KLIMAATSLIM AMBASSADEUR DEEL SY KENNIS / CLIMATE-SMART AMBASSADOR SHARES HIS KNOWLEDGE
KLIMAATSLIM AMBASSADEUR DEEL SY KENNIS
Grondverbetering, veldverbetering, infrastuktuurverbetering en kuddeverbetering is ‘n deurlopende proses om winsgewende skaapboerdery te verseker , sê Charl Saunderson.
Hy is onlangs as die Veeplaas Klimaatslim Ambassadeur aangewys en boer op die plaas Nooitgedacht naby Kenhardt in die Noord-Kaap.
Die Veeplaas Klimaatslim Ambassadeur-projek word sedert 2022 aangebied en fokus op veeprodusente wat passievol is oor die bewaring en optimalisering van hul omgewing en hulpbronne.
Nooitgedacht straal ‘n soort vreugde en passie uit wat aansteeklik is en dit lyk na die soort plaas waar elkeen hul rol in die doelwitte en in die strategie verstaan en geniet. Charl se boerdery berus op vier belangrike aspekte wat deel is van die DNA van die hele span:
Eerstens moet die drakrag van die grond verhoog word, sodat produksie verhoog kan word. Die benadering van die verbetering van drakrag om volhoubaarheid te verseker, word al vir die afgelope 48 jaar op Nooitgedacht gevolg.
Tweedens beklemtoon Charl die kardinale rol wat kuddeverbetering speel. Jy boer nie net met ‘n ras nie, maar beslis met genetika en dit kan goed of minder goed wees. Op sy plaas word telingsdoelwitte op skrif geplaas en die strategie om dit te bereik met groot noukeurigheid gevolg, sodat die kudde ook goed by die klimaat aangepas is om volhoubare, optimale produksie te verseker. So word vervangingsooie nou byvoorbeeld al vir 18 jaar geselekteer vir vrugbaarheid, lamgemak en ‘n 270 tot 300 dae lam-interval. Dit is ook vanjaar al die vierde jaar waar alle ooie se pelvisgrootte en vulvalengtes gemeet word om nou met akkuraatheid te kan bepaal op watter ouderdom ‘n pelvis goed genoeg ontwikkel vir jong ooie om maklik te kan lam. Die metings stel Charl in staat om met goeie akkuraatheid ‘n ooi te kan prul en te laat slag en derhalwe het hy sy reeds hoë lampersentasies op dié manier omgeskakel in ‘n hoë speenpersentasie. Lammers, baie lammers en aangepaste lammers wat goed groei, is wat ‘n boer welvarend op sy plaas hou. Charl en Isabel leef net uit die inkomste wat hulle uit hul boerdery verdien en derhalwe is baie en mooi diere, wat uiters produktief is, lewensbelangrik vir hulle en elke boer wat ook van Nooitgedacht Dorperstoet se Dorper en Wit Dorper-genetika gebruik maak.
Die derde aspek wat ‘n boerdery suksesvol maak, is die konstante instandhouding en verbetering van infrastruktuur om goeie weidingsbestuur te verseker. As grens- en lyndrade nie in ‘n goeie toestand is nie, is dit nie moontlik om die veld te laat rus nie. Verder is die ligging van suipings en kampgroottes belangrik om egalige veldverbruik te verseker. Met die Noord-Kaap se hoë temperature is voldoende skaapskaduwee ‘n moet op Nooitgedacht. Charl sê die speenpersentasie in kampe waar daar voldoende skaduwee is, is minstens 5% hoër as in die kampe wat dit nie het nie en 5% op bruto kan maklik ‘n 15 tot 20% invloed op netto-inkomste hê.
Vierdens is predasiebestuur ‘n aspek wat nooit agterweë gelaat kan word nie. Nooitgedacht spog met elektriese heinings, wat elke tweede dag fisies gemonitor word. Paaie om elke drie- of vierkampstelsel word gereeld met ou vragmotorbuitebande gesleep om spore makliker te kan sien en korrek te kan identifiseer.
Vierde geslag
Charl is die vierde geslag “Charl Saunderson” wat op Nooitgedacht boer. Sy oupagrootjie het die grond in die vroeë dertigerjare gekoop. In daardie stadium is ‘n “boord” Prosopis bome onder leiding van die Departement van Landbou aangeplant, wat destyds geglo het die bome sal genoeg peule, wat as veevoer kan dien, produseer om landbou in dié deel van die land baie winsgewend te maak. Die boord moes saad produseer wat hy kon gaan plant om die “wonderplant” te vermeerder. Die Prosopis is ‘n egter ‘n indringer, wat ernstige skade aan die ondergrondse watertafel en plantegroei aanrig. Sy pa het dus reeds in 1976 begin om hierdie indringerplante op die plaas te verwyder, want die navorsing in sy tyd het bewys dat die “Prosopis-oplossing” toe ‘n Prosopis-probleem geword het.
Nadat al die indringerplante teen 1982 verwyder is, het die beheerproses begin en word daar ná 42 jaar steeds jaarliks tot soveel as 100 jong Prosopis bome uitgeroei.
Verder het Charl se pa in 1982 met ‘n ploegproses begin, in ‘n poging om ‘n saadbed te skep vir die plante wat hy graag op die plaas wil hê. Dit behels dat ploegvore gevorm word wat die vloei van water sal vertraag om waterpenetrasie en -retensie in die grond te verbeter. Charl het begin om die saadbed te voed, eerstens met mis, wat in die krale en onder skaapskaduwees versamel word. Tweedens met beenmeel, wat in ‘n ou sementdam versamel word, waarin alle dooie diere gegooi en verbrand word. Derdens word die as van alle braai- en kookvure versamel en in die ploegvore gegooi om ‘n koeler en vrugbaarder saadbed te verkry. Dit beskerm ook die grondvog, om vir die saad wat hulle in die ploegvore saai, die beste moontlike kans op ontkieming te bied.
Elke jaar in Augustus word groot hoeveelhede sade van hoë waarde-plante op die plaas geoes, sommer met skoppie en besem, wat in die voorbereide ploegvore gesaai word. Gedurende die droogte het Charl ook byvoorbeeld dertig ton kameelboom-peule in die skaap se lekke ingemeng om genoeg saad in die grond te kry om skadubome vir die toekoms te vestig. Enkele boompies het al opgekom en dit lyk of die oorlewingsfaktor van dié wat wel opkom nie hoër as 1% is nie. Die verwagting is egter dat daar meer sukses met die saad en bome sal wees as daar weer ‘n klompie jare met gemiddelde en bogemiddelde reënval voorkom.
Wenke
Charl moedig boere aan om bome by hul suipings te plant as daar genoeg water is of alternatiewelik skaapskaduwees op te rig.
Hy het ook pas ‘die nuwe “Because we Care” projek afgeskop, met die oogmerk dat daar byekaste by elke suiping opgerig gaan word ten einde goeie bestuiwing van plante te bewerkstellig en om bye uit boorgate te hou. By al sy gronddamme gaan daar vlermuishotelle/neste opgerig word, wat veral in die leegtes waar daar baie muggies en muskiete voorkom ‘n verskil kan maak. Dit kan help om muggies en muskiete se getalle te laat daal wat weer die risiko van bloutong en slenkdalkoors kan verlaag. Hy maan egter dat boere hul diere steeds teen dié siektes moet inent, aangesien dit nooit die risiko heeltemal sal uitskakel nie. Verder is daar nie natuurlike hoë bome in die Boesmanland nie en daarom hoop hy om met hierdie projek platforms te kan oprig, waar valke hopelik neste sal kom maak en vanwaar hulle kan jag om sodoende rot- en muisgetalle te beheer. Charl wil ook die oprigting van klein en groot uilkaste by die projek insluit, sodat die uilbevolking op die plaas verhoog kan word.
Die sementdamme op sy plaas word met skadunet-deksels bedek, wat nie net verdamping deur wind en son met 90% verminder nie, maar dit hou die water koeler en voorkom die groei van alge, wat die verstopping van pype beperk. Charl ploeg ook graag die blad van die gronddamme op Nooitgedacht om só doelbewus die ondergrondse water aan te vul.
Verder is daar ‘n volgehoue inisiatief om diere soos aardwolwe, bakoorjakkalsies en erdvarke te bewaar om rysmiere en termiete te beheer. Daar sal op die plaas seker voortdurend nuwe horisonne wees om die vreugde van volhoubare en winsgewende boerdery te verseker.
Charl en Isabel nooi u hartlik uit na die boerdag op hul plaas Nooitgedacht in die Kenhardt distik op 15 Oktober 2024 om 9h00. RSVP asseblief by by 082 4 146 146 vir pad-aanwysings. Bring gerus ‘n hoed en ‘n boer of twee saam en onthou om te RSVP ten einde die pin met die ligging te ontvang.
CLIMATE-SMART AMBASSADOR SHARES HIS KNOWLEDGE
Land improvement, field improvement, infrastructure improvement and flock improvement are a continuous process to ensure profitable sheep farming, says Charl Saunderson.
He was recently named the Veeplaas Climate Smart Ambassador and farms on the farm Nooitgedacht near Kenhardt in the Northern Cape.
The Veeplaas Livestock Climate Smart Ambassador project has been presented since 2022 and focuses on livestock producers who are passionate about preserving and optimising their environment and resources.
Nooitgedacht radiates a kind of joy and passion that is contagious and it seems like the kind of farm where everyone understands and enjoys their role in the goals and in the strategy for the farm. Charl’s farming is based on four important aspects that are part of the DNA of the whole team:
Firstly, the carrying capacity of the soil must be increased, so that production can be increased. The approach of improving carrying capacity to ensure sustainability has been followed at Nooitgedacht for the past 48 years.
Second, Charl emphasises the cardinal role that herd improvement plays. You are not only farming with a breed, but definitely with genetics and this genetics can be good or not so good. On his farm, breeding objectives are put in writing and the strategy to achieve them is followed with great care, so that the herd is also well adapted to the climate to ensure sustainable, optimal production. For example, replacement ewes have been selected for fertility, lambing ease and a 270-to-300-day lambing interval for 18 years. This year is also the fourth year that all ewes’ pelvis size and vulva lengths are measured in order to be able to accurately determine at what age a pelvis develops well enough for young ewes to be able to lamb easily. The measurements enable Charl to be able to cull and slaughter an ewe with good accuracy and therefore he converted his already high lambing percentages in this way into a high weaning percentage. Lambs, lots of lambs and adapted lambs that grow well are what keep a farmer prosperous on his farm. Charl and Isabel live only from the income they earn from their farming and therefore many and beautiful animals, which are extremely productive, are vital for them and every farmer who also uses Nooitgedacht Dorperstoet’s Dorper and White Dorper genetics.
The third aspect that makes a farm successful is the constant maintenance and improvement of infrastructure to ensure good pasture management. If boundary and line wires are not in a good condition, it is not possible to let the field rest. Furthermore, the location of water points and the size of the camps are important to ensure even field consumption. With the Northern Cape’s high temperatures, sufficient sheep shade is a must on Nooitgedacht. Charl says the weaning percentage in camps where there is sufficient shade is at least 5% higher than in the camps that do not have it and 5% on gross can easily have a 15 to 20% influence on net income.
Fourthly, predation management is an aspect that can never be left behind. Nooitgedacht boasts electric fences, which are physically monitored every second day. Roads around each three or four camp system are regularly dragged with old truck tires to make tracks easier to see and correctly identify.
Fourth generation
Charl is the fourth generation “Charl Saunderson” who farms on Nooitgedacht. His great grandfather bought the land during the early thirties. At that stage, an “orchard” of Prosopis trees was planted under the guidance of the Department of Agriculture, who believed at the time that the trees would produce enough pods, which could serve as animal feed, to make agriculture very profitable in this part of the country. The orchard had to produce seeds that he could plant to multiply the “miracle plant”. However, the Prosopis is an invader, causing serious damage to the underground water table and vegetation. His father therefore already started in 1976 to remove these invasive plants on the farm, because the research in his time proved that the “Prosopis solution” then became a Prosopis problem.
After all the invasive plants were removed by 1982, the control process began and after 42 years, as many as 100 young Prosopis trees are still being eradicated annually.
Furthermore, Charl’s father started a ploughing process in 1982, in an attempt to create a seed bed for the plants he would like to have on the farm. This involves forming furrows that will slow down the flow of water to improve water penetration and retention in the soil. Charl began to feed the seed bed, first with manure, which is collected in the barns and under sheep shadows. Second, with bone meal, which is collected in an old cement pond, into which all dead animals are thrown and burned. Thirdly, the ashes from all braai and cooking fires are collected and thrown into the plough furrows to obtain a cooler and more fertile seedbed. It also protects the soil moisture; to give the seeds they sow in the plough furrows the best possible chance of germination.
Every year in August, large quantities of seeds of high-value plants are harvested on the farm, simply with shovel and broom, which are sown in the prepared plough furrows. During the drought, Charl also, for example, mixed thirty tons of camellia thorn tree pods into the sheep’s licks to get enough seed into the ground to establish shade trees for the future. A few saplings have already come up and it seems that the survival factor of those that do come up is no higher than 1%. However, the expectation is that there will be more success with the seeds and trees if there are another few years with average and above average rainfall.
Tips
Charl encourages farmers to plant trees at their intakes if there is enough water or alternatively erect sheep shelters.
He has also just kicked off the new “Because we Care” project, with the aim of setting up beehives at every water point in order to achieve good pollination of plants and to keep bees out of boreholes. Bat hotels/nests will be erected at all of his earthen dams, which can make a difference especially in the voids where there are many midges and mosquitoes. This can help reduce midge and mosquito numbers which in turn can reduce the risk of bluetongue and Rift valley fever. However, he warns that farmers should still vaccinate their animals against these diseases, as this will never completely eliminate the risk. Furthermore, there are no natural tall trees in the Boesmanland, and therefore he hopes to be able to set up platforms with this project, where hawks will hopefully come to make nests from where they can hunt in order to control rat and mouse numbers. Charl also wants to include the construction of small and large owl boxes in the project, so that the owl population on the farm can be increased.
The cement ponds on his farm are covered with shade net covers, which not only reduce evaporation from wind and sun by 90%, but keep the water cooler and prevent the growth of algae, which limits the clogging of pipes. Charl also likes to plough the top of the earth dams on Nooitgedacht to deliberately replenish the underground water.
Furthermore, there is a sustained initiative to conserve animals such as aardwolves, brown-eared jackals and aardvarks to control rice ants and termites. There will certainly be new horizons on the farm to ensure the joy of sustainable and profitable farming.
Charl and Isabel cordially invite you to the farmer’s day on their farm Nooitgedacht in the Kenhardt district on 15 October 2024 at 9h00. Please RSVP on 082 4 146 146 for directions. Feel free to bring a hat and a beanie or two and remember to RSVP in order to receive the pin with the location.