Simmentaler Joernaal 2013.indb

time used it on up to 60% of the females in the herd.
“I used AI in at the time to introduce superior genetics
into the herd as I could not afford the expensive bulls.
Now I use AI on small scale to breed new stud sires from
selected dam lines.”
The current Voigtland stud sire, Pedro GV 05 253, is out
of Stephan’s AI programme. This bull has exceptional
muscling and capacity, good hair quality and a strong
walking ability. His calves are born small but grow rapidly
to give good carcass weights and a high retail beef yield.
His first son to be put on auction was sold for R75 000
in 2011 and another son was sold for R170 000 in 2012.
The Voigtland sires also include Promatria Buschbrunn
Tolhek SW 07 142, Nawina Els IP 05 43 and Salerika Max
UG 07 202. The polled Nawina Els is structurally very
sound with outstanding depth and capacity. Promatria
Buschbrunn Tolhek is a hardy medium framed bull with
exceptional constitution.
Stephan purchased Jacat Mocca JAP 02 03 in 2004 to
breed replacement heifers. It is a long, very well balanced
bull with good depth and capacity and outstanding milk
characteristics. His daughters are mostly dark red with
superior udders and small teats, His sons show good
growth, excellent muscling and high libido. “Mocca is
a curve bender bull, very high on growth between 200
days and 600 days after which it slows down. He is a
trait leader in terms of 200 day, 400 day and 600 day
weights and carcass weights, good on milk, scrotal
circumference and eye muscle area,” Stephan explains.
Disease resistance and strong feet
Founder Gustav Voigts chose the Simmentaler because
of its strong disease resistance and other characteristics.
This was apparent during the 1896 Rinderpest outbreak in
the country when the Simmentaler proved to be the most
resistant of all the imported breeds to the devastating
disease. The first Simmentalers had been imported to
Namibia as early as 1893. Unshipped at Swakopmund
after a long sea voyage, they had to swim to shore. They
The Voigtland cattle are run on the veld,
although Stephan supplies a self-mixed lick.
Photos: Stephan Voigts
Fertility is Stephan Voigts’s main selection
criterion. The performance of its cow herd
determines the success of his stud.
then had to walk 80km from the coast across the Namib
Desert to Otjimbingwe where they were horseshoed for
the journey to Windhoek or Okahandja. “It was clear that
only animals with strong hooves and great walking ability
would survive in Namibia. They often have to walk 10km
or more to reach water. It is therefore not surprising that
the Namibian Simmentalers developed into strong, hardy
animals that thrive under most taxing conditions.”
The Simmentaler really staked its claim in the Namibian
beef cattle industry after the results of a 10-year research
programme by the Omatjenne research station near
Early maturing and fertile cows with enough
milk to wean strong and healthy calves are key
to the Voigtland stud. Any cows failing to wean
a calf every year is culled from the herd.
Otjiwarongo were published in 1951, recalls Stephan.
The trials, which compared 10 breeds, covered a
period of 10 years and compared traits such as fertility,
adaptability, growth up to the age of three, carcass traits
and profitability. “The Simmentaler excelled at these
trials and has since then firmly established itself to meet
the demands of commercial cattleman in Namibia. Its
excellent milk and meat production makes it one of the
preferred breeds in the country,” Stephan concludes.
Contact Stephan Voigts on stephanv@iway.na or
00264 811244430
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