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June 2011
Leader of the Bonsmara pack LiN News/Zoutpansberger In less than a century the Bonsmara breed, by means of strict selections, have become renowned for its economical features such as fertility, good growth and most importantly its high adaptability and beef yield. For thirty years now Mr Gavin Bristow, from Bristow Bonsmara situated in the Bandolierkop area in the Soutpansberg district, manages one of the oldest thoroughbred Bonsmara herds in the country. It all started when Mr Ridgeway Bristow, Gavin’s grandfather collaborated with Prof Jan Bonsma, the father of the Bonsmara, in the early 1920’s in establishing a breeding programme to develop a beef breed which could produce economically in the sub-tropical regions of the then Transvaal. At the time the British beef breeds did not perform as well in the scorching weather. They were also more susceptible to tick-borne diseases, to which the Transvaal is no stranger. On the other hand, the hardy indigenous Afrikaner breed proved to be well adapted and had a high resistance against diseases. Following pilot trials, Prof Bonsma decided to continue with the better performing Hereford and Shorthorn cross-breeds. These studies were conducted at the Mara Research Station in the Soutpansberg area. Ultimately three-quarter Afrikaners were mated to half breeds to obtain progeny with 5/8 Afrikaner and 3/8 Hereford or Shorthorn blood. With this combination, gold was struck and within 20 years after the initial cross-breeding trials a superior cattle breed for
Africa, performing better than other breeds in the bushveld of the Northern Transvaal, had been established. The first results were already encouraging. Under the management circumstances prevailing at Mara in those days, the weaning weights of the crossbred cows were on average 195kg at 240 days (about 20% higher Mr Gavin Bristow has been managing the Bristow Bonsmara herd for 30 years, one of the oldest herds in the country. than those of the three parent breeds). Likewise the calving percentages of the tablish a Bonsmara herd in Zimbabwe and after 28 years crossbred cows were appreciably higher. The calf mor- he held his first production sale at Gaaroskraal. During 1980 Gavin took charge of the herd after John’s tality was much lower than in the British Beef breeds death and has been managing the herd ever since. and close to that of the more resistant Afrikaners. Gavin managed to expand the herd as far as South In his grandfather’s time, says Bristow, some of the most promising bulls from Bonsma, were progeny test- America by the exporting of Bonsmara embryo’s in 1995. By the following year the first calf was born outed in the Bristow herd. When Ridgeway Bristow died side of South Africa. The success of the Bonsmara lies in its ability to adapt in an air crash during 1945, his two sons took over the herd. to harsher environments and to turn grass into feed. “It is a commercial breed that grows fast and produces John Bristow, Gavin’s father, became one of the first farm- good beef,” says Bristow. “But it is important not to pamers to be co-opted by Mara in per the herd too much. Strict selection methods are in a programme to test Bonsmara place to ensure that every cattle in the herd performs.” The herd is also managed under natural extensive bulls in selected herds. For this purpose six bulls were received conditions in which no supplementary feeding or licks on loan from Mara. This inclu- are given. “What you see is what you get, an animal that ded no. 406; the sire of Edelheer can adapt and perform,” Bristow says. These days, computer technology is also utilized to T342, which is regarded as the “father” of the Bonsmara breed. match the cows to bulls as well as for sire and dam In the 50s John helped to es- evaluation.