CATTLE FARMING

Cattle that don’t provide us with milk provide us with meat. Cattle farms are found mostly in the Eastern Cape, parts of the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Northern Cape.

Of all the species of cattle found in South Africa, those that are indigenous to the country are Afrikaner and Nguni cattle. Bonsmara and Drakensberger cattle were also developed locally. Many farmers also farm with European and American species, such as Charolais, Hereford, Angus, Simmental, Sussex, Brahman and Santa Gertrudis. Nguni cattle are known for their colourful hides which have interesting patterns.

Cattle hide, or skin, can also be used to manufacture leather products such as belts, handbags and shoes. When cattle need to be slaughtered they’re transported to an abattoir (certain large cattle farms have their own abattoirs) where the hide is processed and sold to shops. The hide is also distributed to leather factories, called tanneries.

When too many cattle (or other livestock) are forced to graze on a pasture that’s too small, it can cause overgrazing – the animals trample plants and nothing can grow. Overgrazing eventually causes the ground to become desert-like and so less and less land is available as pastures for cattle farming.

Farmers usually identify their livestock with a small mark on their ears. In earlier years the animals were marked using branding irons.

The hide of cattle is used to produce leather, from which products such as handbags, shoes and belts are made.

The meat from cattle is called beef, and is extremely popular in South Africa – especially when it’s braaied!