, employees of the Department of Agriculture and breeders wishing to become Simbra Stud breeders attended the course.
The theme for the event was “Sustainable Cattle Farming” and the topics covered were the following:
- Gaining a better understanding of Genetic Progress
- The Importance of clearly defined Breeding Objectives
- Deep dive into the Simbra Breeding Plan
- In depth presentation of the Simbra Breed Standards
- Phenotypic evaluation of cattle using the Linear Classification method.
The question is, was it worth it and should we do this annually? Let’s learn from the comments made by the people who attended the course.
- The Breed Directors knowledge of the cattle industry was very informative. His emphasis and knowledge on how to increase the profitability of cattle farming was impressive. One attendee said: “It is clear that Kobus has swallowed the Encyclopedia of Cattle Farming”
- The breeders present made the following statements:
- Commercial breeders said that they now understand why they should buy Registered Performance Tested bulls. We did not know what stud breeders do to breed bulls that will add value to our commercial herds.
- All those present were very impressed with the concept of Simbra representing a Value Proposition underpinned by animal science.
- The evaluation of cattle using the Linear Classification method blew them away. They enjoyed every moment of it.
- One commercial breeder said that he now knows that his cattle business was failing due to a lack of knowledge and because he was not farming with Simbra cattle.
- Two commercial Simbra breeders have, subsequent to two events in Mpumalanga, joined the Simbra Society as stud breeders.
As President of the Simbra Society I must say that this event has energized my passion as a stud breeder. I learnt a lot, evaluated what we are doing wrong and we are in the process of change and innovation to the Simbra Way.
Special thanks to our Breed Director (Kobus Bester) assisted by our Animal Scientist: Breed Improvement (Matthew Kinghorn) for the work that they are doing. Collectively they have given Simbra a clear and measurable Competitive Advantage.” -Tito Vorster
Simbra is a Value Proposition underpinned by Animal Science.