This is the opinion of Livestock Registering Federation (LRF) Chairperson, Christopher Sparks. He says drought is a terrible thing to go through, but the positive is that the drought helps producers to identify the weaker genetic material in a herd.

“So once they’ve gone through a selection process of culling those animals, they generally sit with far better genetic material. In other words, they start the next season on a much higher platform than what they worked from previously.”

The LRF hosted its AGM in Bloemfontein on Wednesday. Sparks, who was re-elected as Chairperson, says there are several projects and initiatives the LRF is engaged in, including the popular annual Stockman’s school.

He also says they have a very good working relationship with Government and highlighted funding received from the Agricultural Research Council to start a genomics programme.

Some of the issues in the sector revolve around things like meat classification versus a meat grading system, as well as trying to sort out protocols for import/export of genetic material such as embryos.

Sabrina Dean/OFM News