to heartwater, which is a disease with which we struggle a lot. You still have to keep a close eye on them during the first year, but after that they seem to adapt.”
Living alongside predators and ticks
AGRICULTURE
Kevin explains that they do not have a stud, as all the animals are bred purely for commercial purposes. They sell many of their heifers commercially at auctions. Predators such as leopards and jackals are another challenge.
“ Sometimes we can see paw or scratch marks on some of the animals, and some calves return with parts of their tails missing after predator attacks,” Kevin says.
He says calves will often call out if threatened, and then the whole herd responds. Only jackals are occasionally hunted when numbers become too high. Asked whether professional
4. Apart from the Brahmans forming the heart of the cattle herd, Beefmaster crosses are also very successful in the area.