South African wildlife ranchers have a well-established reputation for breeding exceptional quality buffaloes that regularly fetch record prices at wildlife auctions. Well-known bulls such as ‘Horison’, ‘Tyson’, ‘Inala’, ‘Bayetu’, ‘Matetsi’, ‘Mystery’, ‘Senatla’, ‘Leba’, ‘Salomo’, ‘Basa’, ‘Zeus’, ‘Salema’, ‘Moses’, ‘Pymat’, ‘Nkosana’, ‘Gnu’, ‘Lebombo’, ‘Langbeen’, ‘Kipketer’, ‘Morena’, ‘Brits’, ‘Serengeti’, ‘Simpson’, ‘Okamoso’, ‘Cuanza’, ‘LH’ and ‘Cliff’, to name but a few, had their origins within the private ranching sector.
Producing these excellent animals did not happen by chance. They are the products of the commitment, dedication and perseverance by game ranchers to safeguard genetic diversity through careful monitoring and management of their herds. Well-known game farmer Rubin Els of Thaba Tholo Game Farm in Limpopo is quick to add that even the best genetic makeup will be fruitless if the animal is not…